This was an absolutely wild YA thriller from Holly Jackson. Do not take anything at face value as you read this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the e-ARC of THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE.

Well, Holly Jackson did it again. Another YA thriller/mystery that will have you scratching your head. Jam packed with morally gray characters, familial trauma, and excellent storytelling, THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE will have you gripping the book as tight as the clock ticks down, down, down…

Rachel Price has been missing for 16 years. Bel Price, just 2 at the time of her mother’s disappearance, was the only witness, but she doesn’t remember anything and she just wants everyone to move on with their lives. Her mom is gone. That’s all.

However, the world will not let the disappearance of Rachel Price escape them. A true crime documentary team approaches the Price family, hoping to uncover something that could respark the cold case and perhaps find themselves some fame along the way. The family agrees, despite Bel’s reluctance.

As they’re filming, Rachel Price comes home.

Bel is skeptical of her mom’s sudden reappearance and is determined to prove that her mom is dead and gone and the woman standing before her is not really her mom, but some psychopath who is her exact twin in looks. But instead, Bel finds herself in the middle of a years long mystery, and she does not know who to trust anymore.

Miss Jackson, please, for the love of god and all that is holy, give your main characters a break. Poor things are traumatized. I absolutely loved this book, but holy cow your main characters really GO THROUGH IT. But to this effect, it’s an effective way to make unreliable but solid narrators. To quote someone I met indirectly at a drag show, “my trauma makes me interesting.”
Bel’s skepticism makes her a convincing yet unreliable main character, very common in Holly Jackson books. She is cynical, tired, and just wants to move on, but once ensnared by the mystery of her mother’s reappearance, she holds it and will not let go, like Pip with the Andie Bell case and subsequent events in the A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER series.

This tense slowburn kept me entertained, goosebumps appearing on my arms whenever something slightly off putting was happening. Jackson knows how to keep an audience guessing, and this book is evidence of that. The twists and turns were darker than I originally expected, but then I thought back to AS GOOD AS DEAD, and yet still I think it was still darker than that twist. It was an emotional gut-punch, yet the tension remained even after the last page. It kept me wondering and wanting more, but the end was satisfying as it was, I was just craving more books like this one.

For any mystery/thriller fans, this one's for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press and Holly Jackson for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I honestly couldn’t get into this book. There were no surprises, no resolution and the whole story was very predictable and dull.

Holly Jackson kills it again! She really does mix emotion and murder every time. The way I was chanting "He did it!!" by the end because I was so engrossed.

"The Reappearance of Rachel Price" is a gripping mystery with a unique twist. The idea of a missing person reappearing years later is explored in a way that's both suspenseful and thought-provoking. Bel, the daughter grappling with her mother's return, is a relatable protagonist, and the true crime documentary element adds a layer of intrigue. This is a must-read for fans of twisty thrillers and anyone who enjoys a good family mystery.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s about a young woman that has lived alone with her father since her mother disappeared when she was a toddler. Everyone in town knows the story - her father finally allows a documentary to be made of the story, due to his need for money. While the story is being filmed, her mother reappears!!! 👀

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a Good Girls Guide to Murder fan then you will find this pretty similar. Perfect for teens. It's a thriller but probably not as "thrilling" as her other work. Although I figured out early on who I thought was keeping her, I just had no clue about the specifics so was pretty shocked about how the mystery of her disappearance panned out. Well written and full of plot twists.

I really liked this book. It just took me a little while to finish as I have a lot of responsibilities. This book was the perfect amount of spooky and mysterious. I love Holly Jackson’s work and will continue to read from her in the future.

I've read one previous book by Holly Jackson and unfortunately couldn't get into it. I always love giving authors another chance because you never know. The Reappearance of Rachel Price did not disappoint! It was such a great thriller/mystery. I love that it starts off with the family making a documentary about what happened to Rachel Price. Then all of a sudden she ends up reappearing, what perfect timing! I was so invested in this story. Can I trust Rachel or is there more to what she's letting on? It was just twist after turn. I was hooked! I couldn't wait to find out the truth. I was completely shocked. I really highly recommend this one, you will not be disappointed. I really look forward to reading more from Holly Jackson. This was a good one.

Classic Holly Jackson for those familiar with her work. For new-to-the-author folks, I'd describe it as a young-adult mystery with some edge. Interesting unresolved mystery angles and a main character that gets more likeable as the book goes on.

Great YA read! I have loved this author since the Good Girls Guide to Murder trilogy, so was excited to read this one. Not as thriller as I like but good for the YA genera.

I loved the fast paced writing. This is a page-turner for sure. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would throw everything off again. This was very well done and I’m happy that it’s a new mystery and not a reprise of past works. I would recommend students and will be purchasing for my classroom.

This was an okay read. The beginning of the book hooked me and I was invested in uncovering the mystery surrounding Rachel Price. I did find Bel a bit annoying but still it was a good storyline. The second half of the book revealed lots of twists. Which was fun but I must admit the ending of this book was really underwhelming. Overall just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

My first Holly Jackson book!!
Read it in just one sitting, VERY thrilling! Loved the main character and the plot twists.

Bel’s family is in the midst of filming a documentary focusing on the disappearance of her mother, Rachel, when on a random afternoon Rachel suddenly turns back up. Bel is suspicious that her mom is not being completely honest about where she has been for the past 16 years. Since no one believes her, Bel decides to take matters into her own hands to unearth whatever it is that Rachel is hiding.

This was definitely a bit of a slow start, but I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this book. It takes a bit of time for Rachel to reappear, but not only does the book poke meta jokes at itself about it, but it also creates a lot of tension and allows us to see how this family has been functioning all this time. When Rachel does come back, the reader can feel just how big a shift this is on Bel’s world.

I genuinely had no idea where this was going at any point, making it a delightful reading experience. At times, I agreed with Bel’s theories, and at other points I wondered if she was trying to find something that simply wasn’t there. Jackson did an incredible job with throwing in “red herrings,” but I air quote it because instead of it being a true red herring it was more like a clue that we were told meant one thing when it really meant another. It was just genius how she set this up, and all the hard work she put into this mystery really shows on the page.

Bel is probably the least likable of all of Jackson’s protagonists (Pip and Red), but simply because of how she’s had to harden herself because of her mom’s disappearance. Her character growth throughout the novel takes time, but it feels realistic. By the end, she has changed, but there’s still remnants of her old self in there, too. Safe to say Bel’s character was masterfully crafted and was an excellent vehicle for the reader to experience the story through.

I could truly go on and on about this book. It might just be better than AGGGTM to me… that’s how much I loved it! I’m already planning a future re-read, knowing all I know now. If you haven’t picked this up yet, take this as your sign to make it your next read!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

Somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4.

I love Holly Jackson. I devoured the GGGTM trilogy (and am firmly on the side that the third one was GENIUS, thank you very much) and have highly enjoyed her first standalone. The writing style and character voice in both standalones is very, VERY different from Good Girls Guide. I personally love the range, but know that it could be polarizing, especially since our MC is unreliable and kind of a jerk. I love an unlikable girl, and considering the trauma she's gone through, it makes sense.

I think the main things keeping this from being a five star read is that the ending feels convoluted. The story is trying to do so much and I think it needs to be doing a little bit less! Particularly with her cousin [who clearly has an ED and many family issues that felt like they were going somewhere but were barely addressed. (hide spoiler)] But overall, it's a really fun read still and I recommend for anyone who wants a quick thriller.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price was a a classic Holly Jackson. It kept me guessing until the end and enjoyed the style of it. I think this will be an obvious grab for teen readers and thriller lovers.

Holly Jackson never disappoints. You can think that you know exactly where the story is going and then you'll be hit with at least three plot twists/reveals and it is so satisfying every time. I love her willingness to write complex, and even unlikeable, female characters. All of her characters are very thought-out and nothing about her writing is flat.

I loved the good girls guide to murder series so was super excited to get this book. It was good has twists I didn’t see coming. agggtm was hard to beat bit this was enjoyable.