Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz is a poignant and haunting novel that expertly blends mystery, family dynamics, and the complexities of trauma. This story follows a young woman, Delphine, as she tries to piece together the truth surrounding her sister’s tragic death. At its core, the novel explores grief, loss, and the emotional weight of uncovering long-buried secrets.

What I really appreciated about this book was Bublitz’s ability to craft an emotionally charged narrative. The characters, especially Delphine, feel deeply human and relatable, their pain and unresolved feelings about the past creating a rich backdrop for the mystery that unfolds. As Delphine digs deeper into her sister’s life, you can feel the emotional conflict weighing on her, making each step of the investigation incredibly powerful.

The pacing was strong throughout. The way Bublitz slowly unraveled the mysteries surrounding the death kept me engaged, building tension without ever feeling rushed. There were moments of real emotional intensity, especially when Delphine confronts the complexities of her family relationships and the painful truths that come to light. The mix of mystery and emotional depth was what really set this book apart.

The writing is sharp and evocative, and Bublitz excels at capturing the emotional landscapes of her characters. The tension between Delphine’s drive for justice and her emotional vulnerabilities creates a compelling and multifaceted narrative. I also really enjoyed the sense of place and atmosphere in the book—Bublitz does a fantastic job of creating a vivid world that feels both intimate and haunting.

Ultimately, Leave the Girls Behind is more than just a mystery; it’s a beautifully written, emotionally resonant exploration of love, loss, and the search for truth. If you’re drawn to books with rich character development, deep emotional undertones, and a gripping mystery, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

"Leave the Girls Behind" is a thriller/suspense novel with a touch of the paranormal. It follows Ruth, who is both the protagonist and main narrator. She's able to see the ghosts of girls killed years ago who she shares a connection with. She starts to investigate things on her own somewhat lightly but her fervor is ignited when another girl disappears in her old town in a similar fashion. There are some plot twists, some predictable and others a surprise, but overall it's very well done. I would have liked to see more of the other girls' stories and learn their backgrounds too, as opposed to only her friend Beth's story. I understand why things went that way, but it would've been interesting all the same. I also felt Juno was one of the most intriguing characters of the book and I would've loved to read more from her, more than just one chapter on her perspective. I also liked that Ruth had a dog and it was treated more as a character and less as an accessory as is so apt to happen in books nowadays. The closure with Coco by the end was a nice touch too. This was an excellent thriller and if you're into the paranormal or ghost stories you may find it even more enjoyable. I scored it 4 out of 5 stars.

Ruth-Ann becomes fixated on finding the living half of a serial killing duo to avenge the death of her friend of yester-year. Along her journey, she meets some women who help her achieve this goal. Wonderfully thrilling! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Thank you @atriabooks #partner and @netgalley for this advance reading copy of Leave the Girls Behind by Jaqueline Bublitz. Pub date: 10/29/24.

Ruth-Ann Baker is a college dropout, a bartender—and an amateur detective who just can’t stay away from true crime. Nineteen years ago, her childhood friend was murdered by suspected serial killer Ethan Oswald. Still tormented by the case, Ruth can’t help but think of the long-dead Oswald when another young girl goes missing from the same town. And when she uncovers startling new evidence that suggests Oswald did not act alone, she is determined to find his deadly partner in crime.

Embarking on a global investigation, Ruth becomes close to three very different women—one of whom might just hold the key to what happened to the missing girl. And her childhood friend, all those years ago.

I liked the idea of this book. It reminded me a little bit of Jessica Knoll’s Bright Young Women. The writing was decently solid, but there was something that really just failed to pull me in completely. I kept walking away and waiting for myself to yearn to return to these pages, but it never really happened. It was an easy read, just not completely captivating.

I feel bad writing this book after loving the authors previous book but I was so confused while reading this. Trying to keep characters apart and whose storyline went where. I found myself skipping pages to try to get to the end.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Leave the Girls Behind - Jacqueline Bublitz
Ruth-Ann is haunted by the murder of her best friend by suspected killer Ethan Oswald. The trauma followed Ruth-Ann in adulthood and hindered her from being able to move forward with her life.
With an obsession with true crime, she can't help but be attracted to a new case, the case of a missing little girl from the same hometown her best friend was murdered in.
Because the the similarities, Ruth-Ann begins to think her friends killer may not have acted alone all those years ago, that he may have had an accomplice who is carrying on his work.
As Ruth-Ann dives deeper into this new case, she strives to learn more about Ethan Oswald. She connects with 3 other girls who have their own haunted stories with leads in all different directions.
Can Ruth-Ann finally piece everything together and gain some closure?
I read this goodie of a book back in September, and for me, it was the perfect book to embrace the fall vibes too. A few supernatural vibes mixed with a psychological mind fuck. I found the book to be all over the place, but the ending pulled everything together and made the entirety of the book completely worth it to me! In the end, I think the book was an overall hit. It kept me guessing and wanting more! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Ooo this book made me really reconsider whether I was going crazy. I kid you not, I thought I was imagining things for a moment there while reading it.

This was a bit easy to predict in terms of the twists/plot points, but I still did really enjoy this book. It was an interesting take on a true crime/mystery, and overall, was well-written.

Favorite Quotes:
- Shes alwasy on the lookout for demons
- Only some deaths matter
- She was used to not being believed
- Do the good guys want to hurt you too
- There are just so many ways for a girl to disappear
- Those girls who could never give uo on huim, no matter the terrible things he did
- There is responsibility in being the one who didn’t die
- Because the girl you once were can never be fully left behind
- But she never forgest what America really looks like. It is a landscape of the lost
- There is no crime of which I do not deem myself capable
- Not all good deeds go unpunished

I could not get into this book. It was definitely a slow burn, and I kept losing my train of thought. The main character, Ruth, felt scatterbrained, which made the book lack direction in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a psychological thriller about how childhood trauma affects people throughout their lives. Ruth Ann is a complicated character as are Helen and Juno; Rose and Amity don’t appear to have much of a personality. There are still loose ends at the end of the story but Ruth Ann seems to be at peace and is beginning to finally heal.

It was an okay read.
I thought some chapters were superfluous and couldn’t have been edited more.
I often found myself losing my train of thought in some of those extra lengthy chapters.

ARC Review- 4 ⭐
Publication Date- October 29, 2024

Overall I enjoyed this book--it was everything I look for in a good thriller--good characterization, twists, suspense! The one thing that bothered me regarding the book was how naïve the main character was at times when she was tromping around the world chasing breadcrumbs in my opinion. I understand she was trying to find answers, I just feel like not everyone would be able to do that--it didn't seem very realistic. I loved the major twist in the book though--VERY GOOD!! I would highly recommend this novel to anyone wanting a thriller or suspense book.

Oh boy. I’m really not sure where to start with this one. I guess maybe I should start with the caveat that I think this story really had a lot of potential, and that’s why I’m scoring it as high as I did. But I think the author did themselves a disservice by advertising this as an adult thriller. In my opinion, based on the tone and the pace of the story, this is far more like a young adult mystery. A bit of a slow burn, but it’s definitely more comfortable in that realm. Even though the MC is an adult, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was a teenager playing grown up. The pacing itself was so slow, it would have fit much better in the young adult category. Now personally, I don’t necessarily have an issue with slow books. But in a book labeled thriller, it’s a little hard to swallow. Also, the story kind of just meandered around and didn’t have a clear direction. Ruth just kept deciding to go places like it was a list of things to do. I think a little of that may have been a product of the mushy middle that never quite got worked out during editing. I think it also might be because Ruth didn’t have any solid motivations. Of course she wanted to find out who took the little girl, but it seems like her personal motivations were so fuzzy. It made it really hard to root for her. In the end, I did finish the book, but it felt like I did it out of obligation, not because I wanted to. I had no drive to continue it other than the promise to review, so it took me absolutely forever to get through. And once I actually did get to the ending, it was incredibly disappointing. Absolutely one of the most anticlimactic endings I’ve read. Again, I think this book had a lot of potential. If it were to be aged down, put back through a full developmental edit, and marketed as a young adult mystery, I think it would do far better in sales and reviews.

Huge thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

2.5 rounded up. I feel like Leave the Girls Behind had a lot of potential. I liked the premise of the story but in the end, it never quite caught my full attention. I felt the plot was a bit unorganized and I didn't fully feel invested in the characters. Just not for me!

Thank you Netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jacqueline is officially an auto buy author for me. She does an amazing job fusing mystery with paranormal elements. She also always tugs at your heart a little bit because she writes very compelling and emotionally charged storylines. This was amazing!

Leave The Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz is a psychological thriller about a young woman who is searching for the truth.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

  
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Ruth-Ann Baker  is from Hoben Connecticut, but now works as a bartender in New York, a job her uncle got for her.  She had planned to be a criminal profiler, but that changed.  She is still a true crime enthusiast.  She lives in an apartment owned by her uncle, and has a dog that was given to her to "look after".  These things all happened after her "episode". 

Almost 20 years ago,  7 1/2 year old Beth Lovely was kidnapped and murdered by Ethan Oswald.  Although Oswald died in prison, Ruth  is sure that he is responsible for a number of missing children, and she is determined to prove it.   She also thinks he may have had an accomplice.  Ruth is haunted by Beth, and other dead girls who have never gotten justice.

When another little girl goes missing from her hometown, Ruth's obsession goes into overdrive.  She finds herself travelling the world in search of three women who she hopes can shed some light on what really happened all those years ago, and maybe what is happening now.
 

My Opinions:
First, this one is going to stick with me for quite some time!  Definitely a thought-provoking thriller.

Character-wise I loved Ruth, and the people that helped her reach adulthood.  There were no other characters I trusted or liked.  Yes, I may have been proven wrong in a couple of cases, but most of them were despicable.  I occasionally had problems keeping the women and their families straight.

The book was about secrets and lies, and looked at obsession, mental health issues, childhood trauma, and psychopaths.

The plot was really good.  It kept you interested, and enthused.  There was  a major twist at the end, and while I didn't see it coming, it didn't really surprise me either.  I actually re-read the last chapter just to make sure I got it right.

 Overall, it was a rather dark and disturbing story, but one where you had someone to cheer for, so you hung on til the end.   I'll have to find this author's first book now....



For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Leave the Girls Behind is a complex and intriguing story. The main character is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her, and the story explores they ways childhood trauma can impact a person into adulthood in a way you don’t see often in books.

There is a lot going on in this book and I’m sure reading it a second time would help pick up on even more of the plot. With so much going on, I’m still not 100% I completely understood the ended. I don’t feel as if the story is fully resolved.

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC and opportunity to review!

#LeaveTheGirlsBehind:⁣
⁣
Thank you @atriabooks #AtriaPartner @simon.audio for my gifted copies!⁣
⁣
“Serial killers might be considered a type of celebrity these days, but their wives and families are seldom treated with the same reverence, I assure you.” ⁣
⁣
Jacqueline Bublitz I was not aware of your amazing writing and I’m so glad I was able to snatch this one up. It was twisty it was turny, it kept me on my toes. ⁣
⁣
It’s weird to say, I loved Ruth-Ann’s flawed character. She had this massive guilt of being alive while her friend is a ghost telling her to stay away from the case. Her grief and obsession with finding Coco turned unhealthy and I loved it. It’s not normal to be like “it’s fine!” and immune. She was clearly affected and I loved how she was portrayed. ⁣
⁣
I really liked the audio. My only gripe is that I would get confused on which male was which and that’s just from not changing voices. But regardless, a sole narrator is so hard and this was done so well. Stephanie Cannon was so good!⁣
⁣
Out Tuesday, this is the kind of mystery thriller I can get down with.⁣
⁣
QOTD: What did you do this weekend? We went to a wedding!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
🔪 serial killer stories
🔪 podcast books
🔪 single POV
🔪 single timeline

This book started with my very favourite way to start a thriller! with the opening being at the very height of the action and excitement, and then goes backwards and builds up the book. I love this way of beginning a book because it makes it literally inpossible not to get sucked in right away. It makes me NEED to continue reading the story to see how it ends.
I really like books about podcasts. It’s almost like I get 2-in-1, and I just really enjoy the reading style.
There were definitely some tough topics in here, and people should check trigger warnings before diving in to this one.
This book made me very sad and was honestly a little hard to read at times having a little girl myself, but it definitely held my attention and I raced right through it in one day. I did not see the end coming! and that is something I very much appreciate in a mystery/thriller.