📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Leave The Girls Behind By Jacqueline Bublitz
Publication Date: October 29, 2024
Publisher: Atria Books | Emily Bestler Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

👻MY SCARE RATING: 😳

📚MY REVIEW:

Leave The Girls Behind is a captivating thriller that immediately grabbed my attention and took me on a wild ride around the globe! If you're a fan of crime fiction, told from the perspective of an unhinged narrator whose secrets are slowly revealed in the pages of this heart-pounding thriller, you're going to want to add this upcoming release to your TBR list immediately.

Told primarily from the perspective of Ruth Ann, our unreliable - and sometimes unhinged - female protagonist, this book made me feel like I was given a private viewing of Ruth Ann's spiraling as she went down a wild rabbit hole. If you're a true crime fanatic like me, you can understand this: this book is like starting to look into a cold case online and the next thing you know, 2 hours have passed and you have 12 tabs open in your browser. Ruth Ann's spiraling had so many twists and turns in it, it was sometimes hard to keep to with all her theories and plans. But that only made the spiraling feel more authentically real. And once pieces came together that explained her connection to it all, I found myself with a much deeper appreciation of Ruth Ann. The book got off to a riveting start, felt a little slow in the middle at times, but then got really unexpectedly twisty in its conclusions. In fact, the ending is still living rent-free in my head as I try to process everything that happened in the end. No spoilers from me, though!

I enjoyed Bublitz's writing style, especially the way this book was broken up into sections with the viewpoint of each different character. The transition into each character's section began only after or just before the reader was given an unexpected twist. The way Bublitz dripped foreshadowing into the story and then dropped a bomb of a twist...well, it was nothing short of intriguingly masterful.

If you love thrillers that'll keep you guessing and are filled with unreliable characters with oh-so-many secrets, you're going to love this book. I highly recommend this one! A big thank you to NetGalley, Atria | Emily Bestler Books, and the author herself for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

#LeaveTheGirlsBehind #JacquelineBublitz #EmilyBestlerBooks #CreepyBooksofOctober #creepyreads #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

I was surprised by how much I liked Leave the Girls Behind. I thought the entire plot was original, the writing was easy to read, and there was a plot point that I actually did not see coming.

Ruth's frantic energy and obsession was so well written and intentionally uncomfortable to read. I also thought the split narrative worked well for the format of this. I was racing through to finish and see if my guesses on what would happen next would come true.

That's not to say it's without its faults. I did find pacing slightly off at times and certain choices left me a bit baffled. However, my biggest issues is the actual ending. I understand what Jacqueline Bublitz was trying to do but I don't think she gave herself enough time for it to come together the way she wanted. Instead, I was left a little confused and felt the ties she made were a bit muddy. I don't know if she just needed to add a few chapters or make it longer, but as it was, I felt it let down the rest of the book.

Overall—I still really enjoyed the novel. It's just a shame the ending took the wind out of its sales.

"The acclaimed author of the "tour de force" (The New York Times Book Review) Before You Knew My Name returns with a fresh suspense novel about a woman haunted by a serial killer and the ghosts he left behind.

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 mean, isn't every true crime devotees secret passion to discover a serial killer didn't act alone?

4 ⭐️ This mystery/thriller had me on the edge of my seat! I didn’t want to put it down!

Ruth-Ann “Ruthie” is haunted by the abduction and murder of her friend Beth when they were both seven years old. So much so that Beth’s ghost is a frequent visitor as well as ghosts other missing girls from her hometown of Hoben. Ruth has never given up trying to find out what happened all those years ago to her and the others. Though the killer, teacher Ethan Oswald was caught, punished and has died, Ruthie can’t let go of the fact he had help. When another local girl goes missing, she sets out to find the truth.

This story takes you on an up and down ride from NY, to Melbourne, to Oslo. Great characters and a cute dog too! So many twists and a satisfying surprise ending that I didn’t see coming!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Complex, haunting and bleak. I spent a good portion of my time wondering just what the heck was going on and how it was ever going to come together, but it does. And it packs a punch. It is gritty and raw. Ruth-Ann is portrayed with such care and there is an authenticity about her. Her pain is tnagible and it is often hard to just sit with. All in all, this is a tough subject, but if you can just sit back and let the story unfold, you will be rewarded.

After loving Before You Knew My Name by this author, I requested this book immediately when it popped up on NetGalley.

Nineteen years ago, Ruth-Ann Baker tragically lost her childhood friend to serial killer, Ethan Oswald (now deceased). To this day, she sees and talks to her friend, Beth, and a few other girls whose disappearances may be linked. When another girl goes missing, Ruth-Ann believes it could be connected, and Oswald may not have acted alone all those years ago.

This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- supernatural light (ghosts, but they're not scary)
- crime fiction focused on victims & their loved ones
- so. many. secrets.

I'll be the first to admit this book was a little chaotic. Maybe the author was trying to include too much. Were all of my questions answered? I don't even know what my questions are. But you know what... I was into it. As the book progressed, I felt more compassion and empathy for Ruth-Ann and her journey for justice. It's a psychological mindf*ck for both Ruth-Ann and the reader through the very last chapter.

Rating: I really liked it! (4)

Leave the Girls Behind is what I would describe as a psychological thriller. Ruth-Ann Baker is a young bartender in New York City who when she sees news of a missing girl from her home town of Hoben, Connecticut and believes it may be related to an obduction that happened when she was younger. Only problem is that the person (Ethan Oswald) responsible for the obduction of Beth Lovely years ago was caught, convicted, and has died. This leads Ruth to believe that he didn't work alone and that there is a copy cat committing this new obduction. Ruth definitely suffers from PTSD and has been down this road of trying to put things together on this cold case multiple times before almost so that it has become an obsession and her life mission. She begins to connect women to Ethan Oswald and develops a story about her doing a podcast so that she can get close to them and try to determine if they played a role in the obductions.

Leave the Girls Behind leaves you asking several questions, especially on the stability of its main character. Also, it never clearly explains why Ruth can see certain victims and whether it is all in her head or if they are real. Also, what ever happened to those other victims and if they were truly connected to the obduction of Beth or did Ruth just believe that they were and therefore continued to see them.

While this book was average at best it wasn't great. It wasn't something that I felt I just had to pick up to find out what was going to happen next. It was more of a slow burn with not much of a reveal at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #Atria #LeavetheGirlsBehind

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The premise of this book was very interesting. However, I found myself with more questions than answers as I read the book. There were too many unnecessary details and I found myself losing interest. I would recommend giving it a try because you may enjoy it.

Huge thank you to Atria for the ARC!

This one definitely caught my attention quickly! The whole concept of victims visiting the "final girl" from the grave was so unique and original and I couldn't wait to see where the plot would go!

I am always down for a podcast element and always down for unsolved mysteries, especially involving missing people. I usually don't LOVE supernatural elements, but in this case I think it worked!

The pacing was pretty good although I did feel a little lull in the middle.

Overall, I thought it was pretty well done and I think it will be a hit, especially for spooky season!

3.5 stars

I ended up DNFing this book. The writing felt odd to me and the story seemed to have so many unnecessary details. I was lost and didn't care where the story was going to go.

I wanted to love this book, but I was honesty SO confused throughout the entire thing…from constant name changes, changing plot points, I had a hard time keeping up. Now I did enjoy getting into the meat of the story towards the end, but the lead up (really the first 50%) was just very confusing and kind of all over the place for me.

I do love a character development, growing and working through trauma, finding ways to reconnect with past parents, and really standing on what she knows. That right there made it worth continuing on and getting to the wild parts! Overall, I’d be interested in a reread to see if I could pick up on my parts I missed before and really tie the story together better!

ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR, PRE-ORDER IT, REQUEST IT AT THE LIBRARY, REQUEST IT ON LIBBY AND/OR ALL OF THE ABOVE!!! This book kept me on my toes and kept me guessing the whole time! ✨

5.0⭐️

Also extra kudos to @writerock11 for actually showing me that I don’t hate a certain troupe that is heavily integrated in this book….it was just that no author did this troupe justice AND BOY OH BOY DID THIS BOOK DO IT JUSTICE! I’m officially a @writerock11 Stan and need to read anything she puts out!

Perfect for true crime obsessed people, that have at one time or another, spent too many hours sifting through too many webpages and forums trying to “help” solve a mystery/disappearance/cold-case!!!

I loved the author’s debut novel, “Before You Knew My Name”. It was a haunting, melancholy crime story, which despite having a Supernatural element-felt authentic-and I was hoping to feel the same way about this story.

But, despite a few highlight worthy passages, that wasn’t the case this time.

Beth Lovely was seven and a half years old when she disappeared from a children’ playground in Hoben, Connecticut. Her body was found eleven days later, and Ethan Oswald was eventually convicted of the crime.

Her friend, Ruth Ann Baker is now a 26 year old bartender, working at Sweeney’s bar in NY, who was once a student of Forensics with the dream of being a Criminal Profiler. But, her studies convinced her that Ethan Oswald probably had additional Victims. She ended up becoming obsessed with the past, and dropping out of College.

So when another little girl, Coco Wilson, goes missing from her hometown on the same day years later, it TRIGGERS her into thinking that perhaps Oswald had worked with an accomplice. The new disappearance pushes her to search for answers once again.

Well, that and the fact that she can also speak with Beth-and three other dead victims who also encourage her to do so.

Fortunately, Ruth Ann was gifted $100,000 (how convenient) so she decides to do some amateur sleuthing, with the money, and with some help from a website called “ What Happened to Her” she discovers that two of Ethan’s known Victims grew up to marry other killers.

What are the odds of that?

She will track down these women, with the pretense of wanting an interview with them for a her new Podcast. (which doesn’t exist) And, although they have moved as far as Norway and New Zealand, for anonymity, they both agree to interviews, with one even offering to host Ruth Ann in her home. (Really?)

It all came together too easily for Ruth Ann and it just didn’t ring true to me.

In “Before You Knew My Name” our Victim, “Riverside Jane” was always on our mind-but unlike in the author’s debut-I felt a DISCONNECT from the crimes this time-never feeling emotionally invested in the outcome or its characters, perhaps because of its lack of authenticity.

As always, no book is for every reader-so do check out a sample of reviews to determine if this one might be a better fit for you.

Thank You to Atria for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

I was asked to review “Leave the Girls Behind” by Jacqueline Bublitz. I had previously read and enjoyed “Before You Knew My Name,” so I was excited to read the author’s follow up.

Ruth Ann Baker has never been the same since her childhood friend, Beth, was murdered. With the killer, Ethan Oswald, dead, it is time to put the past behind her. However, when another girl goes missing, everything screams that Ethan Oswald is the perpetrator. Did Ethan have a partner? Ruth is determined to find out with the help of her dead friend.

I loved the premise of this book, but I have read too many novels recently with paranormal elements. I did find the majority of the story engaging but I would have preferred the story spend more time on the emotional impact Beth’s death had on Ruth. Overall, it’s a good read if you are willing to bear through the novel’s more slower moving parts.

Three and a half stars.

Thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for this read.

3.75 stars! I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the first half of this book; the overall premise, the nod to musical theatre, and the paranormal element. What threw me for a loop was the ending. I wish it had been flushed out with more clarity because unfortunately I left feeling confused.

Another thought-provoking slow-burn crime thriller that looks at crime relating to not just women and girls as victims but the partners of perpetrators. I really like how Jacqueline Bublitz manages to weave in social feminist commentary seamlessly. She really knows how to interrogate the global epidemic of violence against women in a way that pricks our consciousness regarding how we blame women without it feeling like one giant lecture.

I loved the ways the story provides some real twists. While I guessed a couple a mile off I was still surprised by the big one. At times though I felt this book really got bogged down too much with the pace really dragging until about 75% in. I honestly think 40-50 pages could’ve been cut of ruminating as Ruth travels between cities. That said I also can understand that those pages were there to create this niggling slow-burn atmospheric tension of feeling like the proverbial frog in the boiling pot.

I also loved the little Easter eggs to Bublitz’s first book. Overall this is another winner that pushes the boundaries of the crime thriller genre with important commentary on violence against women that had me gripped.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

2.5 stars rounded up.
This book had a really interesting concept with some paranormal aspects thrown in which I actually enjoyed. I did however find the story really hard to follow and many of the characters just felt really flat and uninteresting. I enjoyed the ending and how it tied things together, but also found that super hard to follow. The reveals were so complex that it really took the shock element away from it.

Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for this ARC!
Publication date October 29, 2024

Leave the Girls Behind is a psychological thriller centered on true crime enthusiast Ruth-Ann Baker as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her childhood friend’s murder. A recent child abduction in their small town stirs up old memories and reveals evidence that suggests the convicted killer, Ethan Oswald, may not have acted alone.

What makes this novel unique is the MC is haunted by the ghost of the girls killed and in essence uses the help of dead people to help solve the crimes. I’m not really into supernatural fiction, so this element of the book disconnected me a bit from the overall storyline. I do give credit to its uniqueness though.

Following the plethora of characters was a bit tricky with the writing being somewhat scattered and the plotline convoluted. This is my first novel from this author, but I’m thinking her style of writing is not my preference. That’s not to say it won’t appeal to some readers, I’m just not one of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC

Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz is an intricately woven suspense novel that delves into the lingering effects of violent crime on those left behind. The story follows Ruth-Ann Baker, a college dropout haunted by the murder of her childhood friend by a suspected serial killer, Ethan Oswald, nearly two decades ago.

Ruth’s obsession with true crime and her unresolved grief drive her to investigate when another young girl goes missing from the same town. Her journey uncovers startling new evidence suggesting that Oswald did not act alone, propelling her into a global investigation. Along the way, Ruth forms connections with three very different women, each of whom holds pieces of the puzzle that could solve both the recent disappearance and her friend’s murder.

Bublitz’s narrative fell a bit short as I found Ruth-Ann to be a protagonist who I couldn't readily relate to. Also, I found the ending unsatisfying.

However, Bublitz’s background provides the story with meticulous attention to detail and adds to her ability to create a chilling atmosphere.

Wow! This was a wild ride. I’ve gotta say I almost could barely start this because of the ghosts, but I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed the middle portion of this book…I do love a citizen vigilante. There was so much mystery…I knew there was something underneath the surface. But I DID NOT like the ending. I felt there was no closure but also no real cliff hanger. I wanted to know more at the end.