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.

Maybe I read too many thrillers, but this one missed the mark for me. Ruth-Ann lives in her trauma a bit too much for my liking. Seeing a therapist would do her well

Irrational decisions, revenge and mystery rule this novel, so if that's something people are into, then this is good. But for me, I need something deeper.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The premise sounded right up my alley, serial killers, amateur detective who loves true crime, missing girls, so I wanted to love this one! Sadly, it was not as exciting as I had hoped. It takes a minute to get going and then there is a LOT going on. Ruth is a true-crime junkie still tormented by her childhood friend who was killed by a serial killer. That killer has been dead awhile, but now girls are going missing again. Ruth was an interesting character, and I did enjoy the journey. I also liked getting to know the family of a serial killer and how they are affected. Overall, a decent read, it just was a lot to keep straight. I would read more from this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jacqueline Bublitz and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own. I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

Did not care for this one.

Way too many things going on here. Ghosts, Killers, Missing Girls, and a lot of bad detective work by a bartender.


NetGalley/ Atria October 29, 2024

A really good thriller,

Kept me interested, although it was a slow start for me but after that it kept building and was able to finish it.
Honestly, an interesting plot however, the writing and the pace did not match the expectations I have of the book.

Overall, a good read.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for the free advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth is trying to stay away true crime news due to her “episode” a few years back, but an amber alert brings her back into the world. I thought this was a good story, with a hard look at the true crime genre and the people it affects.

Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz is a captivating thriller that I absolutely couldn’t put down. The story centers around Ruth-Ann Baker, a college dropout turned amateur detective who becomes obsessed with solving the murder of her childhood friend, a crime linked to serial killer Ethan Oswald nearly two decades earlier. When another girl goes missing from the same town, Ruth’s true crime fascination kicks into high gear, leading her to uncover new evidence that suggests Oswald didn’t work alone.

What makes this novel especially gripping is the true crime element that adds layers of realism and intrigue to the narrative. I loved how the plot weaves in Ruth's relentless investigation, taking her across the globe and connecting her to three very different women, each of whom holds a piece of the puzzle. The pacing is relentless, and the twists keep you guessing right up to the final reveal.

If you're a fan of thrillers with a true crime twist, Leave the Girls Behind is an exhilarating ride from start to finish. The exploration of old crimes and long-buried secrets makes it a must-read for anyone who enjoys unraveling mysteries alongside deeply compelling characters. I highly recommend it!

Unfortunately, this book was not it for me. The premise was interesting but it was poorly executed. I think the writing style wasn't for me. Perhaps it could have used a more detailed edit as well.

The plot was really slow and very underwhelming. I found myself skimming at times to get through it. The story dragged on and I didn't get the point of some of the characters. Confusing and pointless overall.

So, I have to be honest—I really struggled with this one. The premise is intriguing: Ruth Barker, a true crime addict working in a bar, is haunted by the murder of her best friend nineteen years ago at the hands of the notorious Ethan Oswald. With a new death on the scene, Ruth suspects there might be an accomplice involved, leading her to investigate three women who could hold the key. 🔍

Unfortunately, I found the plot to be quite slow and lacking in excitement. The characters didn’t feel fully developed, which made it hard for me to connect or stay engaged. When my mind starts to wander, it’s tough to keep going, and while I did finish the book, I can’t say it’ll stick with me.

Just a bit of a letdown, but I know not every book can hit the mark!

I really liked the writing of this book, but I feel that the build up didn’t match the delivery. The description makes it sound like there’s going to be some kind of grand discovery, but it’s not in the way you think, which made it fall flat to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC! This will be out this October!

“Leave the girls behind” is a fast paced psychological thriller by Jacqueline Bublitz. The protagonist is Ruth-Ann Baker, a bartender and amateur detective who sets out to find the truth about her murdered childhood friend, Beth, by the serial killer, Ethan Oswald. It was an exciting, quick read.

I think the concept of this book was good, but it fell short on the execution. I like the angle of exploring the impact of murder through for a serial killer’s wife, mother, daughter, and other women in his life. Very thought-provoking.

The protagonist was all over the place, both physically and mentally. She often made questionable decisions that didn’t really move the story along. The many women’s stories and the ghost girls started to get hard to keep track of.

The writing was good, there were some phrases that were beautifully written and moments that got me to laugh out loud.

In the end, the book may not have been for me, though I really wanted to like it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following Ruth Ann Baker and another pov who seems to be another little girl but is actually Ruth when she was kidnapped as a little girl. Ruth’s best friend Beth was kidnapped when she was seven years old and they share the same birthday. Another little girl gets kidnapped on the anniversary of when Ruth is taken. Ruth decides to look up the women who she find out have a connection to Ethan the man who killed her best friend. Ruth decides to make a podcast (not really she lies about actually doing it) and she interviews the women who actually married serial killers and who actually changed their names and moved away but they all have a connection to Ruth’s hometown. Ruth also sees Beth and other dead girls that she believes Ethan has killed and she started seeing them once she turned 21. Ruth sets out to learn the truth and figure out if the other women helped Ethan. After Ruth visits them they figure out what’s actually going on and band together to get her to stop. They confess that they were the ones that called anonymously and helped save Ruth from Ethan. The little girl that went missing ends up reunited with her mom and was kidnapped by her biological father who never knew about her. This book was very interesting and will have you reading this book in one setting so you can figure out what happens next

Kind of hard to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!