You belong here is the newest thriller by Megan Miranda.

Beckett Bowery was a senior in college when tragedy struck during a hazing ritual; two local men died and her roommate, accused of murder, disappeared. Beckett left town u see a cloud of suspicion and never returned, even though her parents lived there and she had grown up there. 20 years later, Beckett”s daughter Delilah applies and is accepted to the college and Beckett fears that the town has not forgotten and Delilah will be targeted.

She is correct. Delilah goes missing in the woods one night and Beckett frantically returns to town to find her daughter and keep her safe, but the past won’t be forgotten.

I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting on a longer plane ride. Thanks to the authors in a, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I usually like Megan Miranda‘s work, so I was looking forward to this one.

The beginning is a bit slow, building the story. I wish there had been a little more backstory on The Howling and why it happens, etc. But it really picks up after the 50% mark with a lot more action. The story is pretty twisty and keeps you guessing.

Overall, a pretty quick read and I’d probably recommend it to those looking for a fun thriller.

Did you ever think you put a huge problem in your review mirror, only for it to blow up in your face years later? That is exactly what happened to Beckett. There was a fire at Beckett’s university, and two men died. Beckett’s roommate, Adalyn, was suspected of starting the fire. When Adalyn disappeared, their suspicious eyes fell on Beckett for the answers. Beckett left the school in disgrace, with hopes of starting a new life. Twenty years later she is back again, because her daughter is a freshman. But those suspicious eyes are convinced Beckett knows more than she is willing to say, and they are not taking no for an answer this time!

The past seems to be repeating itself. Now Beckett’s daughter, Delilah, is the center of another controversy. Is she a victim, or is she the perpetrator? The police seem to be taking the “like mother like daughter” approach. Now Beckett not only has to defend herself, but her daughter as well!

This novel is filled with twists and turns. Megan Miranda, the author, has a habit of throwing wild events to the wind, only to round them up like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly into place. Just when you think you have this thriller figured out, another shocking event surfaces and the puzzle pieces move again!

The most difficult part about this book is putting it down. The chapters often end with cliff hangers, forcing you to stay up much later than your bedtime. You won’t be disappointed!

I could not connect with the characters, the plot did not really hold my attention, the pacing was pretty slow, and I did not care for the narrator that much.

Megan Miranda is a top-notch mystery writer. Her books leave you guessing until the final chapter. Her characters are likable and everyday folks with a penchant for finding trouble. Her latest book “You Belong Here” is no exception to her expertise and is a perfect ‘light mystery’ for those of us wanting to skip the gore and potential nightmares. I will admit, this is not my favorite of Ms. Miranda’s books, but it is fast-paced, smart and thoroughly entertaining.

Miranda is one of my favorite authors. I don’t read many thrillers but when she releases a new one, I’ll also pick it up. She is a MASTER at creating the perfect atmosphere and immersing the reader in the story. This one did not disappoint. Had just enough mystery to keep me guessing, and just enough thrill to keep me on the edge of my seat. I felt like I was back at my own Alma mater, and could feel all the emotions as she sent her daughter to college for the first time. Wasn’t my favorite novel of hers, but I didn’t see the ending coming and enjoyed the ride!

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Megan Miranda never disappoints! You Belong Here is another gripping, fast-paced thriller. The narrative seamlessly shifts between Beckett's college years and the present day, where Beckett’s daughter has chosen to attend the same university. As the story unfolds, long-buried secrets and chilling mysteries resurface, creating a suspenseful atmosphere that’s hard to put down.

This was my second Megan Miranda book I have read and I liked this one as well. I thought this was a great thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.. Our main protagonist Beckett has secrets in her past and they are starting to catch up to her and her teenaged daughter. As Beckett’s daughter attends the same college as her mom, she feels someone is following her, stealing from her dorm, and is possibly out to kill her. Who is following her daughter and is anyone safe? You will have to read to find out!

Thank you to Simon Element for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Beckett Bowery never expected to return to Wyatt Valley, the beautiful mountain town where her parents are professors at a small college. Decades earlier, Beckett's college best friend disappeared after setting a fire that killed two locals and everyone thought Beckett knew more than she let on. When Beckett's daughter Delilah decides to go to the same college, Beckett is on edge, knowing the town's memory lasts a very long time.

Megan Miranda returns with another moody atmospheric thriller that didn't have quite the punch of her other works. As usual, Miranda's writing is excellent and paints a terrific setting. Unfortunately, the characters in You Belong Here failed to draw me into this slow burn mystery. Although it wasn't that bad, I just didn't love the story as much as her previous works and didn't find her newest release that memorable.

Edge of my seat the entire time! I love a good thriller and this one most certainly did not disappoint! You won't regret reading this!

Warning: this book should be read while home alone at night!! It was a page turner for sure as I was racing through the book to assuage my own fears and find out what the hell was going on!

When Beckett takes her daughter to get set up in her dorm she already has a lot of trepidation. This is the same school she was asked to leave after becoming a suspect in the murder of two men. When her daughter goes “missing” in the middle of the night Beckett is convinced this is all connected to the old crime. Everyone in. This little town has secrets, some old and some new but they will all come out before the night is over

I consistently love this authors books and this one may be her best yet!!

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a plot driven thriller. Full of twists and turns. 20 years ago, Beckett’s world turned upside down when her best friend and roommate disappeared, while a fire she started killed two men. Now Beckett believes her daughter is being followed because of her own past.

Any book that can hold my attention for an entire road trip is already a winner in my book, but this one definitely had me intrigued. I love good mystery any day of the week, but give me a dual time line with murky memories of the past? yes pleaseeeee. big fan.

I was excited to get a copy of the new Megan Miranda book. Single mom Beckett is forced to face her suspicious past in the college town where she grew up. Unbeknownst to her, her daughter Delilah secretly applied to attend the local college where both of her grandparents used to be professors. Old secrets will not stay buried. This book is a little slower paced and more of a psychological thriller/suspense than thriller/whodunnit. Definitely worth the read when it comes out July 29, 2025. Thank you to Simon Element and NetGalley for my ARC.

A secret buried for over two decades resurfaces when a mother returns to her hometown. Confronted by the ghosts of her past, she’s drawn into a web of deception that refuses to stay hidden. With gripping twists and turns, this thriller kept me guessing until the final page.”

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of "You Belong Here."

Didn't love this one honestly. The first half was good but I HATED the ending and as the story progressed it became slightly predictable. Easy read, slightly suspenseful, weird ass grandparents.

I loved this one! I didn’t want to put it down. Megan Miranda never disappoints.
This one was a thriller with a good back story. While it’s one POV there are multiple characters the main character is telling their story.
Beckett left her home town where she went to college and never looked back until now. Her daughter Delilah has decided she wants to go to college where her mom went and her grandparents live. Beckett tries to stop her because of her own secrets. 20 years ago two boys died on campus and they accused her best friend and they said she was an accomplice. Her best friend Adalyn disappeared in the night and the cops had nothing to support Beckett was guilty. She left the town and spent her last semester abroad.
When her daughter goes missing she rushes back to her home town to find her and her secrets start to unravel.

Beckett Bowery hasn't been back home in 19 years - since the terrible event that she was involved in during senior year of college claimed two lives. Now, her daughter has chosen to go to college in her home town, and Beckett comes face to face with the past she's been avoiding. When her daughter goes missing, she returns home to search for her and uncovers even more secrets than the one she was hiding.
Megan Miranda is always a win for me, so I was excited to get to read her latest book early! I loved the setting of this book (both the campus and the mountains) and I was surprised a few times throughout. This was a fast, page turning read. Definitely recommend checking it out when it comes out in a couple weeks!
Thank you to NetGalley and The Simon Element & Marysue Rucci Books for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Miranda delivers another atmospheric, slow-burning mystery that quietly creeps under your skin. You Belong Here is less about fast-paced twists and more about tension, memory, and what happens when the past refuses to stay buried.

This was definitely a slow burn, but once the tension picked up, I was fully in. The whole “who and why” behind the mystery kept me guessing—even if I was a little let down by the reveal. Still, the build-up was intense and eerie in all the right ways.

I liked the layered look at small-town secrets and the emotional weight of coming back home. The relationship between Beckett and Trevor added a nice touch, and the ending wrapped things up in a way that felt earned. The ending felt satisfactory, even if I didn’t love the reveal. This one’s for readers who enjoy a moody, introspective thriller with emotional undercurrents and small-town secrets.

First Line: I knew how easily a story could shift. How quickly the public could turn. I’d seen it happen twenty years earlier.

Reasons to Read:
College Town 🏫 — Beckett returns to Wyatt Valley, a place that looks serene but hides deadly secrets from her past.


Generational Ties 👩‍👧 — When Beckett’s daughter enrolls at the same college, old fears resurface and new dangers emerge.


Unfinished Business 🕵️‍♀️ — With a decades-old mystery and a roommate who vanished without a trace, the past demands answers.

Good For People Who Like: Missing people, untrustworthy characters, damaged MC

Rating: 4 keys + fire

Thoughts: This book is another of those where the main character has someone disappear and then they return to the place many years later. The trend is very popular right now, and I can’t even count how many of them I have read this month alone. However, this book really kept me reading at a fast pace, wanting to know what happened in the past and present and who was really responsible. While there are some twists to this story, the ending may not surprise you fully. But it was extremely satisfying to see that it was probably very realistic.