I will never say no to a Megan Miranda read. I love her atmospheric settings and plots.

Twenty years ago, college student Beckett Bowery fled her picturesque college town after a local college tradition called The Howling left two local people dead in a terrible fire.

Her roommate disappeared, and witnesses said she may have caused the tragedy. When suspicions fall on Beckett that she may have been involved, her parents, local college professors have her transfer to a university in England to escape the allegations of her involvement.

Now her daughter has been accepted at the same university, and Beckett is drawn back to the campus and town she swore she would never return to.

The town has a long memory, and her past might not be the only thing to fear.

excellent on the dark academia, predictable on the rest… not my favorite of megan miranda’s but still super bingeable!

megan miranda always writes spooky neighborhood or campus thrillers, and I loved how this plot drew the reader in closer and closer to wyatt university! not knowing what happened years ago, beckett and her now college-aged daughter delilah return to campus, only to discover that less has changed than they expected 🧐

I loved the slow burn reveal of what truly happened in the past, what happened to the fire, and how the night of the howling unfolded. I just wished it tied more into the present day mystery than what actually happened.

the pacing was very well done, even if the twists and mysteries were a little predictable for my taste (but I again chalk that up to reading too many thrillers in my life) 🥲🥲🥲 beckett’s character from past to present almost seemed like different people at time as well

thank you netgalley and simon & schuseter for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay

*You Belong Here* by Megan Miranda had me inhaling this book with its gripping storyline and captivating characters. The book skillfully blends suspense with emotional depth, drawing readers into its world from the first page. Miranda's ability to craft complex relationships and layered narratives shines through, making the novel a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers. The suspense builds steadily, keeping readers on edge, and the twists are unexpected yet satisfying. Overall, it’s praised for being both thought-provoking and entertaining, with a strong emotional core that resonates long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early copy of You Belong Here. This is my honest opinion of the book.

In You Belong Here, we meet Beckett Bowery, a woman who is forced to return to her hometown after her daughter decides to attend the same school where Beckett had a traumatic experience years ago. Beckett has spent years keeping her past a secret, but as the story unfolds, her hidden history comes to light, bringing with it tension and suspense.

This book is a quick read, and it kept me guessing right until the very end. Megan Miranda does a great job of building suspense, and the twists and turns kept me intrigued. The mystery of Beckett's past and how it connects to what’s happening in the present was woven together in an engaging way. If you're someone who loves a good "who-done-it?" mystery with lots of suspense, I highly recommend this book!

Overall, You Belong Here is a gripping, fast-paced read that will keep you hooked until the last page. Definitely worth picking up if you're a fan of psychological thrillers!

“You Belong Here” by Megan Miranda is a gripping, twist-filled whodunit packed with suspense. As dark secrets unravel and hidden truths come to light, the tension builds with every page. Miranda masterfully keeps readers guessing, weaving a haunting and atmospheric mystery that lingers long after the final reveal. A must-read for thriller fans who love a story full of secrets and surprises.

4⭐️s- This was a slow burn mystery fuelled with dark secrets from the past. It’s set in a small college town and gives off those eerie vibes at times that sets the perfect stage. A little predictable but that twist at the end got me. I enjoy reading this author’s books and recommend for thriller fans. This one will be a popular page turner summer read!

Expected release: 7/29/25

✨Special thanks to NetGalley & The Simon Element & Marysue Rucci Books for this complimentary digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

First, thank you for the honor of reading and reviewing this ARC.

Megan Miranda did it again, spinning a twisty story that ties together nicely at the end. Satisfying endings are rare, but she nailed it with this one! You Belong Here is a perfect title for a book that brings a mother back to where she grew up. A mother who is looking for her lost daughter, who was attending the very same school she grew up in and around. The secrets become unburied, piece by piece until all the pieces fall into place. Who started the fire? Who killed the woman? Who IS the woman? I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

ARC 4/5

This is a captivating story of a mom and daughter who both attend the same school 20 years apart. The mom, Beckett, was a witness to a crime and then her daughter decides to attend the same university. While her daughter is a student, she disappears, triggering her mom to hunt for her. While hunting for her daughter, the truth about her past is unwound.

This is what makes this book so captivating. While you may see the ending coming it’s written rather nicely. I think this was one of my favorites by Megan Miranda.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC. I enjoyed this book!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a good, fast paced thriller. I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read! I would recommend reading it.

4.5 Such an intriguing book that I couldn’t get enough of! As with her other books, it kept me on my toes throughout and I did not guess the plot twist whatsoever! So many moments were chilling to me & having the events uncovered make you think twice on who you could trust. It wasn’t necessarily jaw dropping per se as a few other reads by her, but it was still gripping & didn’t deter you away from the book itself! The characters were distinct & since there was a school setting, it didn’t seem overwhelming with the amount of characters intruded. I wish we got into more of the daughter’s point of view or even a few other POV’s from the other MC’s, but it was still a great read! The author is always really good about setting the scene & evoking emotion - especially putting yourself in the MC’s shoes!

Loved the setting of this novel but the moving parts did not quite come together for me in the end. This was a well written and mysterious novel that just fell a bit short.

The ending really picked up and had me reading a lot faster but it was a little too slow for me in the middle. We don’t get many answers until the end which maxes it a super slow burn!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I found this to be a very interesting read. Beckett is a part of a double murder investigation when she is the suspected of being involved/ last person to see the suspect. After relocating, Beckett is brought back to the small town with secrets when her daughter applies to the same college.
Towards the end it made sense to me what happened, I enjoyed it as much as her other books.

I love Megan Miranda as an author, but I thought this was truly a standout for her. The characters were believable, well developed, and even likeable. The plot was slow to get into at first, but then I found myself eagerly awaiting the next page to see what would happen. There were some formatting issues for the digital copy, some chapters would begin and the first letter of the first sentence was listed about four lines down, but it was easy to understand. I would have loved an ending that tied in an explanation for why her parents sent her away and delved a bit more deeper into that point of the story, but otherwise it was an enjoyable read overall!

Twenty years ago, Beckett Bowery was a student at college when two men died in a suspicious fire on campus. Her roommate was blamed but she disappeared on that night and hasn't made any contact. Delilah, Beckett's daughter has applied to and gained entrance to this school and her professor parents still live in the same town.

In Megan Miranda style, You Belong Here gets off to a fast start, I had a hard time putting this book down at the beginning because I just had to know what happened. in the middle of the night, Beckett receives a call from her daughter and it sounds suspicious so she drops everything to go to her campus to find her. After a extensive search and door to door visits, she cannot find her daughter and she gets worried and wonders if this school is bad luck for her. The tension builds her as you sympathize with this mother who must now contact Delilah's Dad to get help from him. . From this point, I got so absorb that I didn't even here people who were trying to contact me. A dead boy is found on campus, and Beckett is connected to that as well. I appreciate the ARC of this book from #NetGalley. It is well worth a read.

I like my mystery/thrillers fast-paced and twisty (but not so gruesome I have nightmares), so I can tear through them and still sleep at night. This one hit that chord for me and I raced through it, dying to know what was going to happen.

I've seen others call it a slow burn, but I felt like the pacing was great and I was kept guessing at some things, while others felt sort of comfortably predictable. This is a fun, fast read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book - I enjoyed it!

Megan Miranda does it again with You Belong Here, a slow-burn thriller that pulls you in and refuses to let go. Set in the eerie town of Wyatt Valley, Virginia, the story follows Beckett Bowery as she returns home for the first time in twenty years when her daughter, Delilah, is accepted to Wyatt College. But coming back means facing the chilling secrets the town still holds.

Miranda’s writing builds tension masterfully, making every reveal hit that much harder. The slow-burn pacing works in the best way, keeping you hooked as each layer of mystery unravels. Just when you think you have it figured out, she throws another twist that leaves you questioning everything.

With its atmospheric setting, complex characters, and jaw-dropping turns, You Belong Here proves once again why Megan Miranda is a powerhouse in the thriller genre. If you love stories that get under your skin and stay with you long after the final page, this one’s a must-read when it drops on July 29, 2025!

Beckett is a single mom intent on distancing herself from a traumatic event in college that we learn about, little by little, as the book goes on. She finds a way to stay away from her home town until her daughter, Delilah, enrolls at that same college, unaware of her mother's history and reputation.

Just a little ways into first semester, Beckett gets a strange, late night call from her daughter's number and she immediately drives back to the college to try to find her, unearthing a never-ending procession of secrets that get crazier and more unbelievable as the book goes on.

This was a fast-paced mystery and I read it in a few short hours, as the puzzle pieces kept falling into place. I am a big fan of Megan Miranda, so I'm willing to overlook the twists that seemed a little out of left field and the amount I had to suspend my disbelief for the final resolution.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element / S&S / Marysue Rucci Books for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Expected publication date is July 29, 2025.

A gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. A mother vows to never return to her hometown after fleeing decades earlier after a horrible incident. Then her daughter decides to attend her alma mater and goes missing. The book’s plot is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing, with just the right balance of suspense and emotional depth.
One of the standout features of this novel is its well-crafted characters. Beckett is a likable protagonist with a relatable sense of vulnerability, and her relationships with the other townspeople are complex and nuanced. The town itself almost becomes a character in its own right, adding an eerie atmosphere to the book that enhances the sense of mystery.
The plot moves at a steady pace, with revelations dropping at just the right moments. Where is the daughter? Who is staying at her parent’s home? Who is writing the messages? Am I going to find out where the roommate went? So many questions that kept me reading in search for answers.

Ultimately, You Belong Here is a highly enjoyable thriller, with compelling characters, a strong sense of place, and a plot that delivers on suspense.

Thank you to Simon Element and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review! I loved this book's twists and was shocked by a few of them. Just when I thought I figured everything out, I'd be proven wrong. This was a good, solid mystery that I enjoyed!