3.5/5 Overall a good thriller, though it seemed a bit slow at times for me. Would still be interested in reading other works by this author.

You Belong Here is a gripping small-town thriller that blends past and present with Megan Miranda’s signature atmospheric tension. The story follows Beckett Bowery, a woman who’s spent years distancing herself from a traumatic event tied to a deadly college fire. But when her daughter goes missing at the same university, Beckett is forced back into the town—and the secrets—she’s tried so hard to forget.

The novel is fast-paced and filled with intrigue, pulling the reader through layers of mystery, guilt, and long-buried truths. I especially enjoyed the eerie setting of Wyatt Valley and how the town itself felt like a character, steeped in rumor and legend. Beckett’s journey back into her past and her desperate search for her daughter were emotionally charged and kept me turning the pages.

Some of the twists were a little predictable, and the central mystery followed a fairly expected path, but the execution was still satisfying. Miranda does a great job of dropping just enough clues to keep things engaging without giving too much away too soon.

Overall, this was an entertaining, suspense-filled read with well-timed reveals and a strong emotional core. A solid 4 stars!

I’ve read several of Megan Miranda’s books and always enjoy her writing — You Belong Here was another great read! It started out a bit slow, but once the story picked up, I was completely hooked. There were so many twists that kept me guessing, and I love how she builds tension while slowly revealing each character’s secrets. If you enjoy suspenseful, emotional thrillers with a few surprises along the way, I definitely recommend this one!

A solid read from Miranda. It’s was interesting and suspenseful like everything else they’ve written. However the pacing of this one felt off. It was very slow to start. But once it started it all wrapped up very quickly. I wasn’t a fan of the epilogue, it felt like it should have been more. But overall it was enjoyable and once the story really picked up, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

Thank you Netgalley and S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Megan Miranda returns to her roots with “You Belong Here”—a haunting, fast-paced thriller steeped in long-buried secrets, broken friendships, and the quiet terror of history repeating itself. Fans of dark academia, slow-burn tension, and layered mysteries will find plenty to love.

Beckett Bowery fled Wyatt College decades ago after a devastating campus fire left two young men dead and her best friend missing. Branded a suspect, Beckett chose exile over fighting the whispers. Now a ghostwriter living a quiet life, she’s thrust back into the past when her daughter, Delilah, enrolls at the very college that destroyed her future—and then goes missing after a chilling, late-night call. Forced to return to Wyatt Valley, Beckett confronts old enemies, half-buried memories, and a town that still remembers her all too well. As the search for Delilah unravels, so do decades of secrets—and Beckett must finally face what she ran from, or risk losing her daughter forever.

Miranda crafts an atmospheric, dual-timeline narrative that masterfully toggles between Beckett’s college years and the frantic present-day search. The setting—a misty, isolated college town where town-gown tensions simmer just under the surface—is vividly drawn, giving the book an immersive, almost cinematic quality.

Beckett is a refreshing protagonist: a flawed, fierce mother whose overprotectiveness feels raw and real. Her relationship with Delilah, fraught with love, guilt, and misunderstanding, adds emotional weight to the mystery. Miranda also brings in fascinating glimpses into Beckett’s past relationships, both romantic and platonic, especially the tragic friendship with Adalyn, the girl who vanished after the fire.

However, while “You Belong Here” excels in building suspense and delivering layered twists, it does falter slightly in its final act. The ending feels a bit rushed. After a steady, deliberate buildup, the climax barrels toward a conclusion that, while satisfying, could have benefited from more breathing room. A few late reveals come a little too quickly and didn’t have much time devoted to them to really help them sink in.

Overall, “You Belong Here” is a suspenseful, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in with its gripping setting, flawed characters, and slowly unraveling secrets. While it may not hit quite as hard as Miranda’s very best, it’s a strong, addictive read that fans of campus thrillers, dark academia, and mother-daughter dramas will thoroughly enjoy.

If you’re looking for a story that combines a haunting setting, layered mystery, and emotionally charged stakes, “You Belong Here” absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR. Just prepare yourself for a wild, breathless ride through the last quarter.

I was really excited to get an early copy of You Belong Here by Megan Miranda, and it completely delivered. It’s about Beckett, who thought she left her small-town past behind — until her daughter chooses to go back, pulling old secrets to the surface. The story has that slow-burn tension Megan Miranda does so well, and the setting felt so real I could picture every street and corner. I loved how the past and present twisted together, and even when I thought I had it figured out, there were still surprises. If you love a smart, layered mystery that keeps you thinking long after you finish, this one’s for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Megan Miranda always knows how to write a good thriller! You Belong Here has its all small-town secrets, slow burn thriller, and a mystery that has you on the edge of your seat. I felt that some of it dragged on for a little bit the end and the twists made it worth it!!!

"You Belong Here" grabs the reader's attention from the very beginning. It continues all through the book to keep the reader wanting to turn the pages until the end. I was a little confused about the main character's part in all of it, but toward the end it made a little more sense. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and action. It definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat!

I was in a terrible reading slump when I made myself pick this one up. It took about 6 pages for me to get sucked in. Megan Miranda did a fantastic job with this one. The plot was great. Not the same old mystery storyline. The characters were likeable and interesting. The pace was perfect. I found myself just wanting to read one more chapter every time I picked it up. I didn’t love the ending, but it had to end that way and I get it… I just wish it didn’t lol.

This book was filled with suspense and had me guessing at each turn. When Beckett leaves college, she never anticipated coming back to Wyatt Valley. That is until her daughter applies and is accepted to the same school filled with secrets, history, mysteries, and two unsolved deaths. Even twenty years later, small towns don’t forget and certainly don’t forgive. I enjoyed trying to piece the mystery together, guess what really happened that night twenty years ago, and discover what happened during the last howling. No one is innocent, and everyone is capable of something unthinkable.

This book had so many twist and turns. It was such an enjoyable fun read. It was my second ARC by Megan Miranda and my favorite book of hers so far! This is told in dual time lines which I loved. It was very easy to read and sucks you in from the very beginning in true Megan Miranda fashion. I would recommend this to anyone who likes dark secrets, dual time lines & eerie mystery. I felt like the plot and the characters were so well developed but the ending was a little rushed for me. Thank you so much NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for this ARC!

This was a twisty thriller that left you guessing until the end and I really enjoyed this one. It was a fast read and I loved all the twists and layers that were uncovered as Beckett kept digging and finding out all these secrets that people were keeping to protect her. Everything came full circle and her daughter Delilah was the catalyst that brought everything out in the open finally. Just a really good read.

Thanks to Simon Element and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Beckett Bowery has avoided Wyatt Valley like the plague. After her daughter decides to attend the local college she is forced back into the hometown she tried so hard to forget. Wyatt Valley isn't like most other college towns, its history is seeped in tradition. However, all of that ended two decades ago with death and a disappearance. Trying her best to support her daughter's choice Beckett attempts to hold her anxieties at bay. But the past refuses to be ignored and Beckett is once again thrown into the chaos that surrounds the town and the college... can she keep her daughter safe or will her secrets be revealed?

Megan Miranda writes such intense, stories full of secrets and betrayal which is why I will read absolutely everything she writes. I love her ability to paint stories of seemingly normal experiences and people that always take such a dark turn. "You Belong Here" is no exception to Miranda's brilliance and I am already grasping at the clutch for her next novel!

I read this book and thought there were parts very interesting. Other parts were not my favorite, like the constant switching. There were some nice twist that I did not anticipate.

This one was not for me and I didn’t really understand the game with the tunnels that they all seemed to play and why it was so important. It was a little too redundant for me and didn’t keep me entertained as it too me way too long to get through.

4/5 Stars – A Gripping, Emotional Journey

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a beautifully crafted blend of mystery, family drama, and emotional depth. From the very first page, Miranda draws you into a world filled with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists. The setting is atmospheric and almost feels like another character, contributing to the book's hauntingly immersive tone.

The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and grappling with past decisions is relatable and poignant. The slow-burn suspense keeps you hooked, and while some twists might be predictable for seasoned mystery readers, they’re still satisfying. The emotional stakes are high, and Miranda does an excellent job of exploring the complexities of relationships and identity.

While not quite perfect (there are a few pacing lulls), You Belong Here is an engrossing read that showcases Megan Miranda’s strength as a storyteller. Fans of emotional thrillers will find a lot to love in this one.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Twenty-plus years. That's how long it's been since Beckett Bowery has been back to her hometown, the place she lived in the tension of being a town person and a college person. The place where her roommate disappeared and two local men died, leaving her unwelcome at her college.

Now her daughter is enrolled there, and the Beckett realizes the past will never let her go.

This is Megan Miranda at her best: telling a story with a claustrophobic, wooded backdrop for a tale of secrets that feels very atmospheric and spooky. I absolutely loved it.

I was beyond thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this new Megan Miranda book and it did not disappoint! Beckett thought she has escaped the small college town where she grew up her senior year of college after a terrible tragedy befell their sleepy college campus. Now 18 years late her daughter decides she wants to attend the same college bringing up old memories of things best left in the past. When her daughter disappears on the night of a local college tradition Beckett is worried her past has finally caught up with her. I really enjoyed this thriller and was surprised by all the twists and turns. This will make a perfect beach read over the summer when it comes out!

I liked this; I didn't love it. The author can tell a good story, and I was hooked pretty quickly. The Virginia mountain setting added to the story, and I'm a sucker for old secrets on a college campus. Unfortunately, I felt the story got a little bogged down by the end, but even still, I appreciated the tale and how it was told.

Solid story, several twists, well told. Recommended. Will I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I felt like this book was a bit slow, up until the last 30 pages, and then everything happened at once. Some of the twists were kind of easy to guess too. It was entertaining, but i don't think I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a fast paced thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.