This book had me wanting to stay up all night to finish reading it. I only had to stop and sleep because my eyes were blurry and I couldn't focus. But holy cow!!! The twists just kept coming in this book!!! All the way to the end! Add in a dash of romance and you have this masterpiece of a mystery. I think this might be my favorite of Ellery's books although I am a bit bummed to not find out what comes next for Juniper and Wyatt.

This book really said “what if we took every messy small-town secret and made it everyone’s problem again” and honestly… I was into it.

Long Buried starts with a time capsule and very quickly spirals into murder, missing girls, and the kind of town where absolutely no one is minding their own business. The whole “the past comes back to ruin your life” trope is doing a lot here, and it works.

Juniper is a solid main character, mostly because she is dealing with her own issues while trying to untangle everyone else’s. Which is bold, considering every single person in this town is suspicious. At one point I was side-eyeing basically the entire cast.

The pacing makes this super bingeable. Short chapters, constant reveals, and just enough cliffhangers to keep you saying “one more chapter” like a liar. I flew through it.

That said, some of the twists are not exactly subtle. If you read a lot of thrillers, you will probably connect a few dots early. I definitely had a couple of “called it” moments. But to be fair, it was still fun watching everything unravel.

Overall, this is one of those addictive, popcorn thrillers that might not be groundbreaking but absolutely delivers on drama, secrets, and chaos. If you like small towns where everyone has something to hide, this one will keep you entertained.

When tragedy struck at her high school.graduation, Juniper flees Sweetbriar. 20 years later with th death of her father abd her reunion coming up, she heads back to the place she swore she'd never set foot in again. Told over 2 timelines, the mystery of whodunit unfolds with more suspects than innocent people. Fast paced thriller, with twists and turns and chaos till the end

Returning to the town where you graduated high school 20 years earlier can really dig up some past secrets. As the class of 2007 returns to dig up the time capsule they buried on graduation day it also digs up town secrets that still loom overhead with everyone having their suspicions on what happened to Blair.

A true mean girl went missing 20 years earlier and the secrets of what happened that night and what led to her missing are discovered.

I highly recommend this read! It’s getting 5 stars from me. The storyline and plot had me drawn in from start to finish.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC copy of this story!

Advanced copy received for review from NetGalley

4.25/5⭐️
On the run from personal and professional crisis in San Francisco, Juniper Pickett finds herself back in the one place she promised herself she would never be - Sweetbriar, TX. The secrets she put in her rear view mirror at 18 are quickly unearthed and she has to solve the mystery that has surrounded the disappearance of popular mean girl Blair Lennox that has haunted her for 20 years.

This was a great mystery/thriller. The set up was not obvious and the clues provided throughout gave a roadmap for the ultimate ending.

Long Buried is one of those thrillers that pulls you in with a simple premise — a time capsule, a missing girl, a long‑avoided hometown — and then steadily tightens its grip. From the moment Juniper Pickett rolls back into Sweetbriar after twenty years away, there’s a sense of inevitability hanging over her, like the past has simply been waiting for her to stop running.

The setup is wonderfully eerie: a class time capsule about to be unearthed, a secret Juniper has spent decades trying to outrun, and the sudden discovery of the body of Blair Lennox, the Homecoming Queen who vanished the night they all graduated. The collision of nostalgia and dread gives the story its pulse. Sweetbriar is the kind of small town that pretends to be familiar, but every corner feels just a little too shadowed, every face a little too knowing.

Juniper herself is a compelling centre — sharp, damaged, and carrying more weight than she lets on. Her return isn’t triumphant; it’s reluctant, messy, and tinged with the kind of guilt that never quite fades. As the town closes in around her and old classmates start looking at her with suspicion, the tension builds beautifully. There’s a sense that everyone is hiding something, and the novel leans into that unease with confidence.

What I loved is how the story blends emotional depth with a brisk, propulsive mystery. The secrets buried in Sweetbriar aren’t just plot devices; they’re tied to identity, memory, and the way a place can shape you long after you’ve left it behind. The pacing is tight, the atmosphere thick with small‑town menace, and the final reveals land with satisfying clarity.

Dark, twisty, and steeped in the kind of nostalgia that cuts both ways, Long Buried is a gripping psychological thriller about the past we bury — and what happens when it refuses to stay hidden.

With thanks to Ellery Kane, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

Just finished this very well written absorbing book and the acknowledgments brought tears to my eyes. With her trademark style, depth, insight, wisdom and bits of humor sprinkled in if you read carefully, Ellery Kane has brought us a tale in someone else's hands might have might have been forgettable. The main characters are believable and likeable, the pacing is good, builds up both the story of the past and the current dilemma in a way in a way that informs them both. We see how she, June gets there, all the pain, the secrets, the wanting the love of her brilliant, distant father and her crush and pushing them away. We care about June and Macy and Wyatt and her father because she cares. Loved it.

Wow!! I loved this book. The first 10 chapters I was skeptical, but it all came together after that. The way the author layered the story was so good and kept me engaged the whole time. Parts of but had my jaw on the floor, or wanting to cry, or sometimes laughing. I loved the small town aspect as well. I had no idea this was part of a series but I will be reading those next!

Thank for team for the arc!!

A dark and intriguing thriller with a mystery that kept me hooked. The story had great pacing, and I liked how the suspense slowly built toward the reveal. The twists were engaging, and the overall atmosphere was intense and immersive. Definitely a very enjoyable 4-star read.

Advance Reader Copy Review

I fell in love with this book from the first page, the twists and turns are unbelievably well done! This is my first of this authors book and I will be reading the rest of them, because the suspense had me on the edge of my seat from the very first sentence, I simply had to know what was going on!
5* and a new life long fan of Ellery Kane here.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley (although it was released yesterday, I only got it yesterday lol) - that being said, WOW! Absolutely loved it. The writing was intelligent, but accessible. June was such a well developed character, and all of the supporting characters were fantastic. I could almost feel myself being back in high school, witnessing what June was going through at the hands of…well, nearly everyone in her life. I think I had decided on a 5⭐️ rating before I was even 40% of the way through the book. Highly recommend!

I absolutely devoured this book; I didn’t expect it to be this good. Long Buried by Ellery Kane is part of a series, but I had no problem reading it as a standalone. Even if it’s a light read (you can easily finish it in one day), the tension is built up slowly but consistently. We have two timelines: the present and 1997, when the characters graduated from high school, but it’s executed well, and you can’t misunderstand the time period.

The characters are great; all of them have both strengths and flaws, which makes them very relatable. It’s very easy to get invested in them.

Each chapter leaves you wanting more and keeps you in constant suspense. Throughout the story, you keep thinking this character is the killer, no, this one is, but in the end, you realize it’s not anyone you ever expected.

I found it to have the perfect pacing; I don’t think the action should have been faster. Overall, a very good read, and I rate it 5/5.

This is a review of an ARC from NetGalley.

OK, OK you must get this book! This is one of the best books. I have read in a very, very long time. I was engaged from beginning all the way to the end. This book kept me on my toes the entire time! I absolutely will be buying this book and reading again!!

Quick read that moves at a decently fast pace, I couldn't put it down. Author does an excellent job switching timeliness without making it confusing. I appreciate the relatable characters and believable high school dynamics all written in a way that made it enjoyable for someone out of school for decades. . My first time reading the author, looking forward to trying more.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Long Buried.

Long Buried follows Juniper Pickett, a former outcast and misfit, who returns to her hometown of Sweetbriar, Texas, after twenty years away. She is burdened by long-held secrets, ranging from the unresolved events of her graduation night to challenges in her current role as a psychologist at a private school in San Francisco.

The novel is driven by strong pacing and a steady stream of twists that effectively sustain suspense. The mystery surrounding Blair Lennox’s disappearance is particularly compelling, and the use of dual timelines allows for a gradual and engaging reveal of past events.

However, some narrative elements feel underdeveloped. Certain plot points, such as the storyline involving Juniper’s father and his work (most specifically the why's of having senior girls work in his lab), are introduced but not fully explored or resolved. Additionally, the backstory of Juniper’s parents is only briefly addressed, despite its apparent relevance to her character.

The characterization of Juniper’s relationship with Wyatt also lacks sufficient development. The contrast between their past and present dynamic is not fully reconciled, which may leave some readers questioning the credibility of their connection.

Despite these shortcomings, Long Buried remains an engaging and fast-paced thriller. Its exploration of themes such as trauma, small-town dynamics, and revenge adds depth to an already intriguing premise.

(LOVED the wink to My Favorite Murder podcast!)

Overall rating: 4/5 stars.

This one hooked me right from the first page… it’s the kind of story where the past doesn’t just whisper… it drags you under. I picked it up for the small town mystery and the eerie time capsule premise, and it delivered a tense, twisty ride. When Juniper returns to her hometown after years away and literally digs up a body tied to her past, everything spirals fast and suddenly she’s not just chasing the truth, she’s running for her life.

What really worked for me was the atmosphere and suspense. The small town secrets, layered timelines, and constant sense that everyone knows more than they’re saying kept me glued to the story. Juniper was a compelling main character with just enough mystery to keep me guessing. Some twists felt a little familiar, but the pacing and tension made up for it. Overall, it’s a gripping, addictive thriller that’s perfect for readers who love dark secrets, past-meets-present storytelling, and stories where no one can be trusted.

Review of an Advanced Copy from NetGalley

Long Buried follows Juniper as she returns to the town where her past still haunts her, all while trying to outrun her present. After enduring relentless bullying throughout school, Juniper was determined to escape her hometown of Sweetbriar. What she never expected was to find herself back there twenty years later, racing to keep long-buried secrets from coming to light.

This is my first book by Ellery Kane, but it definitely won’t be my last. Kane has a compelling storytelling style that keeps you hooked and wanting more. I especially appreciated the use of analepsis, which allowed me to connect deeply with Juniper as her past unfolded alongside the present. Each twist sparked new theories, and even when I wasn’t reading, I found myself thinking about what might happen next.

If you love a gripping thriller that keeps you on your toes and constantly guessing, Long Buried is a must-read.

I did not know that this book was part of an ongoing series. Although it is considered a standalone, I always feel weird reading a book that is in the middle of a series. That said, I really enjoyed this book. I really like it when a story shifts from past to present, giving us different perspectives on what's happening.

We see the main character, Juniper, had her fair share of not-so-good moments growing up, and I think that is why she becomes a psychologist, to help others, when she couldn't get help herself. People can be really mean in high school, and those years help shape our future as adults. Blair is the typical mean girl we all read about or have dealt with in real life, but I feel like she could have gotten better if she had lived. Wyatt is also a good guy because he was the only person who was nice to Juniper, but he was also completely blinded by Blair, and I believe he chose to ignore how she treated Juniper because he didn't want to admit his feelings for Juniper, in case she didn't feel the same. Blair was a safe choice for Wyatt.

I loved how this book is written by an actual forensic psychologist because that is what I'm currently in school for, and I love trying to figure out what is going on. I was going back and forth on what actually happened and if Juniper was guilty of murder, but I was too absorbed in the story and wanting to know more, that I could not stop to analyze everything. I can't wait to jump into more books from this author. I already added some to my TBR.

Long Buried is a book that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the final page. I originally requested this book because it had a premise somewhat similar to a separate thriller/mystery I've read in the past that I really enjoyed, and I'm really glad I did because it lived up to my expectations. The pacing was good, and while some things were predictable, the plotting and writing style kept me engaged. Highly recommend if you're looking for a new book rec!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ellery Kane for the ARC!

Not gonna lie. I mistakenly requested to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book believing it was by a different author. Well, if someone is nice enough to allow me a copy of their book, then I feel I should at least give it a chance. This book was SO cool and actually mostly right up my alley!! It is apparently Book 6 in a series. The Doctors of Darkness Series, to be exact. I didn't feel left out though while reading, so I think it can definitely be read as a standalone, but if you think I won't go back and read 1-5 then you're crazy! I was a teenager in the 80's and 90's and the story gave me a sort of 80's-90's horror movie kind of vibe, which I loved. In '97, Sweetbriar High School Seniors bury a time capsule on Graduation Night. That very night, Blair Lennox, the Homecoming Queen disappears, never to be heard from again. OOOOOHHHH! Creepy! 20 years later, Juniper Pickett returns to her old hometown that she fled and tomorrow they will unearth that old-time capsule. Juniper has a host of issues, some of which she fled from recently back to Sweetbriar and some in Sweetbriar. One of which will be brought to light with the unearthing. The story is told in both past and present and there are so many secrets and lies and drama afoot you will have a hard time putting this one down. Now, I read a LOT of thrillers, so I did see parts coming from a mile away, but it was so much fun getting there anyway, so who cares! This book was one happy accident!

Thank you to Ellery Kane, #NetGalley and Ellery Kane Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.