I wasn’t super engrossed in this story but I was interested enough to stick with it and find out the truth of what happened with Kiri in the desert. I’d be interested in reading a sequel, especially since things with Kiri were left very open ended,

Another of the growing trend of influencers and elaborate plots for faking death or escaping your life. I can understand the appeal here, the portrayal of the complex and often negative aspects of influencer culture, I don't love the trend, especially as it portrays teens. I'll grant that Harrison has a unique approach here since our influencers are the object, not the central characters. They're the ones we're asking ourselves if anyone truly knows. It's exploring a person's true self and the way they manipulate and use others. As such, no one comes out of this book looking very good. It's not especially uplifting.

True crime podcasting is a popular topic that appeals to many young women today. The premise is interesting and the set up is engaging. I found myself reading in a hurry to find out the truth behind the initial crime. I was also interested in both young women's developments, including their many flaws and lies being unraveled.. However, I did not think that enough clues were given to the reader to discover the truth on their own and so the reader does not feel the full satisfaction at the novel's end. There was no brilliant "ah-ha!" moment when the mystery was solved, and the climax felt somewhat anticlimactic.

I enjoyed how absolutely messy this situation was, and really just wanted to find the truth. It was deliciously difficult to figure out who to trust.

Wild ride. This book reminded me of A Good Girls Guide to Murder. If you enjoyed that book then this one will be right up your alley!!!!

This was a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing. In this day and age of true crime podcasts and following cases like Gabby Petito on TikTok, it was interesting to see how social media played its part. I enjoyed the format of the book and how it included diary entries and news articles, but unfortunately, the writing felt a little juvenile to me and I didn't like most of the characters. Overall, I gave this a 3.5/5⭐.

This was a really engaging, thought-provoking read—the characters were all dynamic and interesting, and the plot unraveled a little slowly, but Harrison did a good job holding the reader’s suspense. There are a lot of topics that this books deal with but they were really sensitive and nuanced. It’s a unique and really well-written addition to YA thriller shelves.

Only She Came Back is about Kiri, an 18 year old dating a 23 year old influencer (red flag) they’re living in the desert, vlogging their survivalism, and then one day, Kiri shows up drenched in blood at a convenience store. Her man is nowhere to be seen… or found?

Sam is obsessed with true crime, so when she finds out Kiri is not only an old classmate who previously went by Katie, but that Kiri is back in town awaiting… anything to happen (them finding Callum’s body? Charging Kiri with murder?) she makes a point to befriend her.

Yeah, their friendship might start for some kind of iffy reasons, like Sam wanting podcast fodder, but Sam grows to really care about Kiri, especially as she gets information bit by bit about what really happened in the desert. And maybe what happened in the desert is continuing in their hometown…

The story is intriguing, but we also get representation on different kinds of relationships and how manipulative and controlling people can be, and the way that their partners still sometimes read that as love

This book started out so strong for me - it was a stay-up-all-night have-to-see-what-happens ride! I'd recently watched the documentary about the influencer who was murdered by her boyfriend and I think I was possibly conflating the two stories in my head, but it didn't detract from the page-turning nature of this novel. Loved the first half, was lukewarm on the ending, but absolutely worth the read! Feel like this one would have a lot of appeal to readers in the adult market, as well. Oh, and I immediately bought the author's other book.

loved the multimedia aspect of the story (diary entries, video transcripts, etc) but overall just felt flat. all the characters were just very unlikeable.

Sam (like me) is a true crime fanatic, I could easily picture myself as her character. She even knows Kiri, the suspected murderer, and sets out to insert herself into the story. Sam has the opportunity to make a name for herself since this is a high-profile case. As a failed true-crime podcaster, will she be able to resist revealing Kiri’s secrets? Sam’s dream comes true – she becomes part of the story – but as the boundaries blur a nightmare begins.

The format of the book added to the suspense; insert diary entries, viral videos, and internet hype. Perfectly written for maximum intensity, it will have you hooked in no time. As the lies stack up, this addictive read leads to just one more chapter.

Only She Came Back is a riveting YA thriller that takes some murky twists and turns. The oppressive heat of its setting bears down, turning up the dial on our characters until they crack.

This is a book that deals so well with its atmosphere and setting. The desert feels like its own character, particularly as it is so central to the mystery. You know there are lies and secrets hidden out there that only the barren landscape and a few people truly know. The extremity of it really feeds into the tension as well. The book is so immersed in survivalist style philosophy and that drive to live no matter what is a fascinating ethical dilemma at its heart. Harrison weaves in this exploration of abusive relationships and manipulation, which feels sensitively portrayed and nuanced. It is all in that murkiness and ambiguity. This is precisely where the truth is hidden, but also where the easiest point of manipulation is. You have to ponder through and almost construct your own truth for much of the novel. Of course, all is eventually revealed but you are still left with a sense of unease and an ever present lack of trust. Even at the final page, I feel like the truth is still somewhat in your hands.

The characterisation is such a strength of this story. Everyone is flawed and Harrison almost revels in those flaws to create their three-dimensional natures over the course of the book. Sam is chasing fame and enjoying living out her true crime obsessions, while Kiri is kept at arm’s length. She always feels slightly unknowable, even when you are seeing her perspective. If she is at arm’s length, Callum is miles away though. He is one you have to keep an eye on through these flashback narratives. You are constantly being asked to question everything around you. Almost all of our narrative voices are unreliable in some shape or form or have hidden agendas influencing their presentation of events.

Also, Harrison keeps this book at boiling point throughout. The pressure is palpable and you can feel it weighing down on everything. It feels like it is just on the verge of cracking. There is a consummate feeling of the oncoming storm, coming in to destroy everything but also reveal the truth in its brutality. Harrison conveys this brilliantly through stark prose that captures so much in just a few lines. However, even this is duplicitous. Behind that starkness is a glib sensationalisation that hides the dark and bloody truth.

Contrasting this is the artificial sort of truth of these survivalist social media excerpts. These are harsh and cruel, revealing a lot about the relationship between Kiri and Callum. They boast of being tough to survive but the reality is grimy and uncomfortable to read at times. Harrison imbues this with an exploration of the artificial reality of society today. Even Sam’s initial connection to Kiri is one forged from a desire to become someone notable. Her characterisation allows for an interrogation of the ethics of true crime narratives—particularly how they can often turn real people into cartoonish, exaggerated stereotypes and tropes. The armchair detective allure of these cases minimises the real life consequences and humanity within the cases in favour of theories and speculation. I thought Harrison depicted this in a great way that allowed for a lot of discussion and development over the course of the story. The reader themselves become complicit in it, as after all, you too want to know the truth of what happened that night in the desert.

Only She Came Back lives constantly on the precipice and sizzles with secrets. Count me thoroughly intrigued by Margot Harrison.

I read this book in practically one sitting and it was highly entertaining. Harrison does a fantastic job of making the characters flawed in a relatable way. The reader can empathize with the situation and/or recognize something in them of people they know or have know in their personal lives. The heavy emphasis on social media and the way it can create a shell of a person, or convince you to become something you are not in order to "belong" or feel that you fit in. It also shows how far some people will go to feel loved and wanted. That with that attention/love manipulation of that relationship can be extremely easy. It was sad, mysterious, and bittersweet all rolled together to create a book that I would definitely suggest to my friends and followers. Another hit from Harrison for me.

Sam was interested in true crime and tried to make a podcast, although it never went anywhere. Then a year later, she gets sucked into the case of Kiri Dunmore, when she stumbles out of the desert with blood on her and without her older youtuber boyfriend Callum. Sam had been classmates with Kiri and remembers her being quiet and now wants to find out if she's telling the truth. Sam makes sure to place herself near Kiri's house and talks to her and tries to gain her trust as she investigates. The more she learns about Kiri and her relationship with Callum, the more it seems like he was manipulative and controlling. Sam tries to determine what really happened out there in the desert and if Kiri's story holds up. Overall, a psychological thriller with characters who are keeping secrets and have their own motives. The story is laid out partly like a true crime novel, with excerpts from social media and Kiri's diary. Readers interested in true crime, podcasts or unreliable narrators may like this one.

I do love a good thriller so I was excited about Only She Came Back but when I came to read it I found it was not what I was expecting. For me none of the Main Characters were likeable but I do think that it gave the book a bit of an edge. I did find it a bit slow to start and that some of the chapters were a bit too long and I could see it getting lower than 3 stars but then it changed and did grab my attention but by then I just wanted to finish the book. For me the diary and excerpts from You Tube Videos worked really well but having the story told afterwards did not work for me. I would of liked it if the story took place after the event.

I do believe that this book would make a good book to discuss since it is about Social Media and how far a person would go

For all the reasons above Only She Came Back gets 3 stars

This true crime-inspired fiction story explores society’s fascination with true crime. We’ve become eager gawkers for murder and missing person cases. With the help of social media, it’s easy to play keyboard detectives, stating opinions as facts as we type away on blogs and Instagram posts.

More broadly, the story reveals how we long to be wanted by someone. When lost, we follow anything that makes us feel seen, even if someone else controls the narrative. With this, it’s so easy to fall prey to emotional and psychological abuse.

I really enjoyed the mixed media format: video posts and diary entries along with a daily account from our true crime fan, Samara (aka Sam). As Sam befriends Kiri, the lies, deception, and secrets unfold. I often questioned Kiri’s motives as the lines blurred between attacker/victim/survivor. Wonderful to see another YA novel with great representation: nonbinary, bisexual, and asexual, along with queer relationships.

I recommend this one for fans of Courtney Summers, Holly Jackson, and Wendy Heard. Overall, a very entertaining thriller!

Sam is a true crime aficionado so she sees an opportunity when a survivalist blogger goes missing and his girlfriend, a previous classmate of Sam's, is the suspect. She befriends Kiri and finds herself questioning if she could be responsible.

I thought this was going to be more twisty and suspenseful but it felt almost more coming of age. I just wasn't drawn in and didn't really connect with any of the characters.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "bizarre."

ONLY SHE CAME BACK follows the story of Kiri Dunsmore, whose survival guru and YouTuber boyfriend, Callum, has recently disappeared. Kiri and Callum went into the desert together to try and survive, but Kiri came back alone, in a sweatshirt covered in blood. When Sam hears the story and remembers Kiri from high school, she becomes obsessed with the case and decides to get close to Kiri to discover the truth.

Content warnings: violence, emotional abuse, grooming, disordered eating, fatphobia, domestic abuse, substance abuse, off-page animal death

I will say, I enjoyed the mixed-media storytelling. In addition to Sam's narrative, we get to read Kiri's journal entries and transcripts of YouTube videos covering the case. Unfortunately, the rest of the story was quite weak.

The characters, including our main character Sam, were all incredibly unlikable. Now, I'm a fan of an unreliable, and even unlikable, narrator, but they have to have something about them that's relatable or redeeming (i.e., the "Save the Cat" philosophy), and this book lacked that.

I had a difficult time suspending my disbelief with the actions in this book, starting with Kiri being so willing to open up to a girl she wasn't friends with and only knew because they did one project together in their junior year of high school (and they are now out of high school), and going all the way to the number of laws these characters were breaking that had absolutely no repercussions or consequences at the end of the story. Everyone just walked away and moved on as though nothing happened at all.

The voice of the story was too juvenile for the characters, as well. Sam and Kiri are 18, but you'd think they were younger based on how they spoke. Some of the language was outdated in, what I think, was the author's attempt at sounding like a teenager (for example, the unironic use of "YOLO").

The events comprising the ending had no establishment and seemed to come out of nowhere. Revelations fly at you with breakneck speed and little explanation, and I ended the book with more questions than I started it with. Endings should feel earned from seeds that were planted along the way. Instead, this novel utilized random plot twists for the sake of surprising the reader and at the expense of telling an honest story. It's better to have a predictable ending that was earned than a surprising ending that came out of nowhere.

Unfortunately, if you're looking for a fun, mystery book for spooky season, this is not the one to pick up.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Only She Came Back!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🎧 are a true crime podcast junkie
🏜️ have ever been in the desert
📖 like to read YA
🌪️ enjoy a twisty mystery

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

On July 28 at 6:30 p.m., Kiri Dunsmore walks out of the desert wearing her boyfriend’s sweatshirt, covered in his blood. Dazed and on the verge of unconsciousness, she tells a cashier that he’s still out there and most likely dead. The disappearance of Callum Massey, a “survival guru” with hundreds of thousands of YouTube followers, rocks the nation. And Kiri is a prime suspect.
 
Back in Kiri's hometown, true-crime fanatic Sam is completely hooked on the case—especially now that she recognizes the suspect as shy Katie from high school. Although they didn’t know each other well, that doesn’t stop Sam from reaching out to befriend her old classmate.
 
But when Kiri starts to confide in her, Sam realizes there’s more to the story than she had imagined. Can she keep Kiri’s secrets even though revealing them could put her where she's always longed to be—at the center of the story?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a fun and twisty mystery that centers on true crime and how much the media influences certain stories over others. We have all heard that missing white women are covered more by the mainstream media than other cases, and Only She Came Back explores that theme, but a little differently since a man has gone missing this time. I liked the way the story was told and that we saw different angles i.e. from videos, media, and diary entries to name a few. Overall, this is a great choice for people who enjoy true crime, both in real life and in fiction!

3.5 I really like the format. Using various forms and voices is a great idea. It helps to move them along. Also, an ending that, for me, is unresolved, is great. It brings up all those important questions- what really happened, who is actually telling the truth, and can humans actually ever tell a whole truth? Will raise some important issues; domestic violence, tonic relationships, privilege, what can be shared with the media and the public? However, I don’t like the main character, she drove me nuts. How can you possibly be that trusting at 18? Seems unrealistic. And the convoluted plot gets a little silly at some points. I imagine it will have a solid fan base though.