The author does a great job of vividly portraying how a tragedy can cause someone to become "stuck." Liz had planned to leave the small town of Knife River, NY to go to California for college, but her plans were halted when her mother disappeared and she was left to raise her younger sister, Jess. While she has a steady job and one friend (Brenda, a former coworker of her mother), her life has otherwise been put on hold, waiting for her mother to reappear or for the body to be found. It is the discovery of her mother's bones that starts out the novel and which will bring Liz's sister, Jess, back to Knife River. Jess and Liz are estranged, and Jess is surprised and saddened to discover that the family home, where Liz lives, has become rundown and is filled with trash and clutter. Jess fled Knife River as soon as she could, and has had a somewhat transient life, finding work that keeps her occupied and financially solvent but does not really sustain her, and going from one girlfriend to another, unable or unwilling to commit to a long-term relationship; even when in a prolonged relationship, she metaphorically has one foot out the door.

The author's description of Liz suggests she is on the autism spectrum. Her meticulous nature and ability to hyperfocus is beneficial in her job as a bank teller but combined with her very blunt/frank manner of speaking, she is socially awkward and off-putting. This does not help her in her interactions with the sheriff. Liz (and Brenda) is convinced she knows who is responsible for her mother's disappearance/death and is frustrated that the sheriff did not do enough at the time of the disappearance, and still won't do anything. Jess does not have that same certainty, although agrees that the individual in question is the most likely suspect. Jess had not intended to remain in Knife River long, but the investigation of the remains is proceeding slowly, Liz needs help/support, and Jess has reconnected with an old girlfriend, whose situation is very complicated. The longer Jess stays, the more she learns about both her sister and her mother. Secrets will be revealed (including the truth about their mother's disappearance), only to be replaced by new secrets, and possibly, with those secrets safely buried, a chance for both Liz and Jess to really live.

When I first read the description of this book, I assumed it was going to be a mystery or thriller.; when in fact, it’s more of a family/hometown drama centered around secrets and despair in a rather depressing town. The story centers around a woman returning to her hometown to find answers about her mother’s disappearance, However, the author successfully depicts what life in Knife River is really like. It’s a dark place and felt like every day was shrouded in shades of grey, heavy clouds, and lack of sunlight. The author does an exceptional job of what it’s like to go back to this town and what it feels like to live there.

I felt the book dragged a bit, but it’s a solid plot and atmospherically intriguing. The story of sisters, family trauma, and what your childhood can do to you as an adult is an intense one. It’s not for everyone; but, I’d recommend to certain audiences. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

If you like cold cases with a heaping side of messy and chaotic lesbians, Knife River is for you.

15 years after her mother disappeared, Jess Fairchild returns to her hometown of Knife Rivers. Bones were found, and they’ve been identified as her mother’s.

The discovery of her mother’s remains don’t breathe much life into the case, but being back in Knife River does dredge up all the emotions that Jess has been shoving aside for years. She has found safety in moving from place to place to girlfriend to girlfriend, never staying anywhere for long, never really falling in love. Now, back in her childhood home and with her older sister Liz, Jess has to confront who she is and just how profoundly her mother’s disappearance affected her.

Knife River is a true crime novel with a distinct literary bent; Jess reminds me at times of a Kristen Arnett character. This is a novel that takes its time overturning old memories and relationships; it examines gender and social dynamics, the socioeconomics of rural towns that once boomed with industry before being deserted, the ways in which siblings experience vastly different childhoods, and what it means to carry fear and secrets and responsibilities deep down in your bones.

I don’t generally trend toward the mystery/true crime genre, but I would recommend Knife River to anyone who enjoyed Broadchurch.

Thank you to the Dial Press and Katy Nishimoto for the NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off with a tough trope: a main character who's drifting through life aimlessly, weighed down by trauma and not really wanting anything. While being free of the burden of desire is enviable in this late capitalist hell, it's not necessarily something that's interesting to read about. This is reflected interestingly, though, in the setting of a small town that's also just withering away, featuring a sister who's somehow stagnating even worse as well as an ex-girlfriend that the MC, of course, never got over after ten entire years (girl, you good?).

Knife River definitely falls more on the Literary Fiction side than Mystery & Thriller, keeping up the same drifty and desultory pace as the main character's life for the majority of the book, with just enough unanswered questions and a pleasantly atmospheric writing style to maintain my attention. I guessed the culprit earlier than I would have liked but was still surprised by a few turns along the way - this was ultimately a good read.

My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for ARC.

Knife River was quite interesting! I love reading about female relationships - platonic and romantic, and reading about sisters is always particularly intriguing. The characters of Jess and Liz were complex and I loved the setting of Knife River. Liz's character was especially interesting because of how obsessed she is with unsolved missing persons cases. I liked the uncovering of theories and how messy and complicated things became.

This is my first ever written review so here goes…

Jess and Liz’s mother has been missing for fifteen years. When the book begins, the mother’s remains have been found in woods near where she was last seen. After Jess receives the call from her older sister, Liz, she returns to their childhood home.

This book was a debut novel and was more women’s fiction than a suspense thriller. It explored how the mother’s disappearance impacted the sisters’ lives, from their relationship with each other to how they interacted with others, as well as the choices they made in life.

There were parts of the storyline I found to be uneven and some of Jess’s decisions seemed a little unrealistic to me. Additionally, some passages of the book were more descriptive than I prefer. However, I appreciated the conclusion of the book and thought it was one of the better endings I have read over the last year.

Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher for my ARC. My review will be posted on Goodreads, as requested, in the week prior to publication on May 28, 2024.

I like this one I felt the characters were well developed and plotted and it was well paced overall it was a good book
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

This was an interesting book! Troubled sisters that had stayed separated for years until their mother's remains were finally uncovered. I appreciated seeing the growth of these characters throughout.

The pace was too slow so the story felt like a drag. It felt like for a long time, the story wasn't advancing neither was the characters' development. Unlike my expectations, it more talks about the impacts on people when their mother disappears than tries to solve the mystery. Overall the book felt sparse and overly sad.

The year is 2010 and the body of Natalie Fairchild is discovered after she has been missing for fifteen years. This brings her daughter Jess, 28, home to Knife River, a dying town in northern New York near the Canadian border. There she reconnects with sister, Liz, 34, who has remained in Knife River and still lives in the family home. Through the story we see that with both Jess and Liz they feel these fifteen years have been wasted time, for Jess because she has wandered aimlessly about, never settling down to anyplace or anyone and for Liz because she’s been incapable of any movement at all.

The discovery of the body means the sisters focus anew on their main suspect from years before, Nick Haines, but the police don’t seem much interested in following up on the cold case. Jess also meets up with Eva, an old high school flame who is now dating the cop in charge of the murder investigation. Can the sisters find justice for their mother?

This was a pretty depressing book, which is to say the author did a good job showing the dismal prospects of Knife River, the homophobia of 2010 and the general malaise of the sisters. There was a brief flare of hope at the end, so that was nice, and some good imagery, “sometimes it seemed like that was all that could be done: either find the person who could hold you afloat in turmoil, or be that person yourself to somebody else. Taking turns, getting through it, until your final day.” So, not the cheeriest subject matter but recommended.

This was very slow and read like a first draft. There were some mistakes in characterization that made it feel like the author hadn't reread their writing. It was a struggle to finish--the story idea was fine but the sister didn't seem like real people and the whole book hinged on them, their lives and their relationship with each other.

A gritty story of a young woman still reeling from her mother's disappearance when she was young.
Jess comes home to her failing small town against her will and teams up with her controlling sister Liz to try and get to the bottom of what happen to their mother many years ago.
A complex story, Knife River will cause you to question relationships, memories and family.

This was definitely not the book I thought it would be. It was definitely a hard miss for me. I was confused, it dragged way too much and unfortunately I had to stop reading it.

I tend to agree with other reviewers of this book. It's a slow burn. Definitely more of a family drama and suspense than a thriller. Overall I really did enjoy the book. The exploration of the relationship between the sisters was very interesting. I would recommend the book to others, but not as a thriller as it lacks the quick paced excitement one usually associates with a thriller.

In some ways, I feel like KNIFE RIVER doesn't know what kind of book it wants to be -- or perhaps the fault lies with the marketing materials? For example, I simply disagree with any marketing materials describing it as a literary thriller. The pacing does not match what readers expect for a thriller. However, if you go into this book expecting a slower-paced, thoughtful narrative that delves into the protagonist's past and present, this is a wonderful story. The author darts here and there in terms of sharing the protagonist's romantic relationships as well as they mystery of her mother's disappearance in the past. There is also the sister relationship to explore. The resulting narrative meanders a bit, but is quite lovely in its own way. Just don't expect a fast-paced or plot-driven story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary e-galley; all opinions in this review are 100% my own.

I enjoyed the writing in Knife River by Justine Champine. It is more literary fiction than thriller. However, I found it to be slow and not much movement of the story or character development. Jess's mother disappeared when she was 13. Never knowing what happened, Jess moved away. Fifteen years later, her mother's remains have been found and Jess goes back to find out what happened to her mother.

"Knife River" by Justine Champine is a compelling family drama and literary suspense debut that delves into the mysteries surrounding a mother's disappearance and the complex relationships between sisters. The story follows Jess, who, after receiving a call that her mother's remains have been found, returns to her hometown of Knife River with the intention of uncovering the truth about her mother's disappearance.

The narrative explores the aftermath of the traumatic event that shaped Jess and her older sister Liz's lives. Jess, who had fled Knife River in her youth, returns to find the town frozen in time, and Liz obsessed with unsolved missing persons cases. As the sisters delve into the investigation surrounding their mother's death, they are confronted with more questions than answers. The bones of their mother, exposed to the elements for years, become a poignant symbol of the unresolved past.

The novel is praised for its atmospheric and evocative writing, capturing the essence of a small town and the complexities of familial relationships. The portrayal of the two sisters, each dealing with the trauma in their own way, adds depth to the narrative. The suspenseful elements of the story keep readers engaged as they navigate the twists and turns of the investigation.

"Knife River" is not only a mystery but also a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the intricacies of sisterhood. The characters grapple with the imperfections of their relationships, adding emotional depth to the storytelling. The novel has been commended for its tension, intimacy, and its skillful ability to twist readers' expectations.

This book delves into the heart-wrenching journey of Jess and her sister, Liz, who are haunted by the mysterious disappearance of their mother when they were young. Their lives have been marked by grief and an unending quest for answers. Jess, trying to escape the shadows of her past, has lived a nomadic existence, drifting from one relationship to another. However, a fateful call changes everything: their mother's remains have been discovered.

Returning to their small town of Knife River, Jess is confronted with a place suspended in time, where Liz remains fixated on unsolved missing persons cases. What was supposed to be a brief visit to find closure only deepens the mystery. The long-exposed bones raise more questions than answers, and Jess is drawn into the enigma of her mother's disappearance. Along the way, she rekindles a relationship with her high school girlfriend, adding layers of complexity to her understanding of the past and the people in her life.

This novel is a poignant exploration of the imperfect but profound bonds that women share—be it in romantic relationships, intergenerational friendships, or the unique sisterly connection. The story unfurls with tension and intimacy, painting a vivid picture of the complexity of love and loss.

However, while the novel offers a touching perspective on the impact of a mother's disappearance on her daughters, I have mixed feelings about it. I found the narrative disjointed and hard to follow. The interplay between the investigation and Jess's romantic relationships left some feeling disconnected. The story meandered in places, making it challenging to maintain engagement. The characters, notably Jess, resonated with a few readers, but the lack of clarity in the point of view and the pacing left others feeling disconnected from the narrative.

Overall, "Knife River" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the enduring bonds between women, wrapped in a tapestry of mystery and loss. While it carries a profound emotional weight, it may not resonate with me due to its narrative structure and pacing.

I eventually settled on giving it a solid three stars, with the thought that this story could be told more effectively, which might have helped me empathize more with the characters.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group/ Dial Press for providing me this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest feedback.

This book doesn't so much solve a mother's disappearance as it explores the impact of the mother's disappearance on her daughters. Very little happens in this book. I suppose it could be seen as a character study but spending time with these two characters is bleak indeed. They're not particularly likeable, though at times they are at least human in their emotions. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. This was a very slow burn. I really thought the writing was wonderful, but the book was a bit drawn out. For that I give three stars. Overall it was a good read.