This is the first book I have read from this author and I felt it was just ok. The main detective on the case has a sister that disappeared a couple of years ago, however is inexplicably given a case similar to her sister's in many ways. I felt like procedurally that there was quite a bit that was off with this book. I felt that there should have been more research on how detectives work and what their norms are. This felt like it was just all over the place. This messed with plausibility as well. I would be interested in seeing what else that this author can write. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

This will easily be one of my favorite books of the year. I have already bought it for friends, and they loved it too. So many twists I did not see coming, and so many emotions felt throughout the story. I will be rereading this one for sure. 5 stars

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯.”

Thanks NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy earlier this year! 3.75 rounded to 4

The audio is done by a full cast so we are given POVs by primarily Ellie and the detective Chelsey, as well as her parents, her boyfriend, and the psychiatrist assigned to her case.

It immediately deals with heavy content and I felt that Jean did well with articulating the way trauma impacts one’s identity, beliefs, and behavior. I was totally curious as to how things would unfold and went through this one rather quickly. It ends up taking an unexpected turn and that kept me further engaged as I tried to piece how it all would come together. There was some surprise revelations during the climax which didn’t entirely make much sense to me but it was fine. Content warnings include abduction, abuse, assault, ptsd, descriptions of dead bodies, and gun violence.

Overall, I liked it. Had some common tropes but was written in a way that it felt fresh and I thought the pacing was just right. I haven’t read Jean’s other books but if she writes more in this genre I’ll likely give them a read.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emilio Jean was an excellent read. It was everything I love in a mystery/thriller. From the moment it started I felt completely invested in seeing how things would turn out. Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister went missing over 20 years ago. It’s haunted her daily of what happened, is her sister dead or alive? She just wants closer, for herself and other family’s of girls that have disappeared. Then one day, a girl named Ellie Black, is found in a Washington State Forest. Chelsey, jumps at the chance to work with and find out what happened to Ellie. Where was she? Who took her? How did she get away? What other things will come from her talks with Ellie. This story was so unique and well written. Chelsey is such a flawed person and yet she has the heart of gold and the courage of lion. I want to thank Netgalley, the author & Simon and Schuster for my copy, for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this book. This is one of my few 5 star reads for the year.

The premise of this book was irresistible to me. Where had Ellie been for all of the years she was missing? And why wasn't she talking to police telling what happened to her? For me, I just knew that there was more to her story which really intrigued me. The book jumps back and forth between a few different storylines. We get to see Detective Chelsey Calhoun's current investigation into what happened to Ellie Black in one storyline. We also get Ellie's point of view current day as well as exactly what happened when she disappeared in the past. It all combined into a very compelling read. It wasn't always easy to read (check trigger warnings if you need them) but the question of why Ellie had reappeared and what she was still hiding was too good to resist. I also really appreciated that the author had something to say about being a woman and the way women can be blamed for violence against them. I'm going to leave you with a couple of quotes that I saved but this book hit and hard for me. I cannot wait to read more by this author in the future.

"People are conditioned to believe girls plus bad choices equals bad things. It's a type of inoculation. Lead a good life, and nothing heinous will befall you. But no one is invulnerable. No one untouched."

"But often, Chelsey wondered if her father, if people in general, should spend less time protecting daughters and more time worrying about sons. The dangerous things boys do. How they might be raised differently."

Five stars. I believe I originally said 4.5 in my monthly wrap-up but just rereading all of the quotes I saved (not sharing them all here) - five stars and I highly recommend.

This is my first book by this author. It was a great read. It was full of twist and turns, and kept me omguessing. I would read this author again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book.

This is one of the best thriller books I’ve read in a long time. It’s an intense, dark, heart-stopping story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. What sets this book apart is its sensitive and empathetic approach to certain difficult topics (which I won’t reveal to avoid spoilers). Although I’m usually not a fan of multiple POV, here it was done so seamlessly that it just enhanced the story. The writing was spot-on—captivating without feeling overwhelming. This book felt like more than just a story; it was a message for so many women out there. I’m so glad I gave it a chance, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the Arc. This Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Completely exceeded my expectations! A little bit of mystery, with the elements of a great thriller. It was fast paced and compelling, the plot moving you along to the end. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to see what else this author writes.

This was a totally wild ride. I wasn’t prepared for the first twist, and definitely wasn’t prepared for the final one.

Chelsea is such a great MC. She mirrors so much of what we hear being a woman in a small town police force can be like. Tenacious, smart, clever—but overlooked by the men around her who don’t believe her as much as they believe themselves.

This whole scenario—a missing girl returns—told in two main storylines was fantastic. I love when we discover a piece of a suspenseful story at a time, especially in tandem with the current storyline. The writing was descriptive and dark, and encompassed so many emotions as we learned what Ellie had been through.

Overall, a book I’d highly recommend if you’re looking for an atmospheric suspense that’s perfect for anytime of the year.

Ellie Black returns two years after going missing. She’s understandably apprehensive about working with the police to bring her kidnapper, and maybe murderer, to justice. She is uninterested in discussing what happened to her. The detective on the case wants to bring Ellie’s kidnapper to justice. Chelsey’s sister Lydia also went missing and was murdered when Chelsey was in high school, so she has an added layer of wanting to find the man who did this to Ellie and Lydia.

I really enjoyed this novel. I found the story to be full of twists and turns. I love reading books where j don’t see the twists coming and this one was definitely that.

I am definitely interested in reading more mysteries from this author.

IMPRESSIVE STORY! Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher.
I don't want to give it away, but this one was such a pleasant surprise. I finished it in one go.

I really enjoyed this book! At first I thought Ellie had Stockholm syndrome because of how she was acting. I’m glad that wasn’t the case! I didn’t expect the 2 twists at the end. I’m so happy that Chelsey’s sister is alive. She’s not alone anymore!

I have read the authors previous books and I am loving their genre swap. This book is eveything I want in a thriller read. I hope the author writes more in this genre. I will absolutely gobble it all down like this read.

Chelsea's sister disappeared over 20 years ago and she is still on the hunt for her. She is on the hunt for any type of closure she can get for her missing sister. Then a girl who has been missing, Ellie, returns back after two years. But she is protecting what really happened to her. Chelsea needs to uncover the truth of what happened to Ellie. Maybe if she finds the truth, she can figure out what happened to her own sister.

What I enjoyed:
- this book was full of twists! I was hooked from the moment. I had to know the truth along side Chelsea.
- AAPI representation. I always love seeing AAPI characters.
-fast paced and kept me on my toes the whole time


I seriously loved this book! This book is perfect for any fan of the thriller genre. 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Not a forgettable read and I will be thinking about this one for a long time. Characters were engaging and plot moved along at a good pace. Will be recommending. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.

This book definitely had me hooked. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing, Detective Chelsey Calhoun was an amazing character. I loved how focused she was on figuring out what happened to Ellie. I had no idea what would happen and was shocked with how things unfolded. This would make a great movie.

When a missing girl returns two years later, everyone is desperate to know what happened. A determined detective unearths clues that lead to a chilling surprise that will leave readers haunted.

I'm not familiar with Emiko Jeans work but thus novel makes me want to dive deeper. She's a gifted storyteller without overdoing it. I've said it before but, I like a multiperson point of view because it lends itself to a deeper storyline. The last 85% of the book with leave you biting your nails and crossing your fingers.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book drew me in from the beginning and I could it hard to put down. Ellie disappeared 2 years ago and was found guilty n the woods. She had a hard time adjusting to life again. Part of the story were flashbacks of her story when she was taken. The detective that is on her case has also had her sister missing for many years , so she is determined to find out what happened.
Definitely recommend!

Detective Chelsey Calhoun has a complicated personal history. A transracial adoptee (she’s Japanese) whose father was the police chief of a small, very white Washington town, Chelsey experienced racism growing up and felt isolated from her peers. She did, though, have a close relationship with her sister Lydia; close in age, they were almost like twins.

Then, tragedy: Lydia disappeared at age 15, believed to be the victim of a secret boyfriend (he was found dead, an apparent suicide, but Lydia’s body was never found). The crime fractured Chelsey’s family – her mother left and it was just Chelsey and her father, whose pre-existing anger issues were only exacerbated by Lydia’s murder.

In the present, Chelsey is married and working for the same police force that her father, now dead, was chief of. She gets a call that a local girl who has been missing for two years has been found alive, having emerged from the woods emaciated and injured.

Ellie Black is closed mouth on where she’s been and who abducted her. Chelsey is determined to uncover the truth and begins to tie Ellie’s disappearance to other missing girls in the area.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, chiefly Chelsey’s and Ellie’s. Chelsey is in some ways a tough heroine to warm up to – emotionally closed off and stubborn. But as the story unfolds she develops into a sympathetic protagonist.

The plot is rather byzantine, but both Chelsey and Ellie held my attention. There were several twists at the end, one that I didn’t see coming (partly because I’d missed a plot point earlier, to be honest) and one that I thought was maybe unnecessary in how it tied all the characters together. I gave The Return of Ellie Black a B.

When Ellie Black, a missing girl who disappeared two years earlier, walks out of the woods one night, Detective Chelsey Calhoun picks up the case that has been alluding her. But Ellie is quiet, and after a time, uncooperative. Chelsey is determined to get answers, even if she has to treat Ellie as a hostile witness. Because underneath it all, Chelsey is still reeling from her sister's disappearance 20 years ago.

Chelsey uncovers new clues, and follows up leads, all while fighting her own demons. Dark, and sometimes disturbing, the story kept me guessing, and on the edge of my seat. The twist in the tale gave me goosebumps. For an author whose only work I've read is her YA romances, this debut adult thriller is formidable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.