**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This story reminded me of another story I recently read that had a similar theme, where someone returns, and you weren't sure what to take from their behavior. I liked that storyline, so I was excited to see what Emiko Jean would do. She did not disappoint with the twists and turns she threw into this story!

The story follows the return of Ellie Black as who has been missing and they are trying to find out where she has been. Her behavior is instantly off, but obviously it's almost to be expected after what she went through. I don't know if it's my prior experience reading books of similar plots, but I was suspicious instantly. I did not know what to expect from Ellie, but it was nothing good. I think the people around her did everything right, and Jean did a great job of building the questions and making you need to know what was actually going on.

While I enjoyed this story, I felt it was a bit slow. It took me a long time to read. I never thought I wouldn't finish it, because I really needed to know what was happening and how it was going to end, but I put it down and picked it back up a lot. I wish it had read a little quicker, and this really would have made this book.

With that being said, the story itself was good. I liked the characters, and you really learned to either love or hate them as you worked through the story. Had the story moved a little faster in the first 2/3 of the story, then I would have been much happier. Either way, Jean's writing is smooth and she uses words to craft a beautifully suspenseful story that left me shook at the end. I had not seen that ending coming.

Pick up a copy of The Return of Ellie Black and let me know what you think!

Wow. I wish I hadn't waited so long to read this. It was one of the best mystery/suspense novels I have read in a while. I will warn that it gets pretty dark, but I couldn't put it down. I read enough suspense and psychological thrillers that I'm not usually shocked by plot twists, but this one surprised me more than once. I hate to say too much for fear of accidental spoilers, but if this is a genre you enjoy, you should give this one a try.

3.5 stars, rounded down
I’ve read other books by this author and really enjoyed them, so I was curious to see how she’d handle the transition into thrillers. I went in based on her name alone and wasn’t expecting much, but this was a pleasant surprise. It was darker than I anticipated from her, but in a good way.

This was a quick, gripping read that held my attention the whole time. The story begins when Detective Chelsey Calhoun is notified that Ellie Black, a teen who’s been missing for two years, has suddenly been found. Ellie refuses to speak about what happened, and Chelsey becomes determined to uncover the truth. Her mission is made even more personal by the fact that her own sister disappeared years earlier.

The book deals with heavy topics like trauma, captivity, and manipulation. It’s definitely more character-focused, which felt familiar if you’ve read her previous novels. While it wasn’t a perfect read for me, it’s a solid debut thriller and shows she has potential in this genre.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC. I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy emotionally layered thrillers that explore both internal and external conflict.

The Return of Ellie Black has a strong premise and a moody, suspenseful tone that makes it easy to sink into. Ellie, a teenager who vanished two years ago, suddenly returns, but she refuses to speak about where she’s been. The story follows Detective Chelsey Calhoun as she investigates Ellie’s past and untangles a web of trauma, secrets, and long-buried pain. Chelsey is the standout here. She’s recently sober, still grieving her sister’s disappearance years ago, and trying to prove herself in a male-dominated department. Her personal connection to the case adds urgency, and her vulnerability makes her feel believable.

Where the book falls short is in Ellie’s characterization. Despite being the title character, she remains emotionally closed off in a way that feels more like a missed opportunity than intentional ambiguity. The ending also wraps up a bit too neatly given the weight of the subject matter. Still, it's a decent, fast-paced read.

starting out as a boilerplate, dual POV mystery, this book took some crazy ass turns.
did it strain credulity a bit? sure, but how else can you arrive at that WTF moment?

this was a dark one but not in a bad way.

A truly riveting and compelling thriller. I could not put this down. As I read, I found myself having a hard time identifying the twists ahead of time, so every time we found out new information about Ellie's mysterious reappearance, I was genuinely surprised. I absolutely would recommend this book to others that enjoy the genre. The emotional turmoil you witnessed the characters experience was palpable and realistic.

I didn’t know what to expect when I began this book, but it quickly grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and yanked me into the story. I honestly don’t want to spoil this so I’ll keep it short—it’s fast paced, twisty, and never lets up. Easy five stars!

This was a twisty story with a gradual development. It had good character development and pacing and I found myself not able to put it down.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.
The audio is full cast and also was excellent!

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Emiko Jean is an auto-read author for me. When I saw a thriller become available from her, I immediately hit request.

This isn’t a romance. This isn’t a retelling of a fairytale. This is dark. If you’re not a fan of thrillers/mysteries that explore darkness, then this may not be for you.

This is a true thriller about abducted girls. There are twists and turns through the story. The characters are all really likeable. Recommend reading trigger warnings prior to starting this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was really into this book until that last twist. I felt like it sort of took me out of the story and cheapened all of the emotional impact. It pains me to say this, because I love Emiko Jean.

A really gripping ride! Honestly, this was a hard read but truly an important story to tell. Usually a story is told from the perspective of “leading up” to a crime, with little to no focus on the life of the victim post rescue! I really enjoyed the detective’s character throughout the story & how multi-layered it was! It took so many twists & turns, with heightened emotions at each bend of the story.

I came back to re-review. I thought no I reviewed lower because the story scared me, but I realize now, the significance and I changed my rating to 5 stars!

Thank you for letting me read this book. It is a good light read. I will recommend it to friends that I think will also enjoy it.

Great for if you want a quick read-- keeps you in suspense so you really don't want to put it down. I'd definitely recommend!

Detective Chelsey Calhoun has never stopped trying to understand what happened to her sister, who disappeared twenty years ago. She is therefore especially driven to figure out what is going on when Ellie Black, who vanished two years ago, suddenly walks out of the woods. Something clearly happened to Ellie, but she doesn’t offer much explanation. We watch as Chelsey's investigation alternates with the story of Ellie’s horrific captivity. You have to be prepared for both perspectives, because the captivity is tough to read about. My (admittedly wimpy) preference in crime novels is for more focus on the detectives at work and less detail on the suffering of the victims, beyond what you need in the first chapter to get the investigation started. This story is twisty and well-executed, with an ending that is satisfying on several fronts.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for a digital advance review copy.

Japanuary

Japanese diaspora

So maybe it's not thrillers I hate. Maybe it's white people problems. You may remember I loved YOU WILL NEVER BE ME. Hated everyone in it. Hate influencers. But love the book.

I love the TOKYO EVER AFTER series. Love. And Emiko is one of the sweetest authors I've ever met. That has no bearing on this review. I love books with problematic authors. I will not be advertising those books, as reading is political. I also hate books with lovely authors. Life.

This book was the wildest ride. I thought it was going to be your run-of-the-mill thriller. I was wrong. So very, very wrong. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is a Japanese American woman adopted into a white family. She was very close to her non-adopted sister, Lydia. Lydia died in a murder-suicide by her boyfriend at the time, Oscar. This, coupled with the fact that their father was in the force, makes Chelsey choose policing as a career.

Ellie Black has been missing for two years. When she pops back up, Chelsey is assigned the case. In a thrilling tale of abduction, we find out Ellie was kept in isolation with other teen girls. There are two men that abducted them. One takes turns raping each of the girls. He is looking to get them pregnant.

You may be thinking, "I don't know, Mai. This sounds like your run-of-the-mill thriller." But, I swear to you, it's not. There are not one, but two twists, and both had me screaming "WTF WTF WTF" with my buddy reader. Maybe you won't be WTF-ing. Maybe you will. Either way, I loved it. I love Emiko's books, whatever genre. I'll be reading more.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Return of Ellie Black!

What a ride! I love a book that knows how to draw out a scenario just right. The story and subsequent backstory kept me engaged and the protagonist had me rooting for her from moment one, even while questioning her role in the story.

This was a 4-star read for me, I would recommend it to people who enjoy a good, suspenseful mystery.

When I started reading this, I was looking for a quick read that would keep me engaged the whole time and this book definitely delivered! This was a really good thriller. Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared two years ago has reappeared and Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back on the case to find out what happened. As the case evolves, it's clear that there is more than one victim and Calhoun must work to find out what is happening before time runs out. Chelsey's own sister disappeared 20 years earlier and she must confront her feelings about her past while working this case. This book is pretty slow paced. the middle is a bit more slow than I would have liked, however I felt like the suspense builds really well throughout. After a certain point, when the twists start coming into play, the pace picks up and I couldn't stop reading and wanted to find out what was going to happen. I liked the dual POV and I felt like each chapter gave a new clue into what was happening and I thought both POVs were really well done. I'm usually good at calling the twists in a thriller, but there were a couple twists that I didn't call and I really liked how they were revealed. Overall, I think this was a great thriller read and I would recommend it to thriller fans!

This is easily one of my top books for 2024!

“The Return of Ellie Black” by Emiko Jean is a gripping thriller that combines mystery and psychological twists. The story follows Detective Chelsey Calhoun, whose relentless pursuit of missing persons cases is personal, stemming from the unresolved disappearance of her own sister two decades earlier. When Ellie Black, a teenager missing for two years, is found alive yet uncommunicative in the Washington State woods, Chelsey becomes determined to uncover the truth behind Ellie’s captivity.

This novel is a MUST-read for fans of psychological thrillers seeking a narrative that is as emotionally resonant as it is thrilling. Do not sleep on this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

This thriller follows Ellie Black, a young woman who returns to her hometown after years of being missing. The characters are well-drawn but I found the pacing could have been slower.