I just finished reading The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, and I’m thrilled to share my thoughts with you!

This book is an absolute page-turner, filled with mystery, emotion, and unforgettable characters. Emiko Jean's writing is both captivating and heartfelt, making this a must-read for anyone who loves a good story.

One of the standout moments for me is when Ellie, the protagonist, returns to her hometown and faces the memories she left behind. There’s a powerful scene where she revisits her childhood home, now abandoned and overgrown. The way Jean describes Ellie’s emotions as she walks through the dusty rooms and overgrown garden is so vivid—you can almost feel the weight of her past pressing down on her. This moment perfectly captures Ellie’s internal struggle and sets the tone for her journey of self-discovery and redemption.

What I love most about The Return of Ellie Black is the way it delves into themes of forgiveness, identity, and the ties that bind us to our past. The characters are richly developed, and their relationships are portrayed with such authenticity and depth. Jean’s ability to weave together a compelling plot with deep emotional resonance makes this book a true gem.

If you’re looking for a book that will tug at your heartstrings and keep you guessing until the very end, The Return of Ellie Black is a must-read. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down!

A fast paced thriller that will keep you reading late into the night. It is full is twists. The dual POVs (the missing girl and the detective) enhance the narrative and help the reader understand the character's motivations Some aspects were a bit implausible, but overall an excellent novel.

I read this book in two days because I couldn't put it down. It was a fast, gripping read and it was a good thriller. That is not to say it had its problems. I found myself yelling at the book in places. I felt Ellie was given too much leniency during the investigation. I understood her actions, but things could have ended so very differently. There was a lot going on in the book. Chelsey still had so many unresolved emotions and the climax of the book certainly didn't help!

But overall, the book kept me in the story and I wanted to know what happened next. So 3.5 stars for that. I understand it's a debut book. I hope the author keeps writing suspense/thrillers because when she gets it perfect, it's going to be a hell of a book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and freely expressed.

The best thing about the Return of Elkie Black is how skillfully Emiko Jean plays with her narrative style in her debut thriller. The story begins with short, clipped sentences, immersing us in the life of Chelsea Calhoun, a police detective, who is juggling the task of emptying her parents' house while also grappling with personal challenges. She is jolted out of her worries, the moment news breaks that Elkie Black, a teenager missing for two years, is found wandering in the woods. And Chelsea’s pushes her personal life to the side, fixing her gaze on uncovering the truth behind Elkie's silence.

As the novel unfolds, the language evolves; it grows more intricate and powerful, mirroring the deepening plot. Elkie remains tight-lipped, refusing to cooperate with the police, adding to the mystery. Fortunately, we, as readers, slowly piece together her harrowing tale of abuse, control, and intimidation. Elkie has endured unspeakable horrors while being held captive with other girls, experiencing far worse than one could ever imagine.

What I particularly appreciated about this novel is the contrast between the lyrical, fragmented, and somber sections of Elkie's story and the fast-paced excitement of Chelsea's investigation. This blend allows the narrative to breathe. While many stories focus on detectives pursuing kidnapped girls in a typical "Save the Girl" scenario, few delve into the complexities of a strong girl grappling with her environment, driven by rage and a yearning for freedom, yet heavily scarred by the manipulations of a damaged man.

This book does not shy away from exploring challenging themes: generational trauma, the deep-seated impact of abuse, and the pain caused by broken individuals. Yet, it also highlights the resilience of women who endure. All of this is woven into a beautifully written, taut, and lyrical thriller, complete with shocking twists that will keep you on your toes. An excellent read from a true literary talent!

This book had plenty of characterization to make me believe the different motivations of the characters and that all played together with a well constructed plot for a really satisfying ending. I think if I have a problem with the book it’s a small one but it’s something that I am seeing over and over again and I wanted to mention. we have a great lead character, an adopted Asian female daughter of a cop. And all of those things are totally fine with me. But in addition to that, she has, and we find out about this really early in the story, sister who’s been murdered. And this is played out in the story in a way that I’m seeing over and over again. This murdered sister is her reason for doing what she does. And I think my problems with this are twofold. First of all we’re seeing this over and over again how many female cops are cops because their sister was murdered or kidnapped or something. That piece just feels really played out to me.

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.