There is no doubt that Emiko Jean is a phenomenal, gritty writer. In her newest mystery/thriller THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK, she takes readers on a harrowing journey with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Her characters are interesting and raw, and they consistently surprised me throughout this book.

When 19 year-old Ellie Black stumbles out of the woods after disappearing without a trace two years before, Detective Chelsey Calhoun is eager to discover who abducted her. Chelsey is driven to uncover mysteries like these because her own sister was killed when she was a teenager. But Ellie isn’t cooperative and it soon becomes apparent that she isn’t being completely forthcoming about her disappearance.

I was motivated to finish this thriller because it was so creepy, but unfortunately I didn’t feel a real connection to the characters. The point of view jumped between Chelsey and Ellie, and even Ellie’s mom and her dad. The parents’ points of view could have been eliminated entirely. I wanted more information about Ellie’s experience: why did her captors do what they did? I mean, it’s explained, but I never really understood their motivation. In addition, a couple of the twists came way out of left field. That being said, Emiko Jean can write really well, and I look forward to more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Simon and Schuster for an advanced digital copy of THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Return of Ellie Black is a well-written, compelling story about the kidnappings of young women, and the female detective with personal stakes, determined to find them. Although the tale and subject matter is dark, the author carefully maintains the story's suspense elements, including scenes of victim captivity, without delving into horror. We are given insight into the mind of the police detective determined to solve the crimes, and the methods used by the victims to survive. Ellie Black is the key to both. There are surprising twists and turns in this story, and interwoven subplots that come together at the conclusion. Readers will need to stretch their suspension of disbelief with this book, but The Return of Ellie Black is an interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

If you're someone who enjoys reading mystery and thriller novels, then Emiko Jean's latest book, The Return of Ellie Black, is an absolute must-read for you! This book is a true page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover. Without giving away any spoilers, I can assure you that the plot of the book is expertly crafted with perfectly placed twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end.

What makes this book stand out from others in the genre is the character of Detective Chelsey Calhoun, who is the central figure of the story. Chelsey is a complex character that is fully fleshed out, making her relatable and interesting to read about. Her character development throughout the book is done in a way that feels natural and organic. Emiko Jean has done a fantastic job of creating a strong female lead that readers will root for and want to see succeed.

Overall, The Return of Ellie Black is a 5+++ star novel that I highly recommend for your summer reading list. It's a well-written, engaging and thrilling story that will keep you captivated until the final page. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I would love to see Detective Chelsey Calhoun turned into a series with more cases to solve. Give this book a chance, and I promise you won't be disappointed!

I want to start off with my ratings for this book. It was a solid 4 stars. I really enjoyed it

It is about a girl named Ellie who goes missing for 2 years and then reappears. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is assigned to her case and she has the job to figure out where Ellie has been for the past two years but when Ellie is interviewed, she refuses to open up and help with the investigation. Chelsey believes that Ellie may not be the only victim and is racing against the clock to get answers from Ellie.

I loved the writing of this author. I felt like I was part of the book as a detective looking for answers.

The two main characters are portrayed with great depth and keen observation. Chelsey is depicted as complex and burdened due to her family background and past events, which drive her dedication as an officer. She possesses empathy but also keen perceptiveness. In contrast, Ellie undergoes a stark transformation from a lively teenager before her abduction to a haunted and grieving individual upon her return. Her loss of identity and profound suffering evoke deep empathy from the reader.

It’s not an easy book to read as there is depections of SA, rape, kidnapping, mental isolation, cult vibes but it’s one worth reading.

I couldn’t out this down and had to finish it as quickly as possible to find both what was going on. It was a mystery that I didn’t guess ahead of time so I loved that! I enjoyed Chelsey as a character, as she tries to figure out what happened to Ellie Black.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

This story is full of twists and turns. I definitely thought one thing and then the story twists. It was shocking and I enjoy a story that has a plot change, however, the end of the story almost comes too soon and is wrapped up a little neatly, given how complex the story is. Not really a happy ending but a clean ending nevertheless.

For her debut novel, author Emiko Jean presents a commercial book about kidnappings and murder of young women by evil, nasty males. Sexual exploitation of women and girls is a dastardly subject area and I did not enjoy reading how evil the men who committed these acts were.
Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy much of the novel. The author is excellent in describing the emotions and fears that the female characters have. I do wonder why a debut novelist chose to go this dark in her first book. The Return of Ellie Black does not tell us anything new about the crimes discussed. It's main satisfaction is in the interesting characters the author presents.
My rating of 3.5 stars is rounded up to encourage this author in her writing career. Another topic might have blown me away! I'll keep an eye out for her second book!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An interesting twist on abductions, Stockholm syndrome, and dysfunctional families. I thought this title started slowly however I plugged along and was glad I did. I think the ending could have been tighter.

This was truly a humdinger! The author definitely captured what I perceive to be the trauma and mindset of kidnap victims. At first I was wondering if she were talking about Elizabeth Smart and later on I wondered if she were mixing Elizabeth with Patty Hearst. In any event, it was a very gripping and poignant story, certainly hard to put down.

My single complaint was that there were too many social issues included in the story. They detracted from the main plot.

I will look forward to more novels by this talented author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for an early readers copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Just, wow. This book was amazing. It pulled me in from the very beginning and I could not look away. Parts were a bit disturbing (because they were so believable), and at one point, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor because I did NOT see that coming.

Also, this made me cry. Mostly happy tears, some sad for the things the characters went through. This book definitely played off one of my deepest fears, but I couldn’t let my discomfort keep me from finishing it.
Absolutely spectacular, will definitely read this author again.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A woman wanders out of the dark woods where she’s been held for 2 years, 2 months, and 1 day. Hikers find her dirty, dazed, and confused asking who she is and where she came from, but she can only whisper that she’s Ellie Black and she thinks she’s missing.

Detective Chelsey Calhoun has been working Ellie’s missing person’s case since the beginning when Ellie was last seen at a motel party. Chelsey is flabbergasted when Ellie is found alive! Did she escape her captor? Or was she let go?

Upon testing Ellie’s clothes; Chelsey finds out that Ellie was with other girls, other girls who’ve disappears in the last couple years. Chelsey needs answers, but Ellie refuses to talk. She needs to untangle this mystery to find the other girls before it’s too late.

This book was dark, but I flew through the pages of the book in one day. The author did a brilliant job keeping readers engaged in the story with twist after twist that led to an unforgettable ending. I feel like I’m still processing the bombshell that was exposed near the end, even after reading it a second time.

This was brilliant. Full stop.

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

Read in a day, The Return of Ellie Black is bingeable, well crafted, and a thriller for the ages.
What starts out as a miracle in a missing girl being rescued turns into questionable series of events that leave you wanting to keep turning the page to understand what the heck happened to Ellie Black!?

I enjoyed the small town optics. Chelsey Calhoun is a perfect FMC; she is flawed, gutsy, and a total anomaly.
While this story unfolds, I found myself falling into assuming the typical tropes found in mystery/thrillers and accepting obvious red-herrings but NOPE, Jean is methodical in how she unravels this story. You're in for a ride!
And the social commentary on womanhood, violence against women, the way in which boys/men can be allowed to be coddled monsters in society, fathers versus mothers, and even more smartly, Chelsey's arc as one of the few people of color in this small town and adopted by a white family sets up a book that is simply, more.

Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advance electronic reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ellie Black went missing at the age of seventeen. Two years later she’s filthy and stumbling around in Washington State Park found by hikers.. After her parents confirmed her identity she is interviewed by police investigator Chelsey Calhoun. Chelsey’s own sister went missing twenty years ago and knows the agony that a family goes through when someone is missing. Chelsey is determined to help bring to justice whoever held Ellie captive. It appears that Ellie has escaped from her captor but will give little information about where she had been or with whom. The clothing Ellie was wearing is tested for DNA and the results lead Chelsey’s investigation to suspect there were other missing girls with Ellie. This is a psychological thriller featuring kidnapping, sexual abuse, brainwashing, dysfunctional families and murder. This ARC was provided by Simon & Schuster publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This is a really twisty one! I didn't predict the ending, as I often do, and I love when an author can do that to me. It was such a page-turner that every time Emiko Jean added flashbacks or other breaks in the action I tried to read faster to get back to it. I hope there another Chelsey Calhoun book. I really liked her character.

Upon the return of Ellie, missing for 2 years, Detective Chelsey and their little town are thrown into a tailspin. Ellie does not want to contribute to the investigation, but the few clues indicate a much bigger crime than a simple kidnapping. Chelsey is a tortured woman considering the disappearance of her sister years ago and her troubled upbringing by an overbearing and misogynistic father. Chelsey's background plays a big part in her manner of investigating and in the way the clues are unearthed. I really enjoyed the way in which the author sprinkled innocuous clues along the story line that became integral to the case. The action evolves like a symphonic crescendo, with the crash reverberating throughout the town. The author was able to capture the fear and despair, the dissolving of hope and the reaching for reason that a kidnapping victim suffers. You could also feel the echoes of loss felt when someone close goes missing without a trace. Jean has an incredible way of portraying such raw emotion. This is an excellent book that is not only a great thriller but is also emotionally charged.

Twenty years ago, Chelsey Calhoun’s sister disappeared. It was concluded that she had been killed by her boyfriend who then committed suicide. Now a detective in the same police department where her father was once chief, Chelsey is notified that Ellie Black, another female who disappeared a few years ago, has been found wandering in the woods. Traumatized, Ellie is reluctant to share any information about her captivity. As Chelsey seeks information and answers, she begins to wonder about other missing girls/young women in her area of Washington State.

This is a very disturbing story with lots of twists. It touches on some very important topics; women as targets, the fear that must be instilled in all girls and women of men who may harm or exploit them, missing girls who receive no real notice if they are minorities or poor, and a point that Chelsey makes about society’s acceptance of women dying at the hands of men.

The main characters are well developed. Chelsey is laser focused and indomitable in her quest to find the truth and perhaps save other lives. Somewhat damaged herself by the loss of her beloved sister and her parents’ reaction to it, she is driven to close this case, even when she is removed from it and her personal happiness is at stake. The physical and psychological toll of Ellie’s abduction and treatment is a comprehensive case study in victimology.

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonbooks for the DRC.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean from Simon & Schuster/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Well-paced and solidly anxious-making, and—to a great extent—believable.

And I was very thankful that the plot twist I thought was coming didn’t, because I thought our main protagonist deserved better.

That said, the plot twist/s that _did_ come had me rolling my eyes a bit.

But maybe this is just the first in a Chelsey Calhoun series and things will get better? Fingers crossed!

DESCRIPTION
“The Return of Ellie Black is a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last fifty pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.” —STEPHEN KING

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Whew! This story shook me!

The more a book affects me, the harder it is to put it into words. And I am struggling to find the right words to describe this book. I found it almost impossible to put down. From the first pages I was captivated. I quickly became invested in the characters despite their flaws, their questionable past actions, and what may or may not be the truth of their current actions. Both of the main characters, Chelsea and Ellie, imprinted themselves in my mind and I still find them tumbling around in there at odd moments.

I was completely riveted by this book as this author led me into a tale that was dark, uncomfortable at times, and so twisted I was left gasping when all was revealed.

Yes! A page turner for sure. The story’s evolution kept the reader wondering and thinking. Were there things I questioned about the police investigation? Yes. Were there things that took place that felt a bit implausible? Yes. Was the ending dramatic? Yes. This was a good mystery and I enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for granting this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #TheReturnofEllieBlack, #NetGalley, #Simon&Schuster.

My mind is blown after reading this gut wrenching book. Ellie Black has been missing for two years when suddenly she is found. Chelsea is the detective working on her case, she had a sister who went missing and murdered, so she is very invested in the case. What ensues is stellar writing that goes into each characters lives with remarkable detail. Heart pounding good. Be forewarned when you pick up this book because you won't be able to put it down. Excited to read more from this talented author.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. It was my pleasure to read and give back honest feedback.