I really enjoyed this one! I read this on the tail end of a reading slump and it snapped me out of it. The characters were all very well developed and the plot was propulsive with a final twist that shocked me to my core. This was going to be a 4-4.5 until the final twist was revealed. I also really enjoyed the writing style and the themes explored. The psychological aspect is really what made this a 5 star book for me.

No spoilers but this book really put me in mind of a well known true crime case that I’m fascinated with.

Read if you like: jaw dropping twists, female heroines, stories that explore the trauma response, police procedurals, psychological thrillers

This was an excellent read! Fast paced and kept me guessing! This definitely won't be my last read from Emiko Jean!

A gorgeous, tense story that had me on the edge of my proverbial seat. Lovely writing--my heart was in my chest!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

Multi POV is the best way to go. This book was so fantastic. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved it all. No notes.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean is an intriguing suspense novel that begins where most crime novels end. A young woman is found wandering in the woods, and her family and local law enforcement are surprised and relieved it's Ellie Black who suddenly disappeared two years ago. But she's completely traumatized - she won't share anything about her experience, she's can't sleep in her childhood bedroom, and she's constantly looking over her shoulder. Through flashbacks, readers learn about her captors and their abuse of her.

Police Detective Chelsey Calhoun is heavily invested in Ellie's case because her own sister vanished 20 years ago. This haunt her and impacts her personal and professional life. She's compelled to continue her investigation beyond protocol when Ellie's reappearance raises more questions than answers.

I appreciated that this story addresses the challenges of a crime victim's re-entry to reality, both for the person and their family members. This plot is compelling, well-written, and full of surprises. At the big twist, I gasped out loud.

Known for writing YA and adult romance, this is Emiko Jean's first suspense novel and the first of her books I've read. I hope she continues writing suspense and writes a sequel featuring Detective Calhoun.

Special thanks to the Thoughts From a Page podcast for allowing me to read this novel pre-publication and participate in an author interview as a patron perk.

Ugh. After reading two dark books in a row, I'm ready for something light.
Poor Ellie. Typical teen mistake. Rented a motel room to have a party, goes outside to pee, and thats the end of it. Creepy story of girls held captive and survival.
Well written and full of characters just trying to live with the cards they've been delt.
Thank you NG for the ARC.

This one was a big let down. All of my thoughts are below:

Ok…the positives first. The pacing of The Return of Ellie Black was great. It was fast and captivating. It held my attention (I finished in four days which is really fast for me lately). The book was a dual POV which I love (especially for thrillers). The structure and readability are the only reasons this book got three stars instead of two 😬

Now…the negatives. There was SO much telling and not enough showing in this book. One of my biggest pet peeves with thriller writers is when they don’t trust the reader. TRUST US! We can connect the dots! I promise!

The twist at the end was outrageous in a disappointing way. The characters were not built up enough for me to suspend my disbelief. I’m making this review spoiler free but please DM me to talk more if you have opinions on this!! AND THEN after the twist the author was basically like, the end 😐 I have SO many logistical questions.

When two hikers discover a dirty, disheveled, confused girl who claims she's Ellie Black - a girl who has been missing for two years - in the middle of the woods, no one quite knows what to think. Chelsey Calhoun, the original detective on the case, is jolted from bed in the middle of the night to investigate her reappearance. In the days that follow, everyone in Ellie's orbit realizes something isn't quite right. She sleeps in a crawlspace, shies away from being touched, refuses to cut her hair or shower, and refuses to answer even the most basic questions from Chelsey. Can Chelsey figure out the mystery of Ellie's disappearance AND reappearance before another girl goes missing while simultaneously dealing with the trauma from her own sister's murder 20 years ago?

This was my first Emiko Jean book, and I couldn't have picked a better one to start. Told from an omniscient point of view, we get insight into both Chelsey and Ellie's internal thoughts and motivations, exploring both of their trauma while giving a critique on misogyny and how women are frequently made the scapegoat for men's choices and actions. The plot itself is twisty, I wasn't sure where it was going for the majority of the story. Even when I did figure out what was going on, I still was surprised in the way it panned out in the end. The book, as a whole, is a slow burn. That's something that, in a thriller, usually drives me crazy. But Jean handles the slow burn deftly and drops just enough intrigue as she goes to keep you invested in the story. Combine that with the sense of dread that seeps through all aspects of the story, and it wasn't surprising I stayed up into the wee hours to finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this outing from Emiko Jean and look forward to many more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the chance to read and review this advance reader copy.

The Return of Ellie Black kept me guessing. It was suspenseful, dark and disturbing. I was invested in the story enough to read it on week nights, which is not a small feat. It is a missing person mystery. The victims are young girls. The two main characters Detective Chelsea and the abductee Ellie Black are strong women. There are a few twist, the last of which I wasn't crazy about. I know some readers is going to find that twist jaw-dropping but I guessed it early on. I think the author dropped enough hints along the way.

This is Emiko Jean's thriller debut. It is a solid debut. Jean's latest Mika in Real Life was so good. I haven't read her YA but needless to say she has range.

Emiko Jean's novel "The Return of Ellie Black" is a thought-provoking and intriguing read. This book has a dystopian future fiction,and suspense, adventure, and surprising turns. I found it simpler to relate to and comprehend Ellie and the difficulties she encountered because of Emiko Jean's vivid and captivating writing style. My interest was piqued from the beginning by the author's masterful integration of romance, action, and mystery.

Furthermore, Emiko Jean's world-building is outstanding. She convincingly describes the dystopian society she portrays, paying close attention to detail just to bring the scenario to life. From the harsh landscapes to the complexities of the political and social structures, every part of the world seems genuine and realistic. Another thing to praise about the novel is its tempo. The plot goes quickly, with enough action and suspense to keep me engaged in the novel. The storyline has many twists and turns are well-executed, keeping the story interesting and engaging and it keeps it from being boring.

"The Return of Ellie Black" is an exciting and captivating book overall. Emiko Jean's dystopian tale stands out because to its captivating characters, rich world-building, and writing style. This book will enthrall and amuse you whether you want action-packed adventures or stories that make you think.this book overall was a okay read

Thank you netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC

2.5 stars rounded up. I’m not really sure how to review this. It’s not bad, it just wasn’t for me. It heavily reminded me of another popular thriller that I did Not like and once I made The comparison I couldn’t See past it. The ending was absurd. Overall the writing was good, just wanted more from the story. The “who” was so disappointing because they weren’t even in the book until the reveal. This made it really hard to care about any of the characters. I liked Willa and Star. I’d try this author again with hopes of growth between this debut and a sophomore title. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I am a fan of Emiko Jean...but this book was not the same genre of her past works and totally on different level! The emotional, suspense driven plot absolutely grips your heart. The storyline surrounds the disappearance of girls. The brutality and loss of innocence these poor girls are subjected too is heartbreaking. When one of the lost girls suddenly returns everyone wants answers. Ellie is obviously changed from the trauma she has been through. But she is holding back and there are secrets beyond the obvious. Chelsey is a detective investigating, but she has a deeper attachment to the case due to the disappearance and murder of her sister.

There are twists and turns galore that leave you on the edge of your seat. The complicated relationships between the characters are so compelling. I was absolutely emotionally drained by the end.! I would love to see a follow up book surrounding the characters and their future lives....

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

Well this was a strange one. I was unsure as to where this was going when I was about halfway through it. T hen when the twists came it was pretty nonstop. I enjoyed it. I felt the characters were really flushed out and I wanted Chelsey to figure stuff out so badly. I would recommend.

Wow, this one had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. There were many layers to this story and I'm amazed at how the author was able to bring everything together in the end. I enjoyed reading from the different character POVs and really did not expect the twist at the end. I look forward to reading more from Emiko Jean.

This was a great mystery with twists until the very end. A police detective is investigating a missing girl’s case and she returns and brings more questions than answers. Very well written and entertaining.

Two years ago Elizabeth "Ellie" Black went missing and no none knew where she went. Two years later, Ellie is found in a campground returning to the area she was disappeared from. Detective Chelsey Calhoun has been on Ellie's disappearance/reappearance since day one. When Ellie returns, Chelsea is left with more questions than answers.

I decided to opt for the audiobook of this novel as it had a full cast narration. I enjoyed that aspect of the recording process. For the novel we are show the investigation in present time and shown glimpses via Ellie's POV of her last two years. This novel isn't for the faint of heart as confinement and sexual assault are a couple of the issues talked about in this novel. I enjoyed getting a full picture of the novel with the different points of view. I didn't mind the subject matter discussed in the novel as my job involves some of the matters discussed in it. I thought overall the novel was predictable, but was slightly surprised by the reveal of the kidnappers at the end. I think I made the connection around the same time as Det. Calhoun did. This was my first novel by Emiko Jean and I want to read more from her in the future to see how her writing changes. I know she's written some YA novels in the past.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Honestly, the ending kind of ruined the book for me. It just did not seem to fit in with the rest of the story. This was an incredibly well done psychological thriller. Highlighting the impact of an abduction - during and after. The impact on the law enforcement that are involved in solving an abduction case. The changes cases like this have on everyone involved, short term and long term. It was a very well researched book from the mental health perspective, in my opinion. I just wish that the ending flowed better with the story line. My heart broke for the main characters - told from the perspective of a teenager who was abducted and found 2 years later. And the female law enforcement officer assigned to the case. I found the different perspectives to be incredibly well done and the book flowed well. Overall, an incredibly well done book, but a very difficult one to read.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

The Return of Ellie Black is a gripping thriller that’s almost painful to read — but I’m glad I hung in there. The story is unfailingly interesting, with some unusual and unexpected twists, and the main character is complex, damaged, and fascinating. The suspense is terrific, and the mounting sense of time running out and looming disaster is very well developed. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, and couldn’t put the book down.

The Return of Ellie Black is an amazingly twisty and emotional thriller! The characters are deep and complex, the action is meaningful and creative. Warning for horrific crimes against girls, but it's not overly graphic on the page--I'm sensitive to what seems like excessive and indulgent violence in thrillers, this one was good. It was hard to put down, even as dark as it is. Thank you to Simon and Shuster for an arc to read and review voluntarily!

Emiko Jean is YA writer and this is first foray in an adult novel and she hits it out of the park. It's a thriller that remins you of the last season of True Detective. It's a slow boil that gives the reader the view into the life of Ellie Black who disappeared and suddenly returns and the dectective who tries to figure out what happened to her. The detective had her own experience with the loss of her sister due to horrible circumstances. The story goes back and forth to the life before she disappeared and the detectives own experiences of what made her become a cop. It's about young girls being taken advantage of by men who are up to no good and feel they have the right to own wowen's bodies. In a world with human trafficking and front page stories of disappeared girls this book could have been a cheap take on that. It's the opposite. It's handled with detail and care to show who th victims are and what got them there. It's about how get to have wild and fun lives without feeling like they are bad and deserve what happens to them if soemthing goes wrong. I am so excited to read her next book. I just love when YA writers can jump their field and write a terrific book that is utterly thought provoking. I hight recommend this book!! Thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC!