I had such a great time reading this book! I've read Emiko Jean's YA books, and I was looking forward to this book, the mystery sounded really good, and it was, I had such a great time watching everything come to light!

Ellie Black was found after missing for 2 years-but she is about the opposite from unscathed as you can be, she's been hurt is so many ways. I really wanted Chelsey and her fellow cops to catch whoever did that to her and put them away, because they truly didn't deserve to be walking free. We got Ellie's perspective and it was honestly pretty hard to read that suffering.

The question in the back of my mind was, was Chelsey's sister's situation have anything to do with Ellie's? I was pretty sure it wasn't, that what happened to her sister is why Chelsey does what she does. But it is a book, and it was mentioned, so I was wondering about that. Oh, where the story went with that? That was stakes, that was consequences.

This was such a compelling read, and I wanted to know what was going to happen next in the mystery, there was a lot going on. That twist? Yeah, that was shocking and thrilling, and I loved what it added to the story, and where we left these characters!

This was such a great read and I can't wait to read more by Emiko Jean!

After a little over two years, Ellie Black returns home, dirty, underweight, and deeply traumatized. She had disappeared from a high school party, with no useful clues left behind.

Detective Chelsea Calhoun is assigned the case. Adopted from Japan by white parents, Chelsea grew up no stranger to racism in many forms. She did, however bond closely with the Calhoun's biological daughter Lydia.

When they were teens, Lydia disappeared, and was later murdered by her boyfriend. Lydia's death destroyed the family, and left Chelsea determined to help girls and women. Chelsea became a police officer, and made a career of investigating cases involving missing and abused women.

Now, Chelsea is eager to determine what happened to Ellie so she can apprehend who kidnapped her. Ellie refuses to divulge details to Chelsea, but begins sharing a little with her therapist, and also the reader, as we get Ellie's perspective on her abduction and imprisonment. It's horrible, and sad, and it's no wonder that Chelsea is severely traumatized.

But, there are things Ellie is either not saying, or not being candid about, and the more Chelsea digs, and is thwarted in her efforts by Ellie's unwillingness to cooperate with the investigation, the more Chelsea gets an odd feeling about the whole case. It becomes more urgent when it's revealed that there are likely other girls at risk.

This was a well-written, sad and twisty story, wonderfully dark and disturbing. Author Emiko Jean deals with a LOT of heavy things in this story, many of them tied to misogyny. But there are also other things, such as alcoholism, dysfunctional family dynamics, and grief, that are at the root of the story.

Chelsea embodies someone trying to get past the grief and shock of violence committed against a beloved sister, but unable to move past her past. She's haunted by Lydia, learning to live after the loss by controlling her interactions and emotions.

This is a character-driven story, with the author shifting between Chelsea's and Ellie's perspectives so we can see the way their family's dynamics played into their decisions, both in the past, and once Ellie returns from wherever she was held.

This book drew me in from its first page to its last; I finished this book in a day as I could not put it down. It's utterly compelling.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Emiko Jean is such a captivating writer! I fell in love with her work in Tokyo Ever After, and was so excited to read her in a different genre. The Return of Ellie Black was so well done. The pacing of the novel was really satisfying. There were several twists that I found kept me engaged until the end. I was really interested in Chelsey as a character, selfishly I would love to see her return as a character in other novels. The pulse of the thriller really kept going, and I loved how Chelsey and Ellie's stories eventually intertwined, I did not see that coming at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn't quite what I expected from the description, but I really enjoyed. I think I finished in 24 hours because I could not put it down. I thought it was unique and well written. I will read this author's next book for sure!

This was a good one! It had a few twists, which I didn`t see coming and I really liked the characters. I loved how she went back and forth a little bit (but never giving too much away!) so that you slowly learned what had been happening while Ellie was missing. Definitely would recommend!

I must start by thanking both NetGalley as well as the publisher, Simon & Schuster for my eArc in exchange for my honest review.
Wonderfully suspenseful mystery novel full of unexpected twists. Well paced with such strong characters. The type of read that easily pulls you along and leaves you wondering….

4.25 stars

Normally, I’m not a big fan of stories that feature cops as (co-)protagonists, but this book was an exception. It was a well-written mystery/thriller with an interesting plot and compelling characters, all of which were shown through multiple points of view. Ellie and her life were fascinating to explore, and I really enjoyed the intriguing (but also darkly realistic and traumatic, at times) narrative.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

It may be a weird trope, but I like novels where a character returns after disappearing and other characters wonder what happened. The Return of Ellie Black is a debut thriller that focuses on the missing girl- the titular character, Ellie Black and Detective Chelsey Calhoun, the dedicated police officer on the case.

As the novel races back and forth from the present to the past, I just couldn't set this book aside. That being said, it isn't a story for the faint of heart. Similar to other books of this genre, some harsh situations in this novel wrack the heart.

As I closed the novel, I couldn't help but wonder will I see Detective Chelsey Calhoun again. Whatever the case, I am now on the lookout for Emiko Jean's next title.




Publication Date 07/05/24
Goodreads Review 17/05/24

The Return of Ellie Black caught my eye because I enjoyed Mika in Real Life by the same author. And although I haven’t read Tokyo Everlasting, it sounded like a fun YA book, so I bought a copy for my daughter, and made her read it, ha! This one sounded wildly different, and I admire an author that can switch genres, the way Emiko Jean has been doing.

The Return of Ellie Black is exactly how it sounds. Ellie Black went missing two years ago, and then suddenly has returned. She’s clearly traumatized/victimized, but unable to provide any information about her disappearance- where she was, who is responsible. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is determined to find answers, and has her own baggage that makes the case extra personal, since her older sister went missing and was found dead over twenty years earlier.

I thought this book was well-done. Excellent writing, good pacing, lots of suspense. It was just a little dark for my taste, maybe because it is realistic and not sensational like some thrillers turn out to be. I’m not above skimming when I start to get nervous. 🤷‍♀️ It also says right on the cover that there’s going to be a twist, and personally, I’d rather have been surprised by a twisty ending, rather than waiting for it, and wondering what it was going to be.

This book publishes May 7, and I look forward to hearing what other readers think of it.

"The best prisons are the ones created in our own minds."

The Return of Ellie Black has been a wonderful read. This book is so well written- engrossing, engaging and immersive. A must-read.

"If someone always remembers your name, speaks it out loud, you're never really gone. That's the real afterlife."

You know a book is THAT good when you can't stop thinking about it! Ellie Black, a story about a girl who vanishes and two years later is discovered wandering in the woods, is layered and complex and honestly it blew my mind 🤯 This is Emiko's debut thriller and I am more than impressed- I couldn't put this fast paced book down and binged it in one sitting. Ellie is not your typical victim- she's secretive and withdrawn and it seems there is a lot that she doesn't want those around her to know. I thought it was a great spin on the missing girl trope. I don't want to give anything away but if you read any new thrillers this May, make it this one.

This book was captivating from page one. I had to force myself to put it down! The characters are so strong, especially Ellie and Chelsey. The dual POV & timelines are perfect.

I've been telling everyone who will listen about this book. It's been a while since I read such an unputdownable thriller. I was hooked from the very beginning, and even when I had a sense of where things were heading, I was thoroughly invested in going along for the ride as the characters made discoveries and reveals were made. SO GOOD.

In "The Disappearance of Ellie Black," Chelsey's character shines with a blend of strength forged from tragedy and determination honed through adversity. Her personal and professional journey, shaped by the loss of her sister to violence, provides a rich backdrop to the narrative. Unlike the breakneck pace of traditional thrillers, this book opts for a methodical approach, delving deep into the chilling realm of predators targeting women. I found myself utterly absorbed in the storyline, hanging onto every word as the author skillfully unraveled the layers of darkness. As a newcomer to this author's work, I was thoroughly impressed by her ability to immerse readers in the narrative, evoking palpable emotions of fear and despair among the characters. This novel stands out as one of my favorites of the year, reminiscent of the captivating allure of "Strange Sally Diamond." The expertly executed mystery, reminiscent of Karin Slaughter's style but with a less graphic tone, kept me guessing until the very end. Centered around the disappearance of a young girl and the ensuing detective investigation, the story evolves into something far larger and more sinister than anticipated. I was uncertain of the direction the plot would take, but the ending left me pleasantly surprised and thoroughly satisfied. With minimal critiques, I eagerly recommend adding this book to your to-be-read list upon its release.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

I am very surprised to say that I loved this book. This book was very dark. It was about my least favourite topic to read about - kidnapping. Yet somehow I couldn’t put it down and read it within 24 hours.

Told between the perspectives of Ellie, and how she was taken and where she’s been for 2 years, and the detective who is obsessed with finding out what happened. I loved the back and forth, and really enjoyed the detective’s point of view and back story.

I think the way the author wrote the book, with a lot of dark, heartbreaking and truly awful moments but how she didn’t include too many details worked for me. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t stop reading, but it didn’t keep me up at night. Although these girls and these crimes will haunt me. I also loved the focus on when girls go missing how resources are used trying to find them or how quickly they are given up on. I think it was this focus, and the detective character, that made this hard topic easier for me to read about.

I am very impressed with this book having read others by this author. Her other books are completely different, in the YA and fiction coming of age and romance. So to write a totally different genre that does not shy away from evil, is a huge accomplishment in my opinion.

I highly recommend this one if you love thrillers. Thank you to @simonandschusterca for my copy! This one is out on May 7th!

2.5/5⭐️

i loved ‘tokyo ever after’ and ‘tokyo dreaming’ so much that i was really looking forward to trying out another emiko jean book!

an adult thriller by her was unexpected but a pleasant surprise. her writing as always was incredible but i felt like i was tuning in and out of the storyline and couldn’t really fall into it the way i normally do. although i enjoyed my time with this book and would recommend it, it wasn’t my favourite.

thank you to simon and schuster and netgalley for an e-arc!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Please look up trigger warnings before reading.

After being missing for 2 years Ellie Black is found alive in the woods by hikers. After Ellie's return Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back on the case and determined to get to the bottom of things but Ellie seems reluctant to help. The investigation brings back painful memories of Chelsey's own sister's disappearance 2o years ago.

This was a quick read and kept up the suspense throughout. I liked how the author added in flashbacks from Ellie's perspective so we were able to understand what happened to her and the motivations behind her unwillingness to help with the investigation. I thought the author did a good job of showing the impact of Ellie's trauma on not only Ellie herself but on the people around her. She did an excellent job of making Ellie a complex character whose feelings, motivations, and behaviour are all complicated by what she had to endure and do to survive. The mystery itself progressed slowly throughout the book and I liked being able to try to piece new information and evidence together alongside Chelsey as she investigates. In the end what kept me from rating this higher was the end of the story. One of the plot twists felt very out of place and took me out of the story and the final plot twist I found predictable. The ending was disappointing to me as some of the storylines were wrapped up too quickly and we were never given the opportunity to explore what had happened. Overall, I did enjoy the book but wish there had been more of a payoff after all of the buildup throughout the story.

This was a dark look at some of the worst that can happen to girls and women as one missing girl shows up after being gone for two years and the police detective who is determined to figure out what happened to her. Twisty, shocking and heartbreaking, this story captured me from the start and kept me riveted right to the end with some surprises I didn't see coming. Great on audio with a full cast of narrators and HIGHLY recommended for true crime thriller lovers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! This is definitely my new favorite from Emiko Jean!

Okay, being the mother of a girl, this book portrays my worst nightmare. It is so eerily written that II truly felt my fears come alive. I have read tons of books about kidnapping and missing girls, but rarely do they make me feel as afraid as this one did! I felt for both, Ellie, the missing girl, and Chelsea, the detective in charge of her case. This book had me hooked from page one. If life had allowed I would have read this in one sitting!
With that being said, I have to say I was disappointed with one of the surprise twists. I feel it wasn't necessary to this story, was too over the top, and the story would have been better without it. It took away from the feeling of reality, especially after learning the other twist. It was enough to reduce my rating from a five star read to four.

But I still highly recommend it!! It is fabulously written and it will stay with me for a while. Stay safe out there, all you lovely ladies!

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date is May 07/24.

<i><b>"He's going to k*ll you someday. He's going to k*ll all of us.”</b></i>

There are twist and turns with every lead can Detective Chelsey Calhoun figure out the case of Elizabeth “Ellie” Black and what if there’s more missing girls out there?

What happens when Ellie Black mysteriously returns two years after her disappearance? But nothing is as it seems, Ellie is hiding something.. Detective Calhoun will to anything to get to the bottom of what Ellie is hiding but what if she’s too late…

<i><b>“Gabrielle. Hannah. Elizabeth. When I'm alone, I still repeat our names sometimes. I thought it was dangerous to trust them. But I was wrong.
They never should have trusted me.”</b></i>

“The Return of Ellie Black” is a dark & twisted thriller that will hook you from the very beginning and leave you second guessing. Trust your instincts to figure out the mystery of Ellie Black?


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am speechless.. I couldn’t put this novel down I was hooked from the very beginning from trying to put my detective skills on to figuring out the mysterious return of Ellie Black to the twist & turns that I didn’t see coming this novel always kept me on my toes.

⚠️ Please google trigger warnings before reading. Contains disturbing content ie. violence against women, k*dnapping, SA. Recommended 18+

<b>Thank you so much NetGalley, Emiko Jean, and Simon & Schuster Canada for the chance to read and review this e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions remain my own.</b>