So, I have to be honest—I really struggled with this one. The premise is intriguing: Ruth Barker, a true crime addict working in a bar, is haunted by the murder of her best friend nineteen years ago at the hands of the notorious Ethan Oswald. With a new death on the scene, Ruth suspects there might be an accomplice involved, leading her to investigate three women who could hold the key. 🔍

Unfortunately, I found the plot to be quite slow and lacking in excitement. The characters didn’t feel fully developed, which made it hard for me to connect or stay engaged. When my mind starts to wander, it’s tough to keep going, and while I did finish the book, I can’t say it’ll stick with me.

Just a bit of a letdown, but I know not every book can hit the mark!

I really liked the writing of this book, but I feel that the build up didn’t match the delivery. The description makes it sound like there’s going to be some kind of grand discovery, but it’s not in the way you think, which made it fall flat to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC! This will be out this October!

“Leave the girls behind” is a fast paced psychological thriller by Jacqueline Bublitz. The protagonist is Ruth-Ann Baker, a bartender and amateur detective who sets out to find the truth about her murdered childhood friend, Beth, by the serial killer, Ethan Oswald. It was an exciting, quick read.

I think the concept of this book was good, but it fell short on the execution. I like the angle of exploring the impact of murder through for a serial killer’s wife, mother, daughter, and other women in his life. Very thought-provoking.

The protagonist was all over the place, both physically and mentally. She often made questionable decisions that didn’t really move the story along. The many women’s stories and the ghost girls started to get hard to keep track of.

The writing was good, there were some phrases that were beautifully written and moments that got me to laugh out loud.

In the end, the book may not have been for me, though I really wanted to like it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following Ruth Ann Baker and another pov who seems to be another little girl but is actually Ruth when she was kidnapped as a little girl. Ruth’s best friend Beth was kidnapped when she was seven years old and they share the same birthday. Another little girl gets kidnapped on the anniversary of when Ruth is taken. Ruth decides to look up the women who she find out have a connection to Ethan the man who killed her best friend. Ruth decides to make a podcast (not really she lies about actually doing it) and she interviews the women who actually married serial killers and who actually changed their names and moved away but they all have a connection to Ruth’s hometown. Ruth also sees Beth and other dead girls that she believes Ethan has killed and she started seeing them once she turned 21. Ruth sets out to learn the truth and figure out if the other women helped Ethan. After Ruth visits them they figure out what’s actually going on and band together to get her to stop. They confess that they were the ones that called anonymously and helped save Ruth from Ethan. The little girl that went missing ends up reunited with her mom and was kidnapped by her biological father who never knew about her. This book was very interesting and will have you reading this book in one setting so you can figure out what happens next

Kind of hard to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book had a good plot to it and loved the idea behind it but it wasn’t what I expected. It was slow and I got confused several times reading it. Some what predictable also. No major “no way” moments

Thank you to NetGalley,  Jacqueline Bublitz, and Atria Books for an ARC copy of "Leave the Girls Behind ".

Leave the Girls Behind is an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the first chapter. The story follows Ruth-Ann Baker, a college dropout, who is haunted by the unsolved murder of her childhood friend at the hands of suspected serial killer Ethan Oswald. Nineteen years later, when another girl goes missing from the same town, Ruth is drawn back into the mystery that has consumed her for years.

The global investigation and Ruth’s interactions with three very different women add layers to the plot, making the twists and turns all the more compelling. Jacqueline Bublitz's ability to push the boundaries of crime fiction shines through in this spine-chilling novel, leaving readers with a story that lingers long after the last page is turned.

If you’re a fan of suspense novels that keep you guessing and leave you wanting more, Leave the Girls Behind is a must-read. Highly recommended!

Thank you, Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the copy of Leave The Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz. I loved the idea of this book, but didn’t expect literal ghosts! The basics of the story were great, but the writing was uninspired and wordy; some judicious editing would have helped. There were too many characters, and having names that start with the same letters got confusing. I liked how there were lots of reveals, but I’m not sure the BIG reveal was surprising to me. This book was not really for me, because I am not a fan of the extra words that didn’t add anything to the story, but if that doesn’t bother you, you might love it! 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I'd give it a 3.5. It is full of potential but at times was a bit confusing. There's characters with similar names and a lot of names to keep track of at first. The ending was a bit unsatisfying as well. If you like an unreliable narrator this is the book for you! Despite feeling like it was a bit long at times, it was still a very intriguing story.

Thank you so much to the publisher & NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a free review. Wow, this book blew me away for sure! The plot twists and characters were all so intriguing!

This is the perfect way to write a paranormal thriller, and make it work instead of being a flimsy ghost story. I appreciated the pacing and majority of the plot although I feel like the ending was a bit out of nowhere and difficult to follow. Overall the premise was good and it was a fun read!
Having ghosts with her was a cool thing way to put a spin on the usual tropes, and the first twist was very impressive. I look forward to reading more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ePub!

If I’m going to read paranormal (my absolute least favorite thriller trope), this is definitely how it needs to be done.

I was NOT prepared for that last chapter at all. Such a surprising reveal. Bravo!

Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz is a gripping novel that combines suspense with deep emotional insights. The story follows Ruth-Ann Baker, a bartender and amateur detective, as she revisits a haunting case from her past involving a suspected serial killer. When a new disappearance mirrors the old case, Ruth is compelled to uncover the truth, leading her on a global quest. Bublitz’s writing is engaging, with well-drawn characters and a compelling plot that keeps the reader invested. While some parts may drag slightly, the overall narrative is powerful and thought-provoking, making it a rewarding read for fans of psychological thrillers

I received an ARC of this book from Atria via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I was prepared to give this 5 stars until about 2/3 of the way through, when it suddenly veered into unbelievable territory. I read this book eagerly, always looking forward to picking it up again. Though I am not normally a fan of supernatural elements, the idea of the ghost girls didn't really bother me. I saw them as a kind of imaginary friend. I enjoyed Ruth's relationship with her uncles and her boss; her boss in particular provided comic relief. I could 100% imagine the bar where they worked.

I was pretty shocked at the what I would call the "main" twist. It makes you rethink a lot of what you have read. However, as I noted above, shortly thereafter it really becomes a suspension of belief.

Small spoiler:

Small spoiler:

Small spoiler:



Who flies around the world at the drop of a hat staying in the homes of perfect strangers?

But the end is what really took stars off for me. As I saw from other reviewers, I don't really understand what happened! The end did not answer all the questions, and I think it was insinuating a villain is not who we thought. I don't like endings like this where I am kept wondering.

Nineteen years ago, 7 year old Ruth’s best friend was killed by a suspected serial killer. Present day, another girl goes missing from the same town, and Ruth, who can’t let go of the past, is sure there’s a connection to her friend’s murder, even though the killer has long since died. Leave The Girls Behind is a melancholy journey that delves deep into Ruth’s psyche as she tracks down three women who she believes can prove that her friend’s killer had an accomplice who is still active, all while struggling with her own demons. The writing is mellifluous, but the pace is a little slow, as the book is long on musing but short on any sustained drama. The roles of certain characters is a little confusing and the ending felt sufficiently unexplained, but overall it’s a quality read, 3.5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great crime book - no doubt about it. But at 60 percent it changes from a great book to an AMAZING book with some pull the rug out from under you sort of twists!

Ruth-Ann is a bartender. About 20 years ago, her childhood friend was murdered by a serial killer. The death has tainted her life and she is still suffering as well as obsessed with what happened even though the killer is behind bars. When another young girl goes missing from her town, Ruth Ann's obsession take over her life. Following loose threads and clues related to event, she travels internationally to meet with three very different women about their connection to the original killer. It's sharp and new and thrilling!
#atria #atriabooks #leavethegirlsbehind #jacquelinebublitz

I really liked Jacqueline Bublitz's first novel so I was excited to read this. Ruth-Ann Baker wants to find out what happened to a missing girl which may be tied to her childhood friend who was murdered. Sign me up. But I am not one for ghosts so the book lost me on that. So yes there were plenty of twists overall and I did enjoy this book because it was a thriller. I just did not know what I was signing up for.

"Leave The Girls Behind” initially presents itself as a straightforward mystery or thriller but unfolds as a deep dive into a young woman’s quest to uncover the truth about her traumatic abduction at seven. The narrative explores how such heinous acts affect families and communities, and how people can be misled and manipulated by predators.

Ruth-Ann, the protagonist, is courageous in her search for answers, but her unreliability as a narrator due to her childhood trauma makes it hard to connect with her. The supernatural element of deceased victims visiting her adds an intriguing layer, but its purpose—whether it’s survivor's guilt or seeking justice—remains unclear.

Tracking the numerous characters and their connections can be confusing, and the addition of another name, Julie Jordan, complicates things further. The ending leaves much to be desired in terms of clarity.

Despite these issues, the writing is solid, and Ruth-Ann’s relationship with her uncle Joe and his partner Gideon is a highlight of the story.

OOOo y'all this book could have been amazing and tbh it had all makings of a cult classic. I think what lost me was that i didn't feel super positive about the MC and her search for her friends killer. I really wanted to root for her but I think it just didn't capture my attention like I thought it would. I do feel like with a few tweaks it could be even better maybe a bit more redeeming character traits but other than that I didn't hate this book at all. It just didn't grab me either.