The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 299 pages
Published: May 2024

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean had been sitting on my physical TBR (to be read) pile for several months, and for no other pressing reason than I needed a new book to read, I decided to crack open one of my last purchased books from Book of the Month in late January. 

This suspense-filled novel is about a young teenaged girl - the titular character - who disappeared from a party, and she mysteriously returns, seemingly from the dead, two years later throwing everyone in her community into a tailspin. Detective Chelsey Calhoun was the lead detective when Ellie Black first went missing, and, naturally, she is put back on the case upon her return. Not only has this unsolved case haunted her but also the unsolved case of Calhoun's adoptive sister more than 20 years ago. Upon the return of the victim in the latter case, Chelsey is thrown right back into the midst of the Black family and trying to glean information from them to resolve the case. Like a dog with a bone, the detective is tenacious in trying to figure out where Ellie has been, what happened to her during those two years, and why she has shown up after such a long time. 

I enjoyed this debut thriller novel that was relatively short and moved quickly. The mysterious nature of the plot propels the reader to continue turning pages until a resolution is presented. Like most of the books I've read so far in 2025, this one featured strong female characters at the forefront and provided entertaining value. 

Recommendation: A dark and twisty thriller, fans of TV shows like Law & Order: SVU and Found are sure to enjoy this page-turner! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 354 pages
Published: December  2021

What a wild ride! A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw is mainly mystery, part horror with a touch of the supernatural. The novel begins with Travis Wren, a detective of sorts, who finds missing people. He is hired by the parents of Maggie St. James to locate their adult daughter who has been missing for several years. During his investigation, Travis crashes his truck, and sometime later a member - Theo - of this strange and reclusive community called Pastoral finds the abandoned vehicle with no signs of life around it. Theo and the people who live there exhibit cult-like behaviors and have unrealistic fears about the world around them. The abandoned truck sparks curiosity in Theo to think outside of the Pastoral box, which leads to long-buried secrets being revealed. 

I really can't say much more about this book without giving away too much and detracting from its suspense. It was a very enjoyable read. The author did a good job of creating imagery and making the reader feel as though they are actually in the story. As I read this book, I felt like I traveled to Pastoral myself and at the end I came out of the darkness and into the light. 

Some reviewers have shared that this book is similar to the plot of the movie The Village. I have not seen that movie, but having read about it after I read this book, I can see how similarities are drawn. I think this type of story is best in book form because it's easier to create a sense of confusion with words lending itself to greater suspense. 

Recommendation: I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to any mystery and suspense fan. This is my first read by Ernshaw, but I don't think it will be my last. Book of the Month offered up another good suggestion for me, and I extend that suggestion to you! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Survivors by Jane Harper

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Pages: 384 pages
Published: September 2020

The Survivors by Jane Harper is a dark, mysterious novel set in the small town of Evelyn Bay, Australia and on a beautiful beach. Kieran Elliott has come back home to help his mother prepare to move his father, who is suffering from dementia, to a palliative care facility. While there, a young out-of-town college student, there to further her art studies, is murdered. This current-day event brings a tragic event that caused the death of Kieran's brother and the disappearance of a young girl nearly 12 years ago to the surface. The moderately-paced story interweaves the present-day crime with the horrific events of the past to a complete conclusion. 

I enjoyed this book. While it was slow to get started for me, I found the writing to be solid and descriptive. The author had me longing to go for a swim, which is just not feasible in January (even in Texas). There were a lot of characters, as well as red herrings, introduced, that provided elements of confusion and intrigue in determining whodunit. I had pinned the murder on just about everyone, except for the right person, before I reach the conclusion. 

Having said that, the ending did fall a little flat for me. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was a little underwhelmed when I found out who the murderer was and what happened to the missing girl from 12 years prior. The story moved a bit slow for me, but it wasn't too slow. I am trying to take more time to read and digest books this year rather than racing to some arbitrary finish line of total books read by the year's end. 

Recommendation: I appreciated the imagery Harper provided in this novel. It was a suspenseful and engaging without being too graphic. I would recommended it to older teens and adults for a long weekend read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More