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A review by hannahleebibliophile
The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In the new thriller The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, teenager Elizabeth Black makes a shocking reappearance two years after being mysteriously abducted. Ellie, as she is known to her friends and family, is clearly ravaged by the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder; she sleeps in a crawl space instead of her bed at night, refuses to bathe or cut her long, matted hair, and is repulsed by physical contact with other people. Little by little, readers learn the horrifying story of her capture and forcible induction into a repressive cult on a deserted, rural property. Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, Detective Chelsey Calhoun works against the clock to find Ellie’s captors. She has worked the case since the earliest days of her career, motivated by a tragedy involving her sister during their teenage years. But as more information about other victims comes to light, Chelsey begins to suspect that Ellie herself is hiding something sinister.
To me, this book is a masterpiece. As a voracious reader of mysteries and thrillers, I repeatedly thought I had this book’s plot and its characters’ motivations all figured out — and every time, I was wrong. Author Emiko Jean managed to keep me guessing until the last pages. This book touched on some incredibly dark but important topics: survivor’s guilt and the freeze and fawn responses are only a few. I highly recommend this book. The opinions expressed in this review are mine. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for access to the advanced reader copy.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Excrement, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infertility, Pregnancy, and Abandonment