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The Return of Ellie Black: A Novel

The Return of Ellie Black is a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last fifty pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.” —Stephen King

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

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320 pages

Average rating: 7.62

226 RATINGS

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4 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

Anonymous
Jan 14, 2025
7/10 stars
I am truly torn about this review. The plot is fast paced and completely held my attention right until the end. The author really drew me into the setting especially what Ellie experienced in captivity- the bus, the compound, meeting the other girls. And then we get to the end. Several of the twists just didn’t add up including who did it. And the author felt the need to give us “the moral of the story” rather than letting us draw our own conclusions. So if I could I would give this 3.5 stars because the first part was really good and I would be willing to try another book by this author.
Barbara ~
Dec 11, 2024
8/10 stars
⚠️ Warning triggers: Kidnapping; Stockholm syndrome; abduction; anxiety; captivity; PTSD;

Having delved into several other novels by the same author, I can confidently assert that none have come close to the emotionally charged journey offered by this particular work. If you are a big fan of the Tokyo Ever After series, this is a 180° opposite direction. This is adult fiction and not a light read. As with all of Emiko Jean’s books, the story and characters draw you in.

Ellie Black, hailing from a low-income family, vanished two years ago. Her eventual discovery, however, leaves Detective Chelsy, who initially investigated Ellie's disappearance, with an uneasy feeling. As Ellie is found, Detective Chelsy senses an impending doom and things are not as they seem to be. Are her instincts accurate, or is her past narrative influencing her current perspective?

The characters in this book are exceptionally well-developed.

To help you keep track of which character becomes who after the kidnapping, here is a list of names for easy reference:
Ellie --> Destiny
Gabby -->Hope
Hannah --> Charity
Willa --> Grace
Emoe49
Dec 11, 2024
9/10 stars
Wonderfully written with myriad twists and turns. Could not put this one down for several days.
RaissaR
Aug 07, 2024
9/10 stars
This book had me in my feels. Teenage girl goes out to pee and vanishes. Years later she returns but it's not all it seems. This was a steady read, did not want to put it down. Lots of triggers. That ending though!

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