1 of 6 copies available
In this "page-turning suspense novel, shrewd character study, and captivating mystery" (Stephen King) Detective Chelsey Calhoun's life is turned upside down when she gets the call that Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but her reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.
It's been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun's sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she's been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey's line of work.
Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington state.
But something is not right with Ellie. She won't say where she's been, or who she's protecting, and it's up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.
The "haunting and evocative" debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a "gripping psychological thriller" (The Seattle Times) that will shock you right up until the final page.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
May 7, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797174662
- File size: 293511 KB
- Duration: 10:11:28
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 18, 2024
YA bestseller Jean (Tokyo Ever After) makes a smooth transition to adult fiction with this atmospheric and surprise-packed thriller. Missing and presumed dead for two years, Washington State teenager Ellie Black is discovered alive one night, wandering out of the forest near the small town of Coldwell Beach. Det. Chelsey Calhoun is assigned to the case, and has the dazed, underweight Ellie admitted to the hospital while she convenes with the traumatized girl’s family. At first, the news thrills Ellie’s parents. Soon, however, Ellie starts behaving strangely; without warning, she stops cooperating with the investigation, refusing to answer Chelsey’s questions about where she’s been. When Chelsey has the bloody sweatshirt Ellie was wearing when was found analyzed, the DNA turns out to match a different missing person. All the while, Chelsey muses on how Ellie’s case might be linked to her own sister’s decades-old disappearance. Is there something sinister lurking in the woods outside of Coldwell Beach? Jean deftly alternates Chelsey and Ellie’s perspectives from one cliffhanger to the next, keeping the pages flying. With shocking twists and style to spare, this confirms Jean as a writer worth seeking out. -
Following Ellie Black's liberation from a harrowing two-year abduction, Detective Chelsey Calhoun must unravel a host of lingering mysteries in this gripping and satisfying audiobook. Calhoun's challenges extend beyond the case as her personal history, including her sister's vanishing 20 years earlier, surfaces dramatically. The narrative is particularly effective as an audiobook brought vividly to life by a stellar cast. Tessa Albertson offers a nuanced performance as Ellie, capturing the transition from the terror of captivity to the relief of liberation. Mizuo Peck skillfully portrays Detective Calhoun's turmoil as she is torn between empathy for Ellie and stark confrontations with her own past. Each character and story element engages listeners as the captivating plot builds to a gratifying conclusion. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine -
September 13, 2024
When a young girl wanders out of the woods near Olympia National Park after going missing two years earlier, it's hailed as miraculous, but something's not quite right with Ellie Black. Detective Chelsey Calhoun doesn't want to rush Ellie's recovery, but when it becomes clear that she crossed paths with several other missing girls, time is of the essence. Ellie's refusal to assist with the investigation leads Chelsey to wonder whether her reappearance was the miracle everyone wants it to be or a malevolent move orchestrated by her captors. Jean (Mika in Real Life) presents a compelling blend of police procedural and suspense. The moving story is told through multiple perspectives. Narrators Mizuo Pec as Chelsey and Tessa Albertson as Ellie lead an additional seven narrators to create an atmospheric, immersive listening experience. Ellie's otherness is enhanced by the fact that she addresses listeners directly in her chapters, which also have separate enumeration. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate, intensifying suspense about kidnapping and control. Recommended for fans of Stacy Willingham, Karin Slaughter, and Amy Tintera.--Lauren Hackert
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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