The Return of Ellie Black

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission.

The Return of Ellie Black book cover

by Emiko Jean

Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Hardcover: 320 Pages

Publisher Description

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.

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 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 twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

About the author

Emiko Jean is the New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Tokyo Dreaming and Tokyo Ever After, a Reese Witherspoon/Hello Sunshine pick, as well as the novel Mika in Real Life, which was a Good Morning America Book Club pick. She lives in Washington with her husband and two kids.

Read more about Emiko ON HER WEBSITE

Praise

“The complex plot and well-drawn characters will keep readers engaged until they arrive at the surprising conclusion. Jean successfully pivots from romantic-relationship fiction (Mika in Real Life, 2022) to crime thriller here.”—Booklist

Read more

 

“Haunting and evocative, with magnetic prose and shocking twists, I was locked in through the very last page.” –Entertainment Weekly

The Return of Ellie Black is a gripping, psychological thriller illustrating the all too common violence women face and the perseverance required to carry on when all odds are stacked against them.” The Seattle Times

The Return of Ellie Black is well-written, full of convincing characterizations and sharp insights. Ms. Jean’s novel is at its exciting best when forensics and other police techniques are at the fore.” —The Washington Street Journal

“Worth it for the jaw-dropping twist alone.”—People

ALSO IN 

MYSTERY & THRILLERS

RECOMMENDED POSTS

error: Content is protected !!

Looking for Book Club Recommendations?

Join now and get access to our exclusive content!

Become a Passionate Reader

Say YES to your reading routine!

THE 2025 READING CHALLENGE IS HERE