Title: The Return of Ellie Black
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: May 7, 2024
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

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.

“I stayed up late into the night turning the pages until I learned the truth of what happened to Ellie—and gasped when Jean delivered a truly jaw-dropping twist.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women

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.

The Return of Ellie Black is certainly a departure for author Emiko Jean, whose three most recent books are on the light, upbeat, quirky side. That description does not fit this new book at all — it’s a dark, disturbing book about abduction and abuse.

In The Return of Ellie Black, detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is defined by sorrow. As a teen, her beloved older sister was murdered, and she’s never gotten over the pain. As an adult, Chelsey investigates missing girls, dedicating herself to these difficult cases to the point of obsession. Loss is a constant for Chelsey, and despite being married to a lovely man who supports her every way he can, Chelsey has an emptiness inside that’s constantly with her.

As the story opens, Ellie Black — missing for two years — suddenly turns up on a hiking trail. She’s disoriented, has wounds on her body, and is wearing a bloody sweatshirt. Ellie is clearly traumatized, and although she initially speaks with Chelsey, she soon declares that she wants to be left alone and refuses to participate in the investigation.

But Chelsey doesn’t want to give up. Whoever took Ellie is still out there, and what’s to stop them from taking another girl? As Chelsey refuses to leave the case alone, she unearths an unexpected pattern, and before long, it’s clear that Ellie is far from the only victim of this unknown predator — and it’s also clear that there still may be girls to locate and save before it’s too late.

(Content warnings in the next paragraph — skip if you prefer not to know)

The Return of Ellie Black is very, very dark. (I know I said that already, but it bears repeating). Content includes kidnapping, imprisonment, mind control, cult-like conditions, sexual abuse, rape, physical assault, intimidation, and more. I don’t often get too into the details when it comes to trigger warnings, but this may be a very upsetting book for some readers.

(End of content warnings)

The case itself is fascinating. Chelsey is a complicated, damaged character, and her childhood traumas are all very much a part of her day-to-day life, informing her investigations and her approach toward evidence and witnesses.

In sections interspersed throughout the book, we also get glimpses of Ellie’s memories of her experiences while a captive, and it’s very harrowing and difficult to read.

As for the mystery element, there are clues that come together, as well as false leads and missteps. I didn’t love the ultimate resolution, largely because there were too many coincidences and overlaps for my liking. (Can’t really say more without getting into spoiler territory…) Still, the suspense is terrific, and the mounting sense of time running out and looming disaster is very well developed. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, and couldn’t put the book down.

The Return of Ellie Black is a gripping thriller that’s almost painful to read — but I’m glad I hung in there. The story is unfailingly interesting, with some unusual and unexpected twists, and Chelsey herself is a terrific, complicated main character. If you enjoy thrillers, definitely check it out.