To call The Return of Ellie Black a jaw-dropping page-turner doesn’t do the book, the story, or the author, Emiko Jean, justice. It was nothing short of a compulsive read, one that I stayed up late to finish, something that doesn’t happen often for me. I had to know how the story played out, I had to know!

A fantastic thriller, this novel actually made me call out to the characters in the book, a mirror of my partner yelling out at the television screen! I would also cover the adjacent page with my hand so if my eyes skittered ahead I wouldn’t read anything that would spoil the moment I was in.

Small-town detective Chelsey Calhoun is haunted by the loss of her sister when Chelsey was young, perhaps that’s why she throws herself so whole-heartedly into her work, sometimes risking her blossoming new marriage with Noah because of it.

Things escalate when a young woman, Ellie Black, returns home after having gone missing two years prior. Where was she? Who held her? What happened to her? Calhoun is determined to find the truth, but there seems to be something wrong with Ellie, something more than trauma.

Calhoun risks everything, including her marriage and job, to learn the truth, to follow the leads and the clues where the take her, but Ellie seems reticent to share any information.

This white-knuckle thriller keeps the pages turning alternating chapters with first-person asides from Ellie, recounting her horrific experiences. And through her storytelling, Jean delivers a powerful tale that examines the terrors committed upon women, even strong women, all because of the anger of men.

The last third of the book keeps the twists and surprises coming, and each one makes the emotional impact all the more shocking and jarring. This book pushed me right to the edge, as I vocalized throughout my journey through it, joys, horrors, tears, they were all stirred up in me, and Jean is to be commended for such a fantastic read. I love that this one kept me up, turning pages, having to know the truth, having to reach a resolution, having to know the truth.

The Return of Ellie Black is a must read for those who love thrillers, strong characters, and compulsive reads that will keep you flying through the pages late into the night. I loved this one so much, and you can pick up a copy today!

The Return of Ellie Black is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada, read it, you won’t be able to put it down!