The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean - OPTIONAL

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, 320 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2024. $29.

Language: R (57 swears, 19 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Then-seventeen-year-old Ellie disappeared over two years ago, and Detective Chelsey Calhoun has never been able to let Ellie’s case go. And then Ellie turns up again. Despite Ellie shutting down every conversation with her, Chelsey presses forward, determined to close the case this time, and finds more than she thought possible.

Jean tells the story in alternating points of view, mostly giving readers just enough of the past and present to stay a step behind Ellie so that readers are in the same desperate state as Chelsey. The twists and turns that make the book thrilling were fun, even if I’m having a hard time buying into the final, climactic reveal. Despite that hang up, the conclusion is still a satisfactory ending.

Chelsey is Japanese, Daniel is Chinook (Native American), and Sam and Valerie are lesbian. The mature content rating is for alcohol use (including underage drinking); scary elements; illegal activity; mentions of drugs and overdose, nudity, and rape; and sex. The violence rating is for blood; gun use; mentions of domestic violence and suicide; assault; bomb use; and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen