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astifel21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This novel by Emiko Jean is a mystery thriller about the reappearance of a missing teen 2 years after her abduction. The case lands in the hands of female detective Chelsey Calhoun who has her own demons and past to sort out. When Ellie reappears Chelsey is determined to bring to justice whoever did this to Ellie, in part because of the burden she carries over her sisters disappearance as a teenager. The problem is though Ellie won’t talk and Chelsea has to work hard to unravel the story with little help.
“The truth is these people are not strangers. They are the men you sleep with, the you work with, the men you raise. I wish this wasn’t what it means to be female - it is not a matter of if something will happen but when.”
This book had me on the edge of the couch. My husband teased me as I flipped page after page glued to the story. As a lover of crime dramas this story sucked me in and I just had to know who did it. But I loved that it wasn’t just the search for the kidnapper but also glimpses of the life the characters lead. We get to see the cracks in Chelsea’s marriage. The mistakes Ellie’s parents made. Each of them trying to come to terms with the direction their lives have gone. It was a race to the end for me on this one and the reveal definitely caught me by surprise. If your looking for a book to keep you on the edge of your chair then I’d recommend this one but be warned you might also find yourself angry at what can happen to girls and women.
“A careful calculation multiplied by parents wealth, then divided by race and religion. The poorer and darker the girl, the less funds the department allocated to her rescue - after all, the public is less outraged when those type of girls go missing. Maybe Ellie’s mom could sense it - some daughters were worth more than others.”
Moderate: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death and Death of parent
johnny_harker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Torture, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Grief, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Misogyny, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
enzopudge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Panic attacks/disorders
openbookheartmind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Torture, Rape, and Murder
trippalli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Not for the feint of heart
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Confinement, Animal death, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Stalking, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Gun violence, and Infertility
heathers94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Confinement, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Torture, Vomit, and Gaslighting
moack_5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Confinement, and Gaslighting
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Cursing, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Alcohol, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, and Violence
Minor: Miscarriage, Cancer, and Pregnancy
letmetakea_shelfie_'s review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Torture and Kidnapping
readingwithtrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was sucked in by the very first pages and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt all of the emotions including anger, sadness, anxiety, dread, and hope. While I knew of some inequities when it comes to missing women and the attention their cases receive, there were still a few incredibly heartbreaking things that I learned while reading this. It made me so angry and sick to my stomach to know that the specific girls who were abducted were taken for calculated reasons (e.g. their families were poor and therefore not much money would be allocated to their search and return).
While I had a feeling Chelsey's sergeant was involved in some way, I did not piece together the entire story, and I love thrillers where I can't guess what will happen. There was also a literal jaw dropping twist that I never in a million years would have guessed.
I don't know the words to describe Ellie's chapters other than amazing. But I don't feel that that is the correct word to use due to the content within them. But the writing was literal perfection. I could feel the fear, confusion, desperation, and despair that Ellie felt. It was a constant stomachache the entire time I was reading. I was rooting for her and all of those girls. I literally SOBBED at the end of Ellie's last chapter. It was heart wrenching.
The entire book was the work of brilliance. But one thing that really stood out to me was the contrast between Ellie's dad and the men who took Ellie and the other victims. Ellie's dad always felt inadequate and insecure because he couldn't provide for this family the way that he wanted. He felt less than as a man, but he took his frustrations to the sea, boating whenever he could. While he wasn't perfect, he tried not to take his frustrations out on the women in his life. He loved them. There was a very pivotal moment where he apologized to his wife for his inability to fully provide over the years especially when she was pregnant with their daughters, but his wife responds that it was okay because they were a team. She never saw him as less than. Now, when we look at the motivations of the men who took Ellie and the other victims, we see that they too felt inadequate and insecure. They suffered from abandonment issues and looked at the successes of women (one in particular who I won't mention as it could be a spoiler) as their downfall. Instead of getting therapy or seeking more productive avenues to get out their frustrations, they chose violence toward women. It was interesting to see the two different paths that were taken between these men that stemmed from the same feelings of insecurity.
I feel like this entire review is just me rambling, but I cannot recommend this enough. ALL. THE. STARS!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Books for a chance to be an early reader!
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Torture, Child abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny
Minor: Racism and Racial slurs