The Return of Ellie Black, Emiko Jean
The Return of Ellie Black, Emiko Jean
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
Club: $12.99

The Return of Ellie Black

Author: Emiko Jean

Narrator: Mizuo Peck, Tessa Albertson, Nicole Lewis, Rebecca Lowman, Joy Osmanski, Angel Pean, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Erin Ruth Walker, CJ Wilson

Unabridged: 10 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/07/2024


Synopsis

A USA TODAY Bestseller | An NPR Best Book of 2024 | A Goodreads Best Thriller of 2024

In this “page-turning suspense novel, shrewd character study, and captivating mystery” (Stephen King) Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call that Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but her 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 “haunting and evocative” 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 “gripping psychological thriller” (The Seattle Times) that will shock you right up until the final page.

About Emiko Jean

Emiko Jean is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult and adult fiction. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives in Washington with her family.

About Mizuo Peck

Mizuo Peck is a versatile actress and native New Yorker. She is internationally known for her role as Sacajawea in the 20th Century Fox movie, Night at the Museum, and its sequels. Her other film and television credits include Madam SecretaryA Case of YouAlmost in LoveLaw & Order: Criminal Intent; and All My Children. Her stage work includes 365 Days/365 Plays at the Public Theater and All’s Well That Ends Well as a company member of their exclusive Shakespeare Lab Program. Mizuo’s on camera commercial and voiceover work has been for many brands including Levi’s, Suave, Verizon, KitchenAid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Glade, and Oil of Olay. For photos, interviews, reels, and more please visit her website, MizuoPeck.com.


Reviews

3 Stars I enjoyed this and I actually read it in one sitting. The writing was good. The pacing was good. And I liked the multiple POVs. However, I thought the twisty elements toward the end were lame. There were some eye-rolling moments on my part, for sure.......more

Goodreads review by Nilufer on February 03, 2025

Wow! Inhale! Exhale! I recently watched a viral TikTok video where readers were left stunned by a jaw-dropping twist in "Keep It in the Family" by John Marrs. The video had people staring at the camera in shock, exclaiming "WTF!" I decided to film my reaction when I reached the most talked-about twi......more

Goodreads review by Laura on June 05, 2024

Is it me or are thrillers not hitting the same way they use too?? The Return of Ellie Black or if you are in the UK like myself it is titled as ‘The Next Girl’ is following Detective Chelsey Calhoun, who is very hyper focus on her role for missing girls as her own sister vanished without a trace 20 y......more

Goodreads review by Debra on December 19, 2023

Detective Chelsey Calhoun receives a phone call informing her that Ellie Black, a missing teen, has been found. Chelsey jumps into action but can't help but think about her sister who went missing years ago. Ellie isn't giving up any information and Chelsey leaves no stone unturned in search of answ......more

Goodreads review by Catherine on July 29, 2024

**Many thanks to Edelweiss, Simon & Schuster, and Emiko Jean for a DRC of this book! Now available as of 5.7!!** 🚨 WARNING: Outlier Review to follow!🚨 Detective Chelsey Calhoun has seen her share of gritty and disturbing cases over the years...and has seen many a case involving a missing girl. While t......more


Quotes

"Following Ellie Black’s liberation from a harrowing two-year abduction, Detective Chelsey Calhoun must unravel a host of lingering mysteries in this gripping and satisfying audiobook...The narrative is particularly effective as an audiobook brought vividly to life by a stellar cast. Tessa Albertson offers a nuanced performance as Ellie, capturing the transition from the terror of captivity to the relief of liberation. Mizuo Peck skillfully portrays Detective Calhoun’s turmoil as she is torn between empathy for Ellie and stark confrontations with her own past. Each character and story element engages listeners as the captivating plot builds to a gratifying conclusion."

The Return of Ellie Black is a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last 50 pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.”—STEPHEN KING