YA thriller powerhouse, Holly Jackson, has done it again with the perfectly twisty mystery, The Reappearance of Rachel Price. The story’s protagonist, Bel, has grown up in the shadow of her missing mother, Rachel, whose disappearance has fueled media cycles, conspiracy theories, podcasts, and even stalkers. Bel is bitter about all things Rachel, believing that her mother abandoned her as a baby and left her father, Charlie, to be accused of her murder. Reluctantly, she agrees to participate in a documentary to help fund her grandfather’s medical care, but as the title states – Rachel reappears. Bel should be relieved that her mother didn’t abandon her, but the story of Rachel’s kidnapping doesn’t quite add up. Is Bel onto something or is she letting her resentment towards Rachel build yet another wall to keep her safe?

Bel is a complicated, sometimes unlikeable young woman, who swears a lot and pushes people away like it’s her job, but her character is grounded and feels believable considering her background. Unfortunately, none of the other characters, even important ones, are developed as fully. While the twists of the plot and jaw dropping reveals will be enough to keep most readers interested, the middle of the book does feel slow and the ending requires some suspension of disbelief.

Jackson’s reputation (which guarantees this title will be checked out until it falls apart) is enough to make this a must-purchase for all YA collections, but remind readers to go into it with an open mind – this is very different from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, as it should be!

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth