Rachel Harrison | THE RETURN

Plot (via Goodreads):

Julie is missing, and the missing don't often return. But Elise knows Julie better than anyone, and she feels in her bones that her best friend is out there, and that one day she'll come back. She's right. Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she reappears with no memory of where she's been or what happened to her. 

Review:

WOW. When I say that I was looking forward to The Return by Rachel Harrison, I was not joking whatsoever. The haunting cover, the unique setting, the complex characters, and the spooky plot all combine into an immersive and sensationally creepy horror story that is told in a haunting and unsettling prose that would frighten even Stephen King himself. 

While Harrison definitely took her time allowing the reader to get to know these characters, I actually really enjoyed fully getting a grasp on their personalities before we really got to the meat of the story. This story definitely has its own way of pacing and progressing - starting off eerie and then going into code-red territory slowly and effectively - and yet, even during the slower moments, I loved the interactions between these characters, adding in some psychological suspense as well as giving the reader a full understanding of the wild dynamic of these ladies. 

The horror aspect of this one was done properly, unsettlingly brilliant, and effectively eerie. There were moments where the suspense and horror were small and yet effective and other times, it was hard to breathe at how terrifying this story was becoming. I absolutely loved every moment of it and I can say that if you have a wide range of tastes, this one is like Stephen King penning the movie Now & Then. Don't miss out on this unique, complex, and sinister tale. 

Special thanks to Berkley for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5