The novel centers on 18-year old Annabel (Bel) Price, as she seeks to find the truth about her mother, Rachel’s, disappearance when she was a toddler and later reappearance, as the title announces. While the initial chapters progress slowly, the pace significantly picks up with Rachel’s emergence in chapter 7. It is at this point that Annabel follows her intuition and begins her quest for the truth. This leads her to team up with an unlikely friend, Ash, the teenage camera assistant of the film crew documenting Rachel’s disappearance/reappearance. Bel eventually questions all that she has been told throughout her life about her mother and who she has trusted, as the story twists through unexpected plot lines. Without providing spoilers, this is ultimately a story of a mother’s enduring love and sacrifice and an escape from domestic violence. It demonstrates how domestic violence ravages a family and extends beyond physical harm. It also depicts the triumph of love not just of a mother for a child but between friends, as seen through Bel and Ash’s growing bond; it exemplifies how such love may involve continuing to maintain secrets to survive and protect the innocent.
I would recommend this novel to all who enjoy thrillers and are fans of authors such as Holly Jackson or Jennifer Lynn Barnes. From the moment of Rachel’s reappearance, the storyline moves quickly through various unexpected pathways. The complexity of the family dynamics is unforeseen until laid bare. Any greater description would likely result in a spoiler, but suffice it to say that no family member is truly who they appear to be, either in terms of guilt vs. innocence, personal character, or identity. Besides the suspense and unexpected turn of events, what I enjoyed most was Bel’s authenticity, bravery and determination. She appears most real throughout the development of her friendship with Ash. Their relationship is a wonderful subplot that kept me rooting for them. The story within the story (ie., the documentary film being done) also made clear the media’s influence on public perception of events and how this can be manipulated for good or for bad.
-Sofia
