The Reappearance of Rachel Price Holly Jackson

 

Holly Jackson has done it again with her gripping new thriller The Reappearance of Rachel Price. From the opening pages, she hooks the reader into the mysterious disappearance and shocking return of Rachel Price, seen through the eyes of her daughter Bel.

The premise is tantalizing - a woman vanishes without a trace, only to reappear 16 years later with a harrowing story of what happened during her absence. But is she telling the truth? Jackson keeps the reader guessing throughout, parceling out reveals and new questions in equal measure.

Bel makes for a capable and sympathetic protagonist as she tries to unravel what really happened to her mother while cameras roll for a true crime documentary. Jackson deftly explores the strained family dynamics and fallout from Rachel's disappearance. She ratchets up the tension through alternating periods and well-timed plot twists.

While the final revelation didn't quite live up to the masterful setup for me, it was still an immensely satisfying and chilling conclusion. Jackson's talent for misdirection and leaving you doubting everyone's motives is in full force here. She toys with our perceptions of truth and deception.

Overall, this taut psychological thriller is a worthy follow-up to Jackson's acclaimed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series. With its cinematic atmosphere and urgently paced mystery, The Reappearance of Rachel Price cements Jackson's status as one of the most entertaining voices in YA suspense fiction today.