What happens when four women become friends? They pair off. So what is Elise to do when her best friend, Julie, goes missing while hiking? She believes Julie is returning—even over two years later. And then, joyously, Julie returns. But The Return is not what Elise, or anyone, expected.
Mae, Molly, Julie, and our narrator, Elise, meet after Julie’s return in a creepy rural hotel. Not since The Shining and Psycho has anything good ever happened in a creepy rural hotel.
While the beginning of The Return was slow and belabored the point about Elise and Julie’s similarities, stick it out to the thrilling conclusion. I love genre mashups. This one had a bit of an issue with making a smooth transition into horror and back again to thriller. It was a bumpy ride but one I still recommend for someone missing early Stephen King. 3 stars.
Thanks to Berkley Books, Edelweiss+, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.