When I saw that Ashley Flowers, the host of my favorite true crime podcast, Crime Junkie, was writing her debut novel,"All Good People Here," I already knew I wanted to read it.
But when I found out it was going to be a mystery thriller, my absolute favorite genre, I knew I had to read it.
And much like when I’m listening to an episode of Crime Junkie, I was invested, on the edge of my seat and eager to see where this story was going to end up.
The novel follows reporter Margot Davies as she returns to her small hometown of Wakarusa, Indiana to care for her uncle who recently lost his wife and is struggling with a debilitating dementia diagnosis.
As a previous newspaper reporter for my own small hometown, I am always drawn to these types of thrillers. And this one did not disappoint.
After arriving, Margot discovers that Wakarusa feels eerily similar to how she left it years before. Nothing seems to have changed and as Margot begins to regain her feel for the town and the people inside of it, she learns that while it still appears to be a tight-knit community, there are a lot of secrets and lies hidden beneath the surface.
When five-year-old Natalie Clark goes missing one town over, Margot can’t help but compare it to 25 years earlier when her six-year-old neighbor — and best friend at the time — January Jacobs went missing.
January’s case was never solved, and it has haunted Margot for over two decades.
As Margot struggles to care for her uncle and report on the disappearance of Natalie, it becomes difficult for her to not get caught up in the similarities between the two cases once Natalie is found dead. Despite police saying there is not a link, she can’t seem to let it go, and ultimately, it costs her professionally.
But even so, she vows to find justice not only for Natalie, but for January after all these years.
The book is told through dual point of views, Margot’s in 2019 and January’s mother, Krissy, back in 1994 when the first murder happened. Krissy’s POV provides more details as you walk through the days, and years, following January’s murder.
The surprise twist at the end of the book was great. I did not see it coming and those are always the best kind. However, that being said, the one part I didn’t love was the ending of the book following the twist.
While I thought it was an interesting move that took the book in a different direction, it ended very abruptly after you learned the twist.
There was no aftermath as to what happened next, and I felt like you didn’t fully get closure for the main character.
I also did not feel a super emotional connection to many of the characters in the book. With the exception of Margot, at times, they all felt kind of cold and withdrawn. However, it did not stop me from wanting to read more.
All in all, I really enjoyed the plot of the story. It kept me on my toes trying to solve the case and I thought the killer was six or seven different people throughout the entire book. And it didn’t end up being any of the people I thought! That always makes for a fun read.
If you’re looking to put your investigative reporter hat on and go on a thrill ride, pick up “All Good People Here.” It’s definitely worth the read!
Puchase "All Good People Here" here: https://tinyurl.com/2t8a55y2