Review | The Return by Rachel Harrison

Elise, Julie, Mae, and Molly have been best friends forever. When Julie goes missing, everyone except Elise believes she’s dead. Two years later, Julie returns with no memories of what happened.  In order to get things back to normal, the group goes on a girls’ trip to a kitschy hotel. Amidst the disconcerting setting of the hotel and the awkwardness of Julie’s strange behaviour, the friends find that nothing is as it seems. Something is out there, and they might be in danger.

Above all else, I knew two truths about Julie. The first was that she was the most stubborn, most determined person I’d ever met. And the second was that she loved attention. Julie would never be missing. 

I enjoyed The Return‘s blend of friendship drama and horror! The characters are messy, imperfect people who have inside jokes and a long history, and their friendship feels authentic. Yet there is also an unspoken truth about Julie’s situation. I was frustrated at the lack of communication but the book does a good job explaining why they behave the way they do. Their insecurities, trust, fears, and love for each other drive the story forward.

While the book shows the personalities and idiosyncrasies of the four women, the story is told from Elise’s point of view. She is complicated and has made mistakes, but there is no doubt how much she loves her friends. Molly and Mae provide strong supporting characters, each with their own worries and past. Julie is more of an enigma. We don’t get to know her well, and the mystery surrounding her disappearance hangs in a dark cloud over the interactions she has with the others.

There are some really creepy scenes, especially the first night at the hotel. Elise’s overactive imagination is what I have too so I could relate! The detailed description of the colourful, garish hotel rooms provides an unsettling atmosphere to the story. But I was disappointed that the hotel setting ends up not playing a role in the plot. I also found the conclusion a little lackluster.

Still, The Return is an entertaining debut about the horrors of lost friendship and how far you would go for the ones you love. I hope there’s a movie adaptation!

I received a digital copy from the publisher and Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Rachel Harrison

Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary