The Return - Book Review

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Pub for sending me the free copy of 'The Return' in exchange for an honest review. Rachel Harrison's debut novel is going to haunt you with eerie atmospheric and creepy hotel details.

'The Return' is a mysterious, tense, and supernatural horror story of four friends. One of them, Julie, disappears for almost two years and suddenly reappears one day without having any memory of where she had been and what happened to her. All four of them decide to reunite in a hotel for a weekend and that's when the creepy incidents or rather accidents start happening.

First of all, I loved the plot. A woman disappearing and then reappearing after two years is a well-thought plot. I kept turning pages to know what happened to Julie when she was missing. The author did an amazing job to keep the reader intrigued till the end.

All the characters are well-conceived. The friendship between Julie, Elise, Mae, and Molly is devised well. It is a mix of highs and lows which seems relative. The story is narrated by one of the friends Elise who is closest to Julie.

This book reminds me of 'The Shining' by Stephen King. An isolated, eerie, and creepily-detailed hotel which is a character in itself. The author used all the possible structural details to entail the horror factor. The supernatural element is also assimilated well and the creepy details of the "supernatural element" is not overwhelming at all.

I like the end and it is not rushed at all. The author takes her time to let the supernatural element sink in. Short chapters and non-complex language make this a quick read. I have read a few horror books so it was not "too creepy" for me, I would rate it a "4-star read".

I would recommend it to those who love reading horror genre with a dash of friendship drama.