My Rating
Book Review
Returning Home
Josie Ashbury returns to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, seeking to rebuild a life that was completely derailed by trauma. She’s teaching at the same high school she once attended, living alone with her two cats, and running on almost no sleep thanks to chronic insomnia. From the very start, there’s this sense that Josie is barely holding things together—and that unease really worked for me.
Things take a dark turn when Josie discovers the body of one of her students beneath the town’s water tower during an early morning run. When it’s revealed that the girl was pregnant and had fentanyl in her system, the story quickly shifts from unsettling to mysterious, and another teen death soon follows adding a layer of enigma.
A Predictable Resolution
As the investigation unfolds, Josie begins to question the official narrative, especially since local law enforcement appears to be constrained by politics and limited resources. I liked that she wasn’t a polished investigator. Her unreliable, sleep-deprived perspective adds a psychological layer that kept me engaged, even when the mystery itself started feeling a bit too obvious.
Where this book really shines is in Josie’s interactions with her students. Those moments felt genuine and painfully real, touching on the opioid crisis, social media pressure, and how easily teenagers slip through the cracks. These scenes were easily my favorite part of the novel. That said, I wish the author had trusted the emotional core more. The trauma that pushed Josie to leave Hollywood is revealed very late in the story, and for me, it dulled what should have been a powerful emotional punch.
Josie’s amateur sleuthing—along with help from friends and colleagues—starts off promising but ends up feeling a little too neat and simplistic. I found myself predicting major twists far earlier than I would have liked, which drained a lot of the tension from the mystery and kept it from becoming gripping.
Final Thoughts
Even with its flaws, though, I didn’t dislike this book. It raises important, timely issues and starts with a strong hook. While the supporting characters could have used more depth, this debut still feels thoughtful and sincere. Overall, it’s a solid first novel and one that makes me curious about what the author might do next.
Book Blurb
Josie Ashbury was a successful Hollywood actress with a booming career-until an on-set breakdown sends her back to her small Ohio hometown to recover. Taking a job teaching at her old high school, Josie is beginning to put the pieces of her life back together when one of her students dies under suspicious circumstances. The police close the case quickly, without any real answers. Josie is determined to find the truth behind the girl’s death.
At the same time, Josie is battling demons of her own. As she faces debilitating insomnia that leaves her with gaps in her memory, she dives into the tangled secrets surrounding the investigation. When she finally unravels the web, she discovers that the truth lies much closer to home than she could have ever imagined.
About The Author
Amy Young is an author, comedian, and actress. Growing up in Bay Village, Ohio, she could most often be found with her nose buried in a book, and was particularly fond of Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, and The Babysitters’ Club. Amy always had a flair for the dramatic and has worked as an actress in many stage productions and, during her decade living in Los Angeles, a few TV shows and movies. When not writing, Amy enjoys reading thriller and mystery novels, drinking red wine, and binging on reality TV shows with her husband and many, many cats. She currently resides outside of Cleveland, Ohio.
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