I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers Narrator: Brittany Pressley, Karissa Vacker, Ashley Flowers
Published by Random House Audio on August 16, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Length: 10 hours 35 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the propulsive debut novel from the host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie, a journalist uncovers her hometown’s dark secrets when she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor—and the disappearance of another girl twenty years later.
You can’t ever know for sure what happens behind closed doors.Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January—and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist. But she’s always been haunted by the feeling that it could’ve been her. And the worst part is, January’s killer has never been brought to justice.
When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after he is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she feels like she’s walked into a time capsule. Wakarusa is exactly how she remembers—genial, stifled, secretive. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who’s gone missing under circumstances eerily similar to January’s. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and to solve January’s murder once and for all.
But the police, Natalie’s family, the townspeople—they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie’s disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January’s case feels. Could January’s killer still be out there? Is it the same person who took Natalie? And what will it cost to finally discover what truly happened that night twenty years ago?
Twisty, chilling, and intense, All Good People Here is a searing tale that asks: What are your neighbors capable of when they think no one is watching?
Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook!
I did like this book. I admit that I was a little torn about how to rate this book. I am old enough that I clearly remember when the JonBenet Ramsey case was all over the news and media. It is a heartbreaking case that has never been solved. I did not like that the crime in this book so closely resembled that case. I don’t mind it when an author is inspired by real-life events but I hate it when the crime in a book so closely resembles an event from real life that it is identifiable to basically everyone. I think that it was an unfortunate decision to so closely mirror a well-known case but I did still find the audiobook engaging and enjoyable.
This book is told from two points of view. Margot has come back to the small town of Wakarusa to care for her uncle with dementia. She is a reporter and hopes to be able to work remotely. When a young girl is killed, she is brought back to the murder of her childhood best friend, January. We also see things from January’s mother’s perspective during the time surrounding the murder. The more things that I learned about this murder the more questions I had. The story did hold my interest and I found myself often wondering what might happen next.
I thought that the narrators did a fantastic job with this story. I am certain that the narration is the reason that I still found this story enjoyable despite my annoyance that the book used the basic details of a well-known murder. I thought that both of the main narrators were able to bring the characters to life with just the right amount of emotion. I would definitely recommend the audiobook to anyone wanting to read this book.
All in all, I found this an enjoyable listen. I did have some issues with the story and the ending was more open-ended than I would have liked, but I always found myself wanting to listen to just a little more.
Ah yes I can understand your problem with it being close to a real case
Not sure about that open ending. I want it close and shut
I’m curious about this one, but that’s a shame the author had such close details to an actual case. I think most people know that case too, so it makes it even harder to separate.
Lauren
I like true crime or unsolved mysteries but I agree, people who remember that case might have a hard time reading a story that seems so closely related to it.
That’s too bad that this case so closely mimicked the Jon Benet Ramsey case. I’m old enough that I clearly remember it as well and it’s always haunted me a bit. This does sound interesting but I tend to avoid thrillers that have children as victims so I might skip this one. I will keep an eye out for the author though!
I too am old enough and understand the issues you had.