Editorial Content for Leave the Girls Behind
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Ruth-Ann Baker is a bartender in New York City who dropped out of college years ago. Instead of attending classes, she now “investigates” stories of children who have been abducted.
"There’s a major twist near the end of the book that I didn’t see coming. It gives a whole new dimension to the tale and is why LEAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND is one of my favorite books of 2024."
When she was only seven years old (which was almost two decades ago), Ruth’s best friend, Beth Lovely, was kidnapped and murdered by Ethan Oswald, an alleged serial killer. Ethan was never charged with any other crimes, even though he was suspected of snatching other young girls. He went to prison for Beth’s murder and died while still incarcerated.
Every time Ruth learns of another child being abducted, it brings back memories of her dear friend. One day she receives an Amber Alert on her phone, showing that a seven-year-old girl has been taken by a man from the same town where Beth disappeared. Although the authorities undoubtedly will be on the case immediately, Ruth can’t help herself. She plunges into an investigation of her own.
LEAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND is told from multiple points of view, which, for the most part, help to flesh out the intricacies of the plot. These different perspectives provide additional insights into other characters in the book and how they are interrelated.
Jacqueline Bublitz, the acclaimed author of BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME, tells a compelling story with plenty of interesting characters and somewhat unusual situations. What starts out as an account of someone who is drawn to finding missing children turns into something else altogether.
There’s a major twist near the end of the book that I didn’t see coming. It gives a whole new dimension to the tale and is why LEAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND is one of my favorite books of 2024.
Teaser
Ruth-Ann Baker is a college dropout, a bartender --- and an amateur detective who just can’t stay away from true crime. Nineteen years ago, her childhood friend was murdered by suspected serial killer Ethan Oswald. Still tormented by the case, Ruth can’t help but think of the long-dead Oswald when another young girl goes missing from the same town. And when she uncovers startling new evidence that suggests Oswald did not act alone, she is determined to find his deadly partner in crime. Embarking on a global investigation, Ruth becomes close to three very different women --- one of whom just might hold the key to what happened to the missing girl. And her childhood friend, all those years ago.
Promo
Ruth-Ann Baker is a college dropout, a bartender --- and an amateur detective who just can’t stay away from true crime. Nineteen years ago, her childhood friend was murdered by suspected serial killer Ethan Oswald. Still tormented by the case, Ruth can’t help but think of the long-dead Oswald when another young girl goes missing from the same town. And when she uncovers startling new evidence that suggests Oswald did not act alone, she is determined to find his deadly partner in crime. Embarking on a global investigation, Ruth becomes close to three very different women --- one of whom just might hold the key to what happened to the missing girl. And her childhood friend, all those years ago.
About the Book
The acclaimed author of the “tour de force” (The New York Times Book Review) BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME returns with a fresh suspense novel about a woman haunted by a serial killer and the ghosts he left behind.
Ruth-Ann Baker is a college dropout, a bartender --- and an amateur detective who just can’t stay away from true crime. Nineteen years ago, her childhood friend was murdered by suspected serial killer Ethan Oswald. Still tormented by the case, Ruth can’t help but think of the long-dead Oswald when another young girl goes missing from the same town. And when she uncovers startling new evidence that suggests Oswald did not act alone, she is determined to find his deadly partner in crime.
Embarking on a global investigation, Ruth becomes close to three very different women --- one of whom just might hold the key to what happened to the missing girl. And her childhood friend, all those years ago.
From an author who “pushes the boundaries of crime fiction in all the right ways” (Alex Finlay, author of THE NIGHT SHIFT), LEAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND is another spine-chilling thriller that will linger long after you finish the last page.
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Cannon
