When I first got into reading, or at least made it my main hobby, several years ago, one of the first books I read was All The Missing Girls by author Megan Miranda. It caught my eye at the library, and the premise really intrigued me. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed it, couldn’t put it down and have remembered it for the several years since. That’s why I’ve tried to read all of her books, and have for the most part outside of one or two I missed during a slump.
When given the chance to request some books to review this past winter, I asked for a review copy of her latest effort and then it kind of slipped my mind. The day it arrived, though, I was excited to see what it was and decided to prioritize it over anything else because of who it was written by. Now, fast forward just over a week I guess, and I’ve finished the book. As such, I can share my thoughts with all of you.
Entitled You Belong Here, although the cover suggests otherwise, Megan Miranda’s latest thriller is a good one. It’s set in a mountain town in Virginia, where cellphone service is poor, WIFI is important, and the local college has some strange traditions and a somewhat tarnished history.
Our main character is a woman named Beckett Bowery, who just so happens to have been named after one of the college’s buildings; that being Beckett Hall. You see, both of her parents are professors who taught inside that building prior to retiring and live in a house on what used to be Fraternity Row before it was changed and converted into familial dwellings. As a legacy, Beckett was able to go to the college for free, and she lived on campus. However, there was an incident involving her roommate during the early part of their senior year, and it took place on a night they call the Howling. Beckett ended up being asked to leave, and finished her schooling abroad, where she met a fellow American, had coitus and ended up coming back pregnant. Her roommate disappeared into the windy night, and was never seen again.
Before moving on, I should note that the Howling represents the night where the seasons begin to change and winter starts to show its face. The wind comes out of the mountains, increases speed, and sounds like it’s howling through the valley. The students at the school engage in a game that night, wherein the upperclassmen attempt to find and capture the freshmen before they can make it to safety at a home base point. During that game approximately twenty years ago, Beckett’s roommate set fire to an old barn, which was connected to old tunnels that connected the school to the President’s House. Inside those tunnels were two townspeople; men who perished from either the fire or its resulting smoke. Thus began a murder investigation.
Now that two decades have passed, Beckett is comfortable in a life in one of the Carolinas, where she works as a ghostwriter. However, unbeknownst to her, her theatre kid of a daughter, Delilah, has applied to go to the college in her old hometown. Due to being a legacy, herself, she’s offered a scholarship that she accepts, and decides to go there at her mother’s dismay. The book picks up with them in the process of moving her there, and visiting the grandparents who live a road or two away.
Following some trepidation, Beckett returns home after having successfully moved her daughter into the nearby dorms. Then, maybe seven weeks later, she receives a call from Delilah in the middle of the night, and there’s not much to it. It seems like it could’ve been a pocket or butt dial, if you will, but there’s an audible gasp and then the line goes dead. Calling back returns no results, so Beckett hops in her car and makes the hours long drive, arriving back in her hometown at around 7am. At that point, there’s no sign of her daughter.
This is a twisty thriller, which is what this author is known for and good at. I’m not sure if it’s her best, but it’s definitely up there, and it’s good. The writing is good, the story keeps you on your toes and you’re always wondering what’s next. As such, it’s hard to put down.
I really enjoyed my time with You Belong Here by Megan Miranda, and definitely could not put it down for the first 2/3. I then devoured the final part in a single setting. I kind of guessed part of the twist, but was still adequately surprised and fine with how things wrapped up.
If you’re looking for a good, twisty, thriller then You Belong Here by Megan Miranda should be on your shortlist this summer or in any upcoming season. It’s a good book, a good read and worth your time and investment. Fans of the genre will enjoy it.
This review is based on a copy of the book that we were provided by the publisher.