I was happy to receive a copy of Megan Miranda’s latest book from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review because, although I can’t remember the details, I do remember liking The Last House Guest (2019). I. expected a mystery/thriller that was not necessarily a book club pick, but something to take me away from the current pandemic for a day or two.  

There are those stories that capture the media’s attention, frequently featuring an attractive white female of some age. Think Natalee Holloway, Elizabeth Smart, or “Baby Jessica” McClure (the girl in the well). Sometimes even a cute little boy (Steven Stayner). If you’ve ever wondered about the impact on the families, or what a child who survives a childhood trauma and the resulting PTSD goes through, The Girl From Widow Hills is for you!

Olivia is a young woman who lives in a remote part of North Carolina and works as a hospital administrator. Years ago, there was a huge rainstorm and flood that swept away everything in its path, including a young girl named Arden Maynor who was sleepwalking during the storm. Three days later, the six year old was found, miraculously alive, clinging to a storm drain. The media went nuts, her mother wrote a book, and the Maynor family endured the gazillions of fans, letters, creepy stalkers, and generally unwanted attention. Every year on the anniversary of the rescue, it all comes back to the forefront of the news.  

So as soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from public view. As the twentieth anniversary gets closer, Arden, know known as Olivia, starts sleepwalking again, and one night she wakes up in her yard, next to the corpse of a man she knew when she was Arden.

Hooked yet? I was. It’s not extremely fast-paced, but is a steady read with twists and turns and clues along the way (which, not surprisingly for me, didn’t give away the ending). Recommended for a quick read, a “beach book” (if only we were able to go to the beach to sit and read), and in general for mystery/thriller fans. Four stars.