The Reappearance of Rachel Price

By Holly Jackson

What it’s about?

Lights. Camera. Lies.

18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.

But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .

What I think:

I really love The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series so Holly Jackson is going to be an auto-but for me. Having said that, I did not find Five Survive as enjoyable. The Reappearance of Rachel Price however, absolutely did meet my expectations and was more like the series I had enjoyed.

The story begins with the Price family agreeing to take part in a documentary about the mysterious disappearance of Rachel. Annabel was just two years old when her mother disappeared. She is presumed dead, but despite the many theories and an investigation that even left her father being charged with murder, there are no new leads and the case is very cold. the popularity of true crime throws the Price family back into the spotlight and gives them a chance to tell their side of the story.

Bel is now 18. She has no memories of her mother, but has lived under the cloud of speculation for her whole life. She has few friends and has a close relationship with her father. She is taking part in the filming of the documentary somewhat reluctantly and doesn’t like being the centre of attention.

Part of the way through filming Rachel reappears with a story about what happened to her. As the Price family readjust to this dramatic change, Bel become increasing suspcious of Rachel and the pieces of her story that seem inconsistent. \With the help of one of the documentary crew, Bel starts her own investigation.

The is a great mystery that seems so impossible to solve.

Bel and her family have such a good relationship. She is really close to her younger cousin Carter who she treats as a little sister. They are always in each other’s houses and sleeping over. The trauma of the past seems to have been survived and there are so many happy memories shared with Bel, her father, aunt and uncle and her grandfather.

The filming of the documentary and the sudden appearance of Rachel shines a light on the Price family secrets. the snarky comments made over dinner and the overheard commenst picked up on microphones do not make sense to Bel, but as she starts looking into what really happened sixteen years ago the clues are all there.

I’m not going to say too much because part of the fun of this book is going through the investigation with Bel. There are lots of clues, red herrings, foreshadowing and it all builds up to shockingly good twists and reveals. There’s lots of drama and a very satifying ending.

Bel really grows throughout the course of the book. The reader has so much empathy for her and despite her flaws she is a very likable protagonist. Rachel too, with no spoilers, is a character that really develops and my opinion of her really changed as I read the book.

This felt like a return to form for Holly Jackson. I would love to see her set a future book back in the UK as part of my love for AGGGTM was it’s inherent Britishness