All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

 

Margot Davies left her small town of Wakarusa, Indiana, as soon as she could.  She is now a journalist, the job she always wanted.  One of the main reasons she wanted to leave was what happened to her childhood best friend, January.  When she and January were six, January went missing one night and her body was found a few days later.  It was one of those cases that went nationwide and everyone knew about the case but  no one was ever arrested.  The small town gossip was that January's mother had killed her and the family was ostracized.

But Margot has had to return.  Her uncle has early dementia although he is in his early fifties.  Margot had considered Luke her real father so she has come back to take care of him.  But it is soon apparent that his illness may be more than she can handle.  

Something else has happened in Wakarusa.  Another little girl has gone missing.  Margot is sure that it is connected to January's murder all those years ago and so is most of the town.  But Margot's editor is not sure and tells Margot to report on the disappearance but to forget about a tie to January.  When Margot ignores this directive, she is fired.  Now she is determined to find the killer and justice for January but is she right?  Are the cases connected along with other missing girls Margot has uncovered?  Margot teams up with the woman who was January's mother's partner and with a local policeman to track down the killer she is sure is out there.

This is a debut novel.  Ashley Flowers is the host of the true crime podcase, Crime Junkie, which has been widely popular and considered the #1 true crime podcast by many.  This book has a compelling heroine in Margot and lots of dark secrets to be uncovered.  There are a few loose ends but the novel will propel Ashley Flowers into the ranks of thriller writers who are must reads.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.