All Good People Here: A Novel

Love the author!!! Twist and turns with every chapter!!!

I really enjoyed this book! It was well written and perfectly paced. The characters and setting were done in a way that will keep you guessing. Even Margo, the main character, has baggage and a broken history that makes you question whether her own opinion and ideas can be trusted.

This book was a great read. Lots of twists and turns that actually made my heart race. Ashley does a good job of writing characters that even in a short time you become fond of, like Pete the cop or Linda the bartender who knows everyone. Enjoyers of true crime (and honestly just regular readers who are a little older) will feel some subtle callbacks to Jon Benet Ramsay’s case, but not too many to where it feels like you already know this story. Readers from Small Town, USA will feel almost at home in this story. Though not every character already knows each other, they know their families and history, just like in real small towns. I appreciated the casual drops of stories and information, as though we are being let into the bits and pieces of the town’s history and gossip, without it feeling like a documentary. The story is told in a combination of real time and flashbacks, with changes in point of view that give the reader a fuller picture of events, while also leaving them in the dark and guessing about what might happen next. The ending left me shocked and wanting more. Do I wish we had more to the ending? Yes, but I do think it’s reminiscent of true crime and how not all stories get the endings we want and we don’t always get the answers. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, but it is definitely more appropriate for mature audiences (I would say 17/18+).

This mystery novel tells the story of Margot Davies, a reporter that has returned to the small town where she grew up to take care of her uncle. Years ago, when Margot was 6, the town was devastated when her neighbor January Jacobs, also 6, was kidnapped and murdered. That murder was never solved, and now there is another similar case in a nearby town that Margot thinks might be related to January’s death. She feels compelled to search for clues that might connect these two cases, despite resistance from everyone else in the community. The book has 33 main chapters and an Epilogue, for a total of about 309 pages. The chapters mostly alternate between the third person perspectives of Krissy Jacobs (mother of January Jacobs) in 1994, and Margot Davies in 2019. We get pieces of the mystery from the past and present this way, in alternating chapters as the story comes together. (There seem to be some obvious similarities to another well-known real-life case in the 90s, you might be able to guess which one if you are old enough to remember.) After some initial action the pacing is a little slow, as bits and pieces of the story are revealed. Personally, I found some of the middle chapters to be a bit boring, and there were several clichés that made the story seem less creative or surprising. I felt like I had read this basic plot before, and maybe a more exciting version. Perhaps more chapters in the first person would’ve been more compelling? The most frustrating part of this book for me though, was the ending. This ending seemed super rushed; it was very abrupt, and I didn’t find it to be satisfying at all. I’m not sure if the author just couldn’t think of a good way to end the story, or if she was trying to set it up for a sequel, but either way I was left feeling like there should be at least another chapter to wrap everything up. Overall, I think I’d give this book about a 3.4 / 5. I’ll have to round down to a 3, mostly because of how disappointed I was by the ending. Something about spending hours reading a mystery novel only to end in disappointment leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but really other than that the book was decent. Also, if you are a big fan of the author’s podcast, maybe you like her so much that you are willing to overlook some flaws, and you’ll enjoy this book more than I did.

What a great book! It was hard to put down and I finished it in no time! I love the Crime Junkie podcast, so I had to read Ashley's books. If you love a good mystery with lots of twists and turns, this is the book for you!

First off, I love Ashley Flowers! I'm a total Crime Junkie fan! She's one of my favorite podcasters; I tune in to her Crime Junkie show every week, and I listen to many of her audiochuck productions! I was thrilled to hear she was publishing a book, and once announced, I pounced on the opportunity and preordered the same day. I was so excited to read it! Her storytelling and style is impeccable and fascinating. She's such an amazing writer! Now for the reason of only 4 stars... This book is riddled with unnecessary "F" bombs. Seriously, they're everywhere. There's at least one in every single chapter, if not multiple. I was extremally disappointed, because Ashley has such class and elegance in her podcasts, that I felt like the use of all the 'f' words distracted from the story. Her writing was beautiful, and she described the characters moods, settings, and situations so well, that it was absolutely unnecessary. It really got annoying - seeing it littered all over the pages. I got to the point where I was skipping over it, and it conveyed just as much feeling and intensity - if not more so. Ashley, I know you're better than this. I'm convinced that you conveyed the characters beautifully, and this downgraded their exquisite make-up. I wish I could give this 5 stars, I really do. It just almost feels like Ashley Flowers was persuaded to litter the book with so much foul language, because she absolutely does not do that on her podcasts - which is one of the reasons that she's one of my top favorite podcasters. She's classy, genuine, down to earth, and can tell a story that pulls at your heartstrings and gives you full body chills without all the 'f' bombs. I was just disappointed, and frankly, a little shocked. Again, I'm an absolute huge fan, and have been for years and years. It would've been so much better, and I would've been recommending this book to absolutely everyone, had the language not been an issue. Now I definitely have to preface to everyone I talk to that if this grinds on their nerves, it might not be the book for you.

Great mystery novel. I have a hard time getting into books, but this one had me hooked!

**"All Good People Here": A Gripping Unraveling of Hometown Secrets and Dark Mysteries.** **"All Good People Here: A Novel"** by Ashley Flowers is a haunting debut that intertwines the threads of a chilling unsolved murder with the harrowing disappearance of a young girl in a small Indiana town. After the infamous case of January Jacobs reverberates through the community for two decades, Margot Davies, a childhood neighbor and now a big-city journalist, returns home to care for her ailing uncle. Haunted by the past and the feeling that she could have been January, Margot is compelled to confront the lingering shadows of her hometown. As she investigates the recent disappearance of five-year-old Natalie Clark, which echoes the tragedy of January’s death, Margot finds herself navigating a world of secrets and resistance. The townspeople, including the police and Natalie’s family, seem to guard their truths fiercely, leaving Margot to question not only the safety of her community but also the intentions of those she once trusted. Flowers skillfully builds suspense, creating a narrative steeped in tension and intrigue that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, showcasing how perceptions can be shattered by the darkness that hides behind closed doors. **"All Good People Here"** is a compelling exploration of memory, fear, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth, making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and true crime mysteries.