Title: I Know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 334 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
Jennifer Donaldson is back with another twisted thriller perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Sadie.
Zahra Gaines is missing.
After three long years away, Ruthie Hayden arrives in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska to this devastating news. Zahra was Ruthie’s best friend–the only person who ever really understood her–and she vows to do whatever it takes to find her.
Zahra vanished from a party just days before Ruthie’s return, but the more people she talks to, the more she realizes that the Zahra she knew disappeared long before that fateful night. Gone is the whimsical, artistic girl who loved books and knew Ruthie’s every secret. In her place is an athlete, a partier, a girl with secrets of her own. Darker still are the rumors that something happened to Zahra while Ruthie was gone, something that changed her forever…
As Ruthie desperately tries to piece together the truth, she falls deeper and deeper into her friend’s new world, circling closer to a dangerous revelation about what happened to Zahra in the days before her disappearance–one that might be better off buried.
In her stunning follow-up to Lies You Never Told Me, Jennifer Donaldson once again delivers a propulsive thriller with a masterful twist, skillfully creating a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
Review:
I Know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson is a riveting young adult mystery.
Seventeen year old Ruthie Hayden is thrilled to move back to Anchorage and reunite with her best friend Zahra Gaines. Soon after arriving, she learns that Zahra has been missing since her huge fight with her boyfriend Ben Peavy. When Ruthie does not think the police are taking her friend’s disappearance seriously, she insinuates herself into Zahra’s group of friends to see if she can figure out if they know more than they have admitted. Fearing the worst, Ruthie throws herself into locating Zahra, but is it already too late to save her?
Ruthie and her mom moved to Portland, OR following her parents’ divorce. She was not at all happy to be ripped away from her best friend or Anchorage. They stayed in touch through email and texts but Ruthie fears she and Zahra have grown apart. Now returning to live with her recovering alcoholic father, her stepmom Brandy and stepsister Ingrid, Ruthie is hoping to recapture her once close friendship with Zahra.
Following Ruthie’s departure three years earlier, Zahra drastically changed her life. She left her creative side behind and joined the cross country team. She also briefly lived with her evangelical grandparents. Zahra is still outgoing and friendly and she has a wide circle of friends. Her relationship with Ben has been rocky throughout their time together, but their argument the evening she went missing is definitely their worst blow up.
The investigation into Zahra’s disappearance is delayed since her parents initially believe she is off with Ben. It is not until Monday morning they sound the alarm and suspicion immediately falls on Ben who is Koyukon Athabaskan. His alibi is hard to prove and he remains the chief suspect. A shocking discovery leaves Ruthie and Ben fearing the worst but they both continue to keep their hopes up Zahra will be found.
I Know You Remember is a fast-paced mystery with a clever and well-executed storyline. The cast of characters is diverse and well developed. Ruthie refuses to give up searching for Zahra and she often makes risky decisions in her quest to find her. With a very chilling twist, Jennifer Donaldson brings this mesmerizing mystery to a rather disturbing conclusion. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this marvelous young adult novel to older teen and adult readers.
