The Return of Ellie Black

Emiko Jean is a New York Times bestselling author of both young adult and adult novels; her best-known works include Tokyo Ever After (2021), Tokyo Dreaming (2022), and Mika in Real Life (2022). Jean, who is Japanese American, focuses on including protagonists and other characters of Japanese heritage in her work since she did not experience this representation growing up. This interest in diversity is one of the throughlines that connects The Return of Ellie Black, Jean’s first adult thriller, to her earlier novels, which tend to feature more lighthearted romantic plots (though Jean’s debut novel, We’ll Never Be Apart, was a thriller marketed to young adults). Within the context of the novel, Jean tackles subjects such as racial disparities among missing persons cases—e.g., how police departments prioritize searching for people who are wealthy, white, and privileged. As a police detective, Chelsey Calhoun must also contend with the challenges of working within a predominantly white and male work force. Despite proving herself in the field countless times, Chelsey feels that she must tolerate her coworkers’ racism and sexism to be taken seriously. Jean thus explores the intersection of racism and sexism that Chelsey experiences via the protagonist’s internal conflict.