What do you think?
Rate this book
One Came Back
"On impact, the boy seemed to fold down and disappear, as if maybe he hadn't been there in the first place..."
It's New Year's Eve in Edinburgh when Emily sees Nicky. Or at least she thinks she does. He looks, laughs, and moves just like Nicky. But how can that be? Nicky died when they were teenagers, in an accident on a remote road up in the Highlands... didn't he?
A week later, Emily sees the man again. He says his name Nicholas. This man not only looks like an adult version of her friend, but he also knows things that only Nicky should know.
As her encounters with Nicholas become more frequent and her fixation intensifies, the truth becomes murkier, and more unsettling.
Is Emily being haunted, is she going mad - or is something altogether darker going on...
ONE CAME BACK is a powerfully tense debut novel combining the chill of the modern gothic with the hook of a thriller, exploring the depths of grief, memory, and obsession.
It's New Year's Eve in Edinburgh when Emily sees Nicky. Or at least she thinks she does. He looks, laughs, and moves just like Nicky. But how can that be? Nicky died when they were teenagers, in an accident on a remote road up in the Highlands... didn't he?
A week later, Emily sees the man again. He says his name Nicholas. This man not only looks like an adult version of her friend, but he also knows things that only Nicky should know.
As her encounters with Nicholas become more frequent and her fixation intensifies, the truth becomes murkier, and more unsettling.
Is Emily being haunted, is she going mad - or is something altogether darker going on...
ONE CAME BACK is a powerfully tense debut novel combining the chill of the modern gothic with the hook of a thriller, exploring the depths of grief, memory, and obsession.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2025
5 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 28, 2025
The cover signals a spooky thriller, but One Came Back is an altogether quieter and subtler book. It’s partly a slice-of-life story about the narrator’s job (helping vulnerable people find places to live independently). The rest is a psychological mystery. Emily meets a man who looks just like someone she grew up with, a boy who died when they were teenagers. She isn’t the only one who notices the resemblance: not only do her friends agree, they’re all united by the feeling that the man really is Nicky in some impossible, ineffable way. And it gets stranger when he claims to remember their schooldays and makes veiled references to coming back from the dead...
I loved the considered style of the prose and really warmed to the protagonist. One of the things I liked most was reading about the day-to-day of Emily’s work, which is detailed and sensitively rendered. It’s become common, even clichéd, for horror to be ‘about grief’ or ‘about trauma’, and while One Came Back is, I suppose, an example of that, I thought it captured a particular experience so well: how memories of particularly fraught or heady times can stay vivid and immediate while others quickly fade into nothing. While Nicky’s tragedy does not belong to Emily, she nevertheless feels a strong connection to it, a feeling that (in the eyes of most) has no legitimate outlet. Complicating the picture is the grief she doesn’t feel over her late sister, who died as a baby and who Emily doesn’t remember – in stark contrast to her intense memories of Nicky.
The narrative is so strong on obsession, the stickiness of certain memories, the blurred line between past and present. McDonagh nails the eerie, futile intimacy of feeling a bond to someone who is, for whatever reason, unreachable. Now the bad news: the book has the kind of ending that makes me wish I hadn’t read the last three pages. I felt completely jolted out of the story by it. It just doesn’t work, and what’s especially annoying is it could (and should) easily have been revised.
Yet even with that stumble at the finish line, I think One Came Back is well worth reading. It’s so much more delicate and resonant than I’d anticipated, and what will stick with me is how emotionally astute it is. As much as I love horror, I’m glad McDonagh didn’t dial up the creepiness here. Not a ghost story, really – but you might still feel haunted.
I loved the considered style of the prose and really warmed to the protagonist. One of the things I liked most was reading about the day-to-day of Emily’s work, which is detailed and sensitively rendered. It’s become common, even clichéd, for horror to be ‘about grief’ or ‘about trauma’, and while One Came Back is, I suppose, an example of that, I thought it captured a particular experience so well: how memories of particularly fraught or heady times can stay vivid and immediate while others quickly fade into nothing. While Nicky’s tragedy does not belong to Emily, she nevertheless feels a strong connection to it, a feeling that (in the eyes of most) has no legitimate outlet. Complicating the picture is the grief she doesn’t feel over her late sister, who died as a baby and who Emily doesn’t remember – in stark contrast to her intense memories of Nicky.
The narrative is so strong on obsession, the stickiness of certain memories, the blurred line between past and present. McDonagh nails the eerie, futile intimacy of feeling a bond to someone who is, for whatever reason, unreachable. Now the bad news: the book has the kind of ending that makes me wish I hadn’t read the last three pages. I felt completely jolted out of the story by it. It just doesn’t work, and what’s especially annoying is it could (and should) easily have been revised.
Yet even with that stumble at the finish line, I think One Came Back is well worth reading. It’s so much more delicate and resonant than I’d anticipated, and what will stick with me is how emotionally astute it is. As much as I love horror, I’m glad McDonagh didn’t dial up the creepiness here. Not a ghost story, really – but you might still feel haunted.
August 4, 2025
This is not really a story, though it attempts to be. Just an account of a young woman with mental health issues, it seems. Going about her single life in Edinburgh while reliving a tragedy she experienced in high school. There is no real beginning to this book, certainly nothing gothic, haunting, interesting. Mid-way through the story there are a few moments hinting it might actually go somewhere, but it doesn’t. There is no ending as such, either, and we are left wondering what the whole thing was about.
May 17, 2025
One Came Back is beautifully written, and ended up not being what I expected it to be. It's unsettling. I kept trying to grasp at the truth, but it kept slipping through my fingers. It made me feel so uneasy that I'd put it down, but then had to pick it up again almost immediately. So well written - this strange feeling will stick to me for some time, I'm sure. I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to, but I'm so glad I read it.
May 16, 2025
I listened to the abridged version of this on BBC Sounds. Its a bit of a "has be come back from the dead" style of thriller but it works and looks at issues of loss and grief along the way. Very enjoyable.
Want to read
May 9, 2025"A beautifully written and gorgeously tense debut novel that unites the chill of the modern gothic with the hook of a thriller to explore the depths of loss, memory, mental health, grief and obsession"
March 7, 2025
An impressive debut novel. When Emily was a teenager, a boy she knew at school, Nicky, apparently died in a road accident. Twenty years later she sees him again, or thinks she does. Is he haunting her, or can there be another explanation? The book is a great read, and I found it hard to put down. Recommended!
March 9, 2025
Plot/Story line: 2* weird story on obsession and the unhinged. Read in one day as it sucked me in.
Writing style: 3* not bad but the author's grammar needed a little correcting. A few "that" were missing and "had" for past tense activities, "pled guilty" instead of "pleaded" etc otherwise doesn't drag.
Atmosphere: 3* built up to a BIG reveal, which wasn't much of one.
Horror level: 0* not horror. Not sure why it's classed as one. But definitely gave that vibe.
Characters: 3* well written if mostly unhinged.
Emily Stroud: protagonist, lives in Edinburgh, works for a company called StartingUp that helps house vulnerable adults and ensures that they're settled and ok. She grew up in a village in Scotland where she lived two doors down from Nicky Harper, the boy who dies ages 16.
Nicky Harper: larger than life lad who dies ages 16. The popular kid who everyone wants to be or be around.
Leti: aka Violet is the protagonist childhood best friend. An art teacher who moved to Scotland from Malawi when she was of primary school age.
Mr Fletcher: the alcoholic chemistry who was driving when the accident occurred.
Robin: the 13 year old boy who was with Nicky Harper when he died. The protagonist becomes friends with him after the accident (because she feels sorry for him). He moves to Edinburgh and gets in touch with her.
Morna: colleague of Nicholas Blackburn, the man who resembles Nicky Harper. She is friends with Leti.
Jim: one of the protagonist's clients who keeps hearing noises in his flat that he accuses the neighbours of causing (a loud thumping music)
Writing style: 3* not bad but the author's grammar needed a little correcting. A few "that" were missing and "had" for past tense activities, "pled guilty" instead of "pleaded" etc otherwise doesn't drag.
Atmosphere: 3* built up to a BIG reveal, which wasn't much of one.
Horror level: 0* not horror. Not sure why it's classed as one. But definitely gave that vibe.
Characters: 3* well written if mostly unhinged.
Emily Stroud: protagonist, lives in Edinburgh, works for a company called StartingUp that helps house vulnerable adults and ensures that they're settled and ok. She grew up in a village in Scotland where she lived two doors down from Nicky Harper, the boy who dies ages 16.
Nicky Harper: larger than life lad who dies ages 16. The popular kid who everyone wants to be or be around.
Leti: aka Violet is the protagonist childhood best friend. An art teacher who moved to Scotland from Malawi when she was of primary school age.
Mr Fletcher: the alcoholic chemistry who was driving when the accident occurred.
Robin: the 13 year old boy who was with Nicky Harper when he died. The protagonist becomes friends with him after the accident (because she feels sorry for him). He moves to Edinburgh and gets in touch with her.
Morna: colleague of Nicholas Blackburn, the man who resembles Nicky Harper. She is friends with Leti.
Jim: one of the protagonist's clients who keeps hearing noises in his flat that he accuses the neighbours of causing (a loud thumping music)
May 23, 2025
Nisam mislila da će mi se knjiga ovakvog tipa uopšte svideti. Ja volim kad se sve lepo razjasni, kad saznamo šta je istina, a šta su likovi samo umislili. Ovde toga nema - granica između stvarnosti i mašte toliko je isprekidana da se pitam jesu li svi ovde ludi. Ipak, svidelo mi se kako se autorka igra sa zaboravom na ovaj način. Kako Emili kreće da sumnja u sebe i svoja sećanja tipa "Nikada nisam pričala sa Nikijem o svojoj sestri. Ili, možda jesam? Jednom?" ili kako traži logičnosti čak i u najčudnijim situacijama "On nije bio sa nama na hemiji, kako može da zna za eksploziju? Aaa, možda profesor to radi svake godine".
Knjiga počinje velikom tragedijom, smrću jednog dečaka, i nadalje se fokusira na Emili, njegovu drugaricu, i kako je ovaj događaj uticao na nju. Neverovatan mi je fokus na specifične scene koje ona zamišlja: "Niki mrtav leži pokraj puta", "Niki mrtav leži u bolnici, dok ga mama posmatra", "Niki mrtav leži pod zemljom", "Ruke koje kopaju", "Zemlja koja guši"... Toliko puta mi je delovalo kao da Emili samu sebe kažnjava terajući se da misli o ovakvim uznemirujućim slikama. Baš kao i njena opsesija izumrlim vrstama životinja. kao da pokušava da ih sve održi u životu tako što će neprestano o njima razmišljati. Naravno, ovo samo dovodi do košmara i dalje ugrožava njeno mentalno zdravlje. Nikolas mi deluje kao bolesnik, i to težak. On baš ima problema dečko. Prvo mi je delovalo da bar ima savest kad se vratio odakle je došao, ali ona pisma su baš bila kripi.
Sve u svemu, tenzija se dobro održava kroz celu knjigu i iako nema toliko akcije, prenela mi je podosta emocija. Na neki čudan način, mnoge scene su delovale tako realno.
Knjiga počinje velikom tragedijom, smrću jednog dečaka, i nadalje se fokusira na Emili, njegovu drugaricu, i kako je ovaj događaj uticao na nju. Neverovatan mi je fokus na specifične scene koje ona zamišlja: "Niki mrtav leži pokraj puta", "Niki mrtav leži u bolnici, dok ga mama posmatra", "Niki mrtav leži pod zemljom", "Ruke koje kopaju", "Zemlja koja guši"... Toliko puta mi je delovalo kao da Emili samu sebe kažnjava terajući se da misli o ovakvim uznemirujućim slikama. Baš kao i njena opsesija izumrlim vrstama životinja. kao da pokušava da ih sve održi u životu tako što će neprestano o njima razmišljati. Naravno, ovo samo dovodi do košmara i dalje ugrožava njeno mentalno zdravlje. Nikolas mi deluje kao bolesnik, i to težak. On baš ima problema dečko. Prvo mi je delovalo da bar ima savest kad se vratio odakle je došao, ali ona pisma su baš bila kripi.
Sve u svemu, tenzija se dobro održava kroz celu knjigu i iako nema toliko akcije, prenela mi je podosta emocija. Na neki čudan način, mnoge scene su delovale tako realno.
June 8, 2025
This was presented by the BBC in multiple episodes (10, I think). It was textbook anticlimactic. "Gothic thriller" is was not, simply because there was nothing to be thrilled about in the end. "...the truth becomes murkier, and more unsettling." What truth?! We never get the truth! Was it actually Nicky? Probably not. The lunatic Emily kept requesting to meet with him, but all she'd ever say was, "If this is a joke, you need to stop." Why didn't she just ask what she wanted to know? Why didn't she ask what happened so many years ago? But she never does; she just keeps wondering, and obsessing, stupidly. It's annoying because it's fake drama. Her friend (Toby, was it?) is going through the exact same thing, but handles it all much more pragmatically (although he apparently also doesn't ask the obvious questions.) Perhaps the novel hints at why Emily is such a nutcase, but this abridged version did not. I felt so let down in the end.
December 28, 2025
I picked this up at the library on a whim. It was in the horror category, and being more of a thriller fan, I kept expecting the story to head in a dark, supernatural direction. I was pleasantly surprised at the more subtle storyline.
I really enjoyed this book but have deducted a star for the poor editing/proofreading (multiple typos and errors which became a real distraction and bizarre use/lack of commas) and the seemingly hurried ending.
I really enjoyed this book but have deducted a star for the poor editing/proofreading (multiple typos and errors which became a real distraction and bizarre use/lack of commas) and the seemingly hurried ending.
December 29, 2025
tense and intriguing at first, with an unreliable narrator and a beautiful scottish backdrop. vivid descriptions of the winding hills of the highlands and the cobbled closes of edinburgh rang true, as did the weight of childhood experience.
the end unfortunately dropped off for me, but it was a decently written stumble at the end of a good race. i still enjoyed the read and the characters were messy and awkward and human.
the end unfortunately dropped off for me, but it was a decently written stumble at the end of a good race. i still enjoyed the read and the characters were messy and awkward and human.
October 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This is a well written and intriguing first novel by Rose McDonagh, I was kept glued for most of the story.
I feel like it feel flat a little though by the end, I kept wanting something (although I’m not sure what) and didn’t feel like I got it.
Overall I did like this, especially with the setting in Scotland and the themes of grief.
This is a well written and intriguing first novel by Rose McDonagh, I was kept glued for most of the story.
I feel like it feel flat a little though by the end, I kept wanting something (although I’m not sure what) and didn’t feel like I got it.
Overall I did like this, especially with the setting in Scotland and the themes of grief.
March 1, 2025
Not entirely what I was expecting, but I did like it a lot.
It’s creepy, it’s weird, it’s compelling, and just generally… gothic, in the best possible sense.
As it’s neither a thriller nor horror per se, I’m filing it under “fiction, misc.” for now. Definitely worth the read!
It’s creepy, it’s weird, it’s compelling, and just generally… gothic, in the best possible sense.
As it’s neither a thriller nor horror per se, I’m filing it under “fiction, misc.” for now. Definitely worth the read!
April 12, 2025
I got this from library as it was apparently set it Edinburgh. She lived there but no mention of any places in edinburgh which was disappointing. Also when i finished the book i thought what was point of it - i still dont know what happened.
June 24, 2025
Not what I expected, but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. One of those books that you want to read quickly to the end, yet don’t want to have finished it. Unsettling, in that you don’t know what is the truth, or maybe there is more than one true version.
October 4, 2025
Such an intriguing book that I was so excited to read every night, desperate to know what happened next but the ending is really disappointing. Left confused and unsatisfied with the story not really coming to an end.
May 12, 2025
A traumatic incidence has caused Rosie to become obsessed once before and now it seems to be happening again.
Quite a strange book overall.
Quite a strange book overall.
May 15, 2025
Great book, enough of a gothic mystery to hold my attention and draw me in
June 8, 2025
it started slow, then i couldn't put it down, and then it just kinda ended? I don't know. I liked it and didn't at the same time...
August 14, 2025
Confusing but not ghostly, creepy or spine tingling.
October 15, 2025
I’m so annoyed I read this thinking it would build to some crazy plot twist, I would have been happy with anything, but rather NOTHING HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK!
NOTHING
NO PLOT
NOTHING
So angry
NOTHING
NO PLOT
NOTHING
So angry
June 12, 2025
Intriguing, mysterious. Is this stranger actually an old school friend? A very dead, old school friend? Good question
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews