Last Seen In Chilltown

by Jamie Lynn House

A mysterious kidnapping on the outskirts of Jersey City sends a young woman with unique talents hunting for answers inside the past lives of donated thrift shop clothing.

Thirty-two-year-old Fiona Ferguson is barely hanging on. Filled with regret about choices she made and truths she withheld, she camouflages herself inside a dusty thrift shop where she feels as forgotten as the clothing that surrounds her.

On the ten-year anniversary of her cousin’s unsolved disappearance, Fiona’s life takes an uncanny turn when she is given a haunting gift: the ability to relive the last memories attached to donated clothing items. Feeling isolated and unnerved, the clothing provides her with a much-needed escape into the past lives of strangers. Away from her own trauma, she begins to uncover everyone else's.
It’s enlightening. Dangerous. Addictive.

The fun ends when Fiona finds herself inside a dress that shows her the last memories of a local missing woman, making her the only witness to the crime.
After years of living life in the shadows, Fiona must decide if she is finally ready to be the hero in the story, or if she too will become a victim in need of rescuing.

Last Seen in Chilltown goes beyond storytelling, exploring themes such as forgiveness, redemption, and identity. This suspenseful mystery brings chills and thrills in all the best ways. If you enjoy female sleuths, twists you won't see coming, and impossible-to-solve mysteries, this book belongs on your Kindle.

Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania before heading to NYC and then Los Angeles to study film and fashion. I now happily reside in North Carolina, but I cherish all of the chapters of my life and the various settings I have called "home."

I like to write stories that center strong, complex women navigating personal and social upheaval. My debut novel, Last Seen In Chilltown, delves into the tensions of mother-daughter relationships, small-town living, identity, and women overcoming adversity. Not only is it a gripping domestic suspense and time-bending mystery, it's a story with meaningful themes about forgiveness, redemption, and second chances.

When I'm not writing, I love to cook, hang out with my rescue dogs, play games with my kids, and karaoke.

Reviews

[Kelley Dimopoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It starts off a bit slow, but I’m glad I stuck with it - it was totally worth it! The storyline builds steadily, and just when you think you know where it’s going, the twist at the end hits and pulls it all together.

[Annie Freiburghouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books I’ve read in a very long time. I can’t believe this is the author’s first novel. She has a gift of inviting readers into Fiona’s life and making us feel like a part of the twists and turns that ensue throughout her journey. She crafts a suspenseful mystery while bringing us a great amount of depth with themes inherent to our humanity. The author explores heavy topics like depression, abuse, addiction, struggles with identity, loss, family and love in an artful and heartfelt way. As the reader, we’re able to see deep into Fiona’s inner world and get to know the multi-faceted characters that live there. Not to mention, it is a total page-turner with one of the most creative and alluring mysteries I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I can’t wait for her next novel!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona is stuck. She is stuck in her parent's house even though she's in her 30s. She is stuck in her part-time job at a thrift store (even though she loves it). And she is stuck mourning her cousin Sarah, who disappeared ten years ago.

But now another girl has disappeared, and Fiona finds that by trying on items in the thrift store, she catch glimpses into the life of the person who last wore the item. Do these things relate?

This was such a quick read! Fiona was a very sympathetic character and the "time travel" chapters were really interesting and immersive. I also really enjoyed seeing her evolve as a person even if I didn't always agree with her choices. Overall this was a fun read with interesting twists that kept me turning pages.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. That was amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I basically read this in one sitting. Somehow with so many things happening, I didn’t get lost once. You should see my notes.
This felt like I was reading Fiona’s diary. I never read something like this before. She felt way too relatable to me, which is a little scary.
I look forward to Jamie Lynn House’s future works! This was her DEBUT!

-attempted sa
-kidnapping
-depression
-mysterious gift of living through other people’s memories
-30+ year old main character
-solving a case

[The Final Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had the potential to be fantastic. The plot was creative, the twists genuinely surprised me, and the main character experienced noticeable growth throughout the story. Unfortunately, that’s where my interest ended.

The dialogue often felt rushed and unrealistic, at times coming across as overly juvenile. This made it difficult to stay immersed in the story, especially during emotionally significant or high-stakes scenes.

The ending, in particular, felt extremely rushed and unsatisfying. The resolution didn’t land the way it should have, largely due to the unnatural pacing and stilted conversations.

Spoilers Below
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The concept of magical clothes providing the protagonist with visions was where the story lost me. While I appreciate creative worldbuilding, this felt too far-fetched and disconnected from the tone of the rest of the book. A different mechanism for the visions might have helped the narrative feel more grounded.

There were also several unanswered questions by the end. For example, Margaret's background remained a mystery, and Kevin’s storyline was left hanging. These loose threads made the conclusion feel incomplete.

Overall, the story had promise but didn’t quite deliver. With stronger dialogue, a more cohesive ending, and more believable elements, it could have been a much stronger read.

[Taylor Halbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED the concept of this book. Very different from other mystery books I’ve read. I was on the edge of my seat every time Fiona stepped into someone else’s life. I was getting all the tea

[Charlie Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun genre mash-up, part mystery, part paranormal, part time traveling and 100% addictive. The story follows a woman still haunted by her cousin’s unsolved disappearance from 10 years ago. She’s built a quiet life working at a second-chance thrift shop, but everything changes when a man posts a flyer for his missing sister — and the details are eerily familiar. Then things get really wild after she tries on a donated piece of clothing and gets transported to the past — right into the life of whoever last wore it. Soon she’s obsessed, using these time-slipping clothes to piece together the truth about the missing girls. But the closer she gets, the more danger she’s in… I could not put this down — finished it in one sitting on the drive home from a weekend getaway! If you love twisty mysteries with a paranormal edge, definitely check this one out.

[Erica (Cheekyreader2) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut thriller novel was very good! It didn't take me long to be hooked by the storyline and want to know what happened. Fiona's cousin disappeared ten years ago. When another local girl goes missing, the haunting memories come back. Fiona works in a thrift store and realizes that she suddenly has the power to time travel. When she puts on an article of clothing, she finds herself in the lives of women that all seem to have a piece of these crimes. Throughout the book, Fiona is putting together the pieces to solve the crimes. This was after quick read - perfect for summer or if you find yourself in a reading slump!

[Jame_EReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I empathize with Fiona and what she went through with her life. Plenty of pondering and thinking about her choices while trying to make sure that she is safe from chaos. The book started at a slightly slower pace but once the storyline hit the part, there was point of no return. The twists kept coming and the turns started rolling. The ending was unexpected and it was simply OhEmGee! Plus, NJ?!? Really?!? Enjoyed this one undoubtedly.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Last Seen in Chilltown. It lends itself really well to carrying around and reading at kids’ sports events, airports, beaches. It’s not the kind of book that requires a flow chart to follow the events and characters, which is impressive given that House takes the reader into the lives of a myriad of characters as she navigates a complex missing person’s case. The characters are well developed, emotionally complicated, morally gray, and, with exception of the most extreme cases, ultimately likeable and redeemable.

While the plot is creative, gripping, and keeps the reader on edge, the book at its core is a story about redemption: the main character, Fiona, has lost years to her struggles with mental illness (which, side note, the author handles in a delicate, deeply humanizing way) and now wishes to live a vibrant, independent life. Fiona is an interesting, nuanced character. She has all of the insecurities one would expect from someone who perceives themselves to have lost years of their life due to their struggles, and the process by which she works through them is raw and real. Her struggle is palpable, and ultimately her growth and courage is inspirational. The theme of redemption can be seen in other characters in the book, but I’m careful not to go into much more detail for fear of spoiling parts. In short – it’s a very worthy read, super enjoyable and equally thought-provoking. Would make an awesome book club read.

[Taylor Marcotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in exactly 5 days… which may be the fastest I’ve ever read a book… it was that good. It keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting more. The character development and mystery with added suspense and a sprinkle of romance and identity topics was everything I needed and more in a book. I have already recommended it and will continue to recommend it to anyone interested in reading. Thank you to Jamie for her work! I definitely would love to read more from this emerging author!!

[Dawn McGill Dalrymple · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This really was a fast paced thriller! Fiona's life has never been the same since her cousin, Sarah, disappeared when they were younger. She is currently working at a thrift shop when she discovers a box of clothes with an interesting statue in the box. When she tries on any of the pieces of clothing she travels to the last owners body! With more missing girls around town these glimpses of other lives is helping her to connect the dots on the disappearances. Such an unique book give it a read if you're a thriller lover! Thanks to Kate Rocks Book Tours for sending this one my way!

[Catherine Poe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable mystery thriller with an intriguing premise! Fiona works in a thrift shop and when she tries on certain items of clothing she travels back in time to the previous owners hidden lives! This is entertaining until she tries on a gold sparkly dress and witnesses a kidnapping! Soon she is trying to solve a mystery! Thanks to the author @jamielynnhouse and @katerockliteraryservices

[Paula Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilltown is the nickname for Jersey City, & this crime mystery takes place in New Jersey. It’s got twists with the action quick & thrilling! I liked the unique story & protagonist. If you enjoy exciting #thrillers, catch this one by debut author, Jamie Lynn House!

[Bree Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked! I read it all in one sitting. To know this is Jamie Lynn House’s debut novel is shocking to me with how this storyline flowed so effortlessly. Very excited to read more from her in the future!

[Ally Scheidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good thriller, but the premise of this one was so unique and different from any thriller that I have read before with the aspect of time traveling through the thrifted clothes. I absolutely loved it!

[Dea Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona is living a very lonely, isolated life due to traumatic experiences that happened when she was younger. She dreamed of becoming a doctor, but instead still lives in her same smalltown working in a secondhand shop. One day, she discovers that if she puts on articles of clothing, she can be transported into the lives of the woman who wore these same pieces. This becomes her new escape from reality, her new way to deviate from her same routine life. Until one day, she puts on a dress of a missing woman and lives the last night she was seen alive. I must admit, in the first half of the book, I was a bit frustrated that we only got brief snippets of the lives of the women when she donned the clothes. It made for a slow, choppy story. I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did because this story gradually built, and pieces came together like a puzzle. It was a really great read. I loved Fiana's arc and character growth during the story.