Before You Were Anne

Chelsey Calhoun #2

by Emiko Jean

After a woman is killed and her daughter vanishes, detective Chelsey Calhoun uncovers a legacy of violence and survival that spans from Japan to Seattle in the new novel by the author of The Return of Ellie Black.

A murdered woman. A missing daughter. A truth buried across two continents.

Married, pregnant, and thriving in her career, Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life finally feels whole, until an explosive new case shatters everything. A mother is dead. Her sixteen-year-old daughter, Naomi, has disappeared. And the search will awaken questions about Chelsey’s own origins—questions she’s spent a lifetime afraid to ask.

The victim called herself Anne Walker. But she was born Rika Takahashi, and her journey from a remote Japanese farm to suburban Seattle conceals decades of deception. Across Tokyo’s shadowed underworld, an isolated Idaho town, and years of carefully constructed lies, Rika reinvented herself at every turn. But she was always running—from someone, or something.

Now, Chelsey must find Naomi before she becomes the next victim. But the deeper she delves into Rika’s hidden life, the more she discovers: some secrets are worth killing for. And the most dangerous truths may be the ones closest to home.

Told in three interwoven voices, Before You Were Anne is a gripping suspense novel about the lies that bind families and the sins that echo across generations.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Suspense

Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Emiko Jean is a New York Times best-selling author of adult and young adult fiction.Her books have been published in over thirty languages. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America as a GMA book club pick, by Reese Witherspoon as a young adult book club pick, and in publications such as: Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Time, Cosmopolitan, Shondaland and Bustle. She lives in Washington with her husband and two kids.

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANHPI Month 2026 #7

I love everything Emiko has ever written, from young adult romance to adult contemporary to this police procedural. It's giving Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

We met Detective Chelsey Calhoun in the previous novel, a book I ate up. I read this fast, too. There are two stories happening here: 1) Anne Walker is dead. Her teenage daughter Naomi is missing. But Anne was born Rika Takahashi, and she has a very sad backstory. 2) Like Rika, Chelsey is of Japanese descent. But Chelsey is adopted. She is now pregnant, and wonders what biological traits she will pass on to her daughter. Her adoptive mother is being very secretive with what she knows.

But since we don't learn too much about Chelsey (we have to leave more for books three and beyond), let's focus on Rika and her terrible taste in men. 1) There's the young white man that found her in her youth, slept with her, left the country, and left her some cash. 2) There's the tattooed yakuza member she met when she was working in a hostess bar. 3) There's the white man that "rescued" her. But something isn't quite right with him.

Two is important, but this story is about three. I wanted to start this review off with my new favorite saying, "Men should be lonelier," but the more and more I read, the more horrified I became. Because it's not just men you should fear, but women.

This is a story about trafficking in the form of marriage. And how the very women you come to trust turn around and sell you to the highest bidder. Calling it marriage doesn't change what it is. People look down on mail-order brides. I pity them. Surely you don't think women would subject themselves to such a low if they had any other choice.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading The Return Of Ellie Black a couple of years ago, so when I saw that Emiko Jean had written another novel in the same genre, I knew that I wanted to read it.
And I’m glad that I did, because I think that I enjoyed this book even more that the previous one.

One thing that I love is when authors have recurring characters in books but don’t officially make them a series that I feel like I have to commit to and read in order.
In Before You Were Anne, we are reunited with Detective Chelsea Calhoun, a main character Ellie Black, who’s now four months pregnant.
If you’ve read The Return Of Ellie Black you will definitely remember her, but what’s nice is that both books work fine as a standalone, so it isn’t necessary to read one in order to appreciate the other.

This is a dual timeline novel that takes place in present day Seattle and Tokyo about sixteen years prior.
Parts of it are written in second-person narrative, which is not something that I often see.
I enjoyed reading in a different style, although there were a couple of flashbacks where I had to reread things to be able to tell which generation it was flashing back to.

This book is very much a slow burn (something that I’m often not a fan of).
But it really worked for me this time; the story was great and held my full attention from beginning to end.

I was a tad disappointed because I made an accurate assumption about one of the characters way before it was revealed (I prefer twists and turns that I never could have seen coming), but everything else was so good that it didn’t really detract from my overall enjoyment.

I’d definitely recommend both Before You Were Anne and The Return Of Ellie Black to anyone who enjoys slow burn mysteries with some police procedural aspects thrown in.

I’d also include a TW for anyone who’s sensitive to domestic violence.

Thanks to Simon & Shuster and Emiko Jean for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date: October 6, 2026

[Chelsea Ekstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me an ARC of this book (ebook version).

Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back and I am here for it. I didn't realize when I read The Return of Ellie Black that this was going to be a series following the detective, but I'm really stoked that it is. Chelsey is complicated and Emiko Jean has only scratched the surface with her story. It seems like we will be getting bits and pieces in each book as Chelsey works through her own issues while working cases.

Anne, a Japanese immigrant, has been found murdered in her home. Her teenage daughter, Naomi, is missing. As the detectives investigate, the story is woven with flashbacks of Anne's life growing up and living as a young adult in Japan. Before she was Anne, she was Rika. Rika's story takes us from a small farm where she was raised by her teenage mother and grandparents, to her move to the city and work at a hostess club where she falls for someone she doesn't realize is off limits until it's too late, to her escape to America with the handsome man she meets while trying to figure out her life. Her life in America and her new husband turn out not to be the ideal she thought they were and so she escapes and becomes Anne. But something from her past has come to light and that something has gotten her murdered...

Detective Calhoun and her partner race to find Naomi while trying to unravel the secrets that Anne was keeping before it's too late. I found this book to be well written and exciting. It kept me on my toes and there were revelations that surprised me. An excellent read!

[Full of Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! It’s a story of family, mothers and daughters, those who help us, the secrets we hide from those we love, and so much more. The story takes place between Japan and Seattle and the setting is very vivid and I felt like I could feel being in both places.

The mystery surrounding Rika’s past, and Naomi’s disappearance kept me very invested in this story. Add to it Detective Chelsea Calhoun from The Return of Ellie Black is a main character in this story and the mystery of her adoption plays a role in this story as well.

This was a very written mystery that really solidified Emiko as a must read author and I can’t wait to read more by her.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back! We first met her in ”The return of Ellie Black” which was a 5 star read for me. She is now uncovering a legacy of violence when a woman is found murdered and her teenage daughter is missing.

This book enraptured me from the start. We hear Rika’s story and how she made her way to America while trying to uncover the mystery of her death. Also, where is her daughter Naomi? This book is heartbreaking and will definitely pull at your heartstrings.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was incredible. I knew when I read Ellie Black that Emiko was going to be an auto read author for me. Her books are beautifully written, keep you on the edge of your seat, and pull at your heartstrings.

Detective Calhoun (Yes, from Ellie Black!) investigates a case with a murdered woman and her missing teen daughter. The book spans decades as we unravel what happened in Anne’s past and try to find Naomi.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I already can’t wait for the next installment!

[Yinka Boudreaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Of all the risks in the world, the biggest is not knowing."

In Before You Were Anne, Emiko Jean has given us another beautifully written thriller centering home and belonging. We get multiple points of view and flashbacks, and get to enjoy a story that spans continents.

You don't have to read The Return of Ellie Black first, but there are nods to characters and situations that would be helpful to know. That and it's such a great book!

[Christina | readingthroughatlanta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. A bit slow pacing wise and lost some nuance in side characters, but I liked the characters and three, thoughtful POVs of women at different stages of life, death, and uncertainty. The mystery was interesting - not predictable but not surprising and I enjoyed the path to the solve. Overall a well done read. Would recommend Ellie Black read prior to picking this one up for context. Excited to see what Chelsey does next.

read for
Multiple POVs
Murder Mystery
Strong FMCs
Buddy Cop Procedural

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved The Return of Ellie Black, so the moment I heard that one of its most complex and resilient characters—detective Chelsey Calhoun—was coming back with another mystery, I practically jumped up and down and shouted, Yes! I want this book. I need this book immediately! And honestly, when the story comes from Emiko Jean, expectations are automatically sky-high for me. She has this rare talent for weaving gripping mysteries while also creating deeply emotional backstories that resonate so strongly they tug directly at your heartstrings.

Thankfully, she did not disappoint.

The story of Rika and Naomi—told alongside Chelsey’s perspective—completely pulled me in and wrapped around my heart. This isn’t just a suspenseful mystery; it’s also a profoundly emotional and tragic story about three different women who are all searching for the same things: where they come from, what their lives mean, and how to protect the people they love. Beneath the suspense lies something much deeper—questions of identity, belonging, motherhood, and survival.

We already know Chelsey and the devastating history surrounding her sister’s disappearance from the first book. Now, in this next chapter of her life, things finally seem to be falling into place. She’s happily married to the sweetest man, Noah, she’s expecting a baby girl, and she’s working as a partner with Montoya in Seattle. After everything she’s endured, it feels like our girl has finally found a bit of peace—and she absolutely deserves it.

But of course, life rarely stays peaceful when you’re a homicide detective.

Just as Chelsey learns the sex of her baby, she’s called to a crime scene. A Japanese woman named Anne Walker has been found brutally stabbed to death in her own home. Even more disturbing: her sixteen-year-old daughter Naomi is missing. The signs of chaos in Naomi’s bedroom suggest she didn’t leave willingly.

As the investigation begins, Chelsey and her team discover that Anne Walker wasn’t really Anne Walker at all. Her real name was Rika Takayashi, and her past leads back to the dangerous underworld of Tokyo. Years earlier, Rika fled a life overshadowed by the Yakuza, leaving behind a rural upbringing and a love that ended in betrayal. She escaped to suburban Seattle, changed her identity, and built a quiet life raising her daughter.

But it seems the past may have finally caught up with her.

So who killed Rika? Someone from her past? An abusive ex she escaped from? Or something even darker—something connected to a larger pattern of tragedies involving other women?

Meanwhile, Naomi awakens trapped in a locked room with an IV in her arm, dizzy and disoriented. Terrified and confused, she believes everything began when she started digging into the mystery of her biological father. Now her mother is dead, and she fears the truth she was searching for might have led someone straight to her.

The novel unfolds through three perspectives: Rika’s haunting past leading up to her death, Naomi’s desperate attempt to understand what happened to her family while she’s held captive, and Chelsey’s present-day investigation as she pieces together the truth. As Chelsey digs deeper into the case, she also uncovers a shocking revelation about her own past—one that will push her to question everything she thought she knew about where she came from.

To save Naomi and bring justice to Rika, Chelsey must solve two mysteries at once: the crime in front of her and the secret hidden within her own history.

Just keep reading—and prepare yourself for twists that will completely shake you.

This is another fantastic installment in Chelsey Calhoun’s story, and the ending leaves us with a tantalizing cliffhanger that strongly hints a third book may be coming. And honestly? That is excellent news, because I am absolutely not ready to say goodbye to this character yet.

I highly recommend this book even if you haven’t read The Return of Ellie Black. It works perfectly well as a standalone. But if you love emotionally driven mysteries, powerful women-centered stories, and multicultural coming-of-age themes wrapped inside a gripping thriller, this series absolutely deserves a spot on your reading list.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sharing this mind-blowing thriller/women’s fiction blend with me in exchange for my honest opinions. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read it.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before You Were Anne by Emiko Jean is an emotional thriller that pulled me in from the very first pages and didn’t let go. The story opens with a prologue that immediately sets the tone: a woman trapped in a relationship defined by manipulation, control, and abuse. I was hooked instantly, not just curious, but emotionally invested. I didn’t know who she was yet, but I felt her fear and wanted her to escape.

From there, the novel unfolds across dual timelines, shifting between present-day United States and Japan years earlier. The Japan storyline adds important context, slowly filling in the gaps and revealing why the characters became who they are and made the choices they did. I was more invested in the present-day storyline, but both timelines worked together to build a complete and compelling picture.

One of the most striking elements was the use of second-person narration. It made the experience feel intimate and immediate, almost like the story was being directed straight at me. It’s not a style I see often, but here it absolutely worked and deepened the emotional impact.

The characters felt real and layered. I connected deeply with Anne, her trauma, her resilience, and above all, her love for her daughter. Naomi felt just as authentic, especially in the way she navigated fear, independence, and teenage defiance. Aunt May stood out as a grounding, loyal presence. Even secondary relationships felt believable and emotionally grounded.

The pacing starts as a slow burn, but the tension builds steadily until it becomes impossible to put down. By the end, I was fully caught up in the urgency of it all, wanting answers, wanting safety for the characters, and needing to know how everything would resolve.

I was completely blindsided by the reveal. I didn’t feel misled in a frustrating way, just genuinely surprised. Looking back, everything fit, but I never saw it coming.

This book deals with heavy themes, including emotional and physical abuse, coercive control, and survival. It’s worth noting as a content warning, though I found it handled thoughtfully and without unnecessary sensationalism.

The title Before You Were Anne becomes especially meaningful by the end, tying everything together in a way that feels intentional and satisfying. Overall, this is more of an emotional thriller than a fast-paced one, and it worked beautifully for me. It was tense, immersive, and stayed with me long after I finished.

I lost sleep reading this and I’m definitely paying for it now while trying to read code with tired eyes. Worth it. Totally worth it.

[William de_Rham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emiko Jean’s newest novel, “Before You Were Anne,” is a murder/kidnapping mystery set in Japan and the United States, mostly in Seattle, that tells the story of three women of Japanese origin. It is not a fast-paced thriller. Rather, it is a somewhat complex tale told from three different perspectives that involves the exploitation and abuse of women.

Detective Chelsey Callahan and her partner, Detective Montoya, are assigned to investigate the stabbing death of Anne Walker. They soon learn that Anne is actually Rika Takahashi, a woman born in and who emigrated from Japan, and that she has a sixteen-year-old daughter, Naomi, who’s now missing, very possibly kidnapped. As the investigation progresses, questions arise as to how and why Rika came to be in the United States, who she was in contact with, and how that might have led to her murder, if it did. Those questions, and the question of what has happened to Naomi and whether she can be rescued, are what propel readers through the novel. As the story unfolds, we learn a lot about Rika’s past, both in Japan and the US, about her exploitation in both places, and who was involved.

“Before You Were Anne” is a well-written mystery. Its characters are deeply drawn and compelling—real people placed in difficult situations that readers can identify with. Author Emiko Jean enriches her tale with dashes of Japanese culture and well-described settings. Because of similarities between Chelsey in the present and Rika in the past, I did find parts of the novel’s early chapters a little confusing. But as the story progressed and I got to know the characters better, that ceased to be an issue.

A solid four-star read for anyone hoping for a mystery that’s more oriented towards characters and issues than fast-paced action.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Emiko Jean, and publisher Simon & Shuster for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like one of those stories where you don’t even realize how deep you’re in until you’re already there.

I went into this thinking, “okay, murder mystery, missing girl, I’m in”—but it turned into something so much more layered than that. “Wait… this is getting personal.” “Oh… this is heavy.” It slowly builds and then just sits with you.

You’ve got a murdered mother, a missing daughter, and a detective who’s already carrying her own emotional weight… and somehow it all becomes even more complex. I didn’t read The Return of Ellie Black first, and I kept thinking, “am I missing something?” but honestly—it holds up really well on its own.

What really stood out to me is how this isn’t just about solving a case. It’s about identity, motherhood, survival… and the kind of past you can’t outrun. Rika/Anne’s story especially had me like, “how much can one person go through?” It’s tragic, it’s messy, and it feels real in a way that sticks.

The structure is different—multiple timelines, shifting perspectives—and I won’t lie, I had a couple moments of “wait… where are we right now?” But once I settled into it, I actually appreciated how it all connected. It’s very intentional storytelling.

And Chelsey… I really liked her. She’s not perfect, she’s complicated, and you can feel that this case is hitting closer to home than she wants to admit. “You can tell there’s more coming with her story.” I’m definitely curious where that goes next.

This is not a fast, twist-every-two-pages thriller. It’s more of a slow unravel. “It’s the kind of book you sit with, not fly through.” It leans darker, more emotional, and a little gritty.

My rating: 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you like character-driven mysteries with depth and emotion, this is a really strong one. If you’re going in expecting nonstop action, just know this one takes its time—but it’s worth it.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

After enjoying The Return of Ellie Black, I was happy to see Before You Were Anne pop up on NetGalley. The synopsis sounded like it would be really interesting, so I'm grateful to have been approved.

📖: Readers are reunited with Detective Chelsey Calhoun, the detective from The Return of Ellie Black. In Before You were Anne, Chelsey is working on a case involved the homicide of a mother (Anne) and a missing teen daughter (Naomi). The family is Japanese, so Chelsey finds shared roots and considers her own upbringing throughout. Through alternating perspectives and timelines, readers learn about Anne's tumultuous background, Naomi's experience digging into her mother's past, and Chelsey's struggle with the secrets of her past.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- learning about other cultures while reading novels
- complicated family dynamics
- understanding the present by uncovering layered pasts

💭: I really enjoyed my reading experience with Before You Were Anne. While it's been awhile, I believe I ended up liking it more than Ellie Black. It felt like a fresh mystery in a sea of repetitive tropes. I loved the rich descriptions of Anne's past in Japan. Chelsey's inner turmoil about her past sparks compassion. There was a point when the reveals started that I wondered if things were going off the rails. I felt like there was a shift from my emotional connection with the story. Maybe I was disappointed in one of the characters. That happens sometimes. But as everything unfolded, I had more understanding and still felt satisfied with the journey. Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for early access to this ebook in return for an honest review. Pub Day: October 6th ,2026

[j ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's definitely a slow burn, so if you're looking for a fast-paced thriller, this might test your patience. That said, the emotional core of the story is genuinely moving and the characters feel real and layered. The structure was interesting. We move between present-day Seattle, Tokyo from years prior, and Naomi's situation. There's also some second-person narration thrown in, which isn't something you see often and takes a little getting used to. Honestly, I had to reread a few sections to figure out which timeline I was in, the flashbacks can get a little murky since no names are used. Once you find your footing though, it flows much better though!

I think the pacing was at a constant pace, which isn't horrible, I just don't think it would be for everyone I feel like? I know some people like more fast, paced, twists, and turns, but I do appreciate its time in revealing depth, identity, and motherhood. I think the parallel between Rika and Naomi and Chelsey's search into her own origins was one the most rewarding aspects to read throughout. It added an entire layer of depth that added into it's thoughtful, well-crafted mystery. I went back to read the first and this definitely works as a standalone too.

TWs though. Realistically this is a 3.5 for me, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it.

Thank you Simon & Schuster x NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few Emiko Jean books and enjoyed them all, so I was thrilled to get an ARC of Before You Were Anne. This is a book that feels hard to say much about without spoilers, so this will be a choppy summary.

Before she was Anne, she was Rika, a young Japanese woman looking for a bigger life. Rika found it working in a social club, doting on wealthy men and, eventually meeting one she fell in love with.

Later, Rika is in the Pacific Northwest, married to a wealthy dentist who courted her and helped her immigrate to the US.

Present day: Anne, neé Rika has been murdered. Her American-born daughter, Naomi, high schooler who is now missing. And detective Chelsey (a hail to previous novel Ellie Black) is on the case. Chelsey is also Japanese and has a complicated history with her heritage.

This book was very good. The story grabbed me. I liked the characters and their layers and complexity. It’s also very sad. There’s abuse, human trafficking, and more. I loved the writing. There are twists up until the very end.

Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite quotes:

“In Japanese, you spoke of untranslatable things. Gaman, the art of enduring the unbearable with dignity.”

“This is the coexistence of love and anger. Both are true. Neither cancels the other.”

[Takeyrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this eArc**

I read "The Return of Ellie Black" before I decided to read this second installment, so that I had a little back story before jumping into this world. I will say, this book definitely has a different feel than the first. In the first book, it felt as though we were more focused on the case and solving it as fast as possible, time was ticking. Though there was a criminal case to follow and solve in this book as well (Who killed Anne?) there was way more character development, which I appreciated. The book begins with the death of Anne and as the book goes on we get to know her through a dual timeline of flashbacks. I LOVED THIS ASPECT. I felt like I was right there with her in Japan, braving life unknown. Getting to know a character AFTER their death, while knowing their fate throughout the book is HEARTBREAKING. I've noticed some similarties with Emiko Jean's books. She likes her main character detective Chelsey Calhoun to have some sort of parallel issue going on in her life that pertains to the case she's working on. The fact that that was left unfinished makes me believe another book is coming our way. This book was pretty fast paced, there were a effective amount of moving parts and I wasn't able to guess the end. I would recommend this book to a friend.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year I read The Return of Ellie Black (excellent), so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Detective Chelsea Calhoun reappears in Before You Were Anne. Chelsea is assigned the case of solving the murder of a Japanese American woman, Anne, while also searching for Anne’s missing daughter, Naomi.

The trouble starts when Naomi goes in search of her birth father and her family history. Her mother, Anne, left Japan while pregnant with Naomi and under mysterious circumstances. Naomi is able to recall little pieces of her early childhood in the U.S., but her mother is taciturn when questioned about the past. When Naomi goes in search of answers, much of the past that Anne has tried to keep buried resurfaces. Some of it good, but most of it horrific and viscerally unsettling.

Naomi’s search for her past are especially relevant to Chelsea, who is of Japanese heritage, but was adopted by a white family as a baby. Chelsea is also in search of answers about her origins and I appreciated the symmetry of both stories. Chelsea does find out part of her story, but not a complete picture. There is definitely more to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.

[Cheryl Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

After loving The Return of Ellie Black, I went into Before You Were Anne with high expectations and Emiko Jean absolutely delivered.

This is one of those thrillers that grabs you immediately and doesn’t let go. The pacing is relentless, the tension keeps building, and just when you think you’ve figured it out… you haven’t.

Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back, and she’s exactly the kind of strong, complex female lead I love to follow. This case hits differently, though. The murder of Anne Walker and the disappearance of her teenage daughter Naomi unfold through multiple timelines and perspectives, each one adding another unsettling layer to the story.

What really sets this apart is the emotional depth. Anne and Naomi’s Japanese heritage mirrors Chelsey’s own, but while they are connected to their roots, Chelsey is left searching, having been adopted and knowing nothing about her biological mother. That quiet ache runs beneath the surface of the investigation and makes it feel much more personal.

And the cultural elements? Fascinating. They added richness, atmosphere, and a uniqueness that made this thriller stand out from the rest.

Dark, gripping, and impossible to put down—this was an easy 5-star read for me. Add it to your TBR immediately

[Amy Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy of this novel, all opinions are my own.

BEFORE YOU WERE ANNE is the perfect follow-up to THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK. The protagonist, a detective named Chelsey Calhoun, is so well-written, I feel as if I know her. I love when authors can weave a story within a story--similar to the first book in the series, Chelsey comes across a victim whose life strangely mirrors her own: a daughter searching for her ancestry and her true past. Emiko Jean's writing is exquisite and really puts the reader right in the frame with Chelsey and her partner; the victim Rika as she grows up in Japan and makes her way to the U.S. frightened, alone, and carrying a secret; and lastly with her daughter Naomi narrating as she's desperate to find her roots but instead stumbles upon a dark family secret.

The emotional intensity in this series rises and falls as you go back and forth in time, a narrative style very few authors can nail with precision the way Ms. Jean does. I highly recommend both books in this series, and would suggest reading them in order. I am very much looking forward to any future adventures with Chelsey Calhoun and her partner.

[Madae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Chelsey Calhoun is back in Before You Were Ann. She is now investigating the murder of Anne Walker and the disappearance of her teenage daughter, Naomi. Chelsey soon learns that Anne Walker is an alias and that she's really Rika Takahashi. As Chelsey digs deeper and follows Naomi's trail, she begins to uncover the secrets that Anne/Rika has been hiding. It also reignites Chelsey's interest in learning more about her origins as an adoptee. The book alternates between Chelsey's investigation, Naomi's journey, and the story of how Rika came from Japan and become Anne.

I was hooked immediately after beginning to read Before You Were Anne. I liked both aspects of the mystery of Anne/Rika's murder and Naomi's disappearance as well as Chelsey's inner conflict of being pregnant while also wondering about where she came from. The book is beautifully written and the ending has me hoping that there's a third book in the series. Highly recommend reading Before You Were Anne!

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster, for this ARC.

[Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emiko Jean has done it again!

This book follows the detective from The Return of Ellie Black, Chelsey Calhoun. Chelsey is pregnant in this book, diving into her own history as she searches for a missing teen and the person who murdered the missing teen's mom.

Before she was Anne, she was Rika. Rika's story goes from Japan to America with plenty of characters along the way. Now she's dead and Naomi, her daughter, is gone. There was clearly a struggle- how much time does Naomi have left before she meets the same fate as Rika/Anne?

We also follow along with Naomi's story as she realizes she might have brought this horror upon her family while she searched for answers about her past.

Will Chelsey be able to save Naomi? Will she unravel the truth of Anne's past? Can she work through her own past?

Told through multiple POVs, this is a pulse-pounding read. I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story!! It's been a while since I read The Return of Ellie Black, and I can't believe I had forgotten how much I love this author's storytelling. I swear that Emiko Jean has hypnotic powers. She knows just how to captivate you with the simplest words, holding your brain hostage from start to finish. I loved having Detective Calhoun back in action and, even more, that more of her past has been revealed. The storyline was both suspenseful and heartbreaking. I did not expect to get so emotional, but there were moments where tears were just sliding down my face. This story literally consumed me. Nothing could tear me away from this tale! I read it in less than a day and am now sad that it's over. I can't wait to get my hands on the next Chelsey Calhoun book! This is a MUST read!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for granting me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Expected US publication date: 10/6/2026

[Nan Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I've just been alerted by Netflix that my review contains a "spoiler". I don't think I said anything that isn't covered (or implied) in the first few chapters of the book - but ... I've been asked to alert you. So ... be alerted.

Yes, as one reviewer has said, “a dark and tragic story.”

It’s the story of young Japanese girls first being “saved” by finding work in a “hostess house” in Japan and learning how to please men for payment. Then, of course, the girls are sold and trafficked to more affluent areas of the world. In this book they’re trafficked to the state of Washington where they’re held in captivity for future profit.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story that needs to be told. I only hope that it tugs at the heart strings of those who can reverse and prevent this tragedy.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED The Return of Ellie Black and was beyond delighted to learn that this was a second book following Chelsey Calhoun as a detective. She is a fabulous character and makes a marvelous protagonist, and I hope to see her experience many more adventures. The ending suggests there will be more books to come, and that is a great thing.

I really enjoyed the back-and-forth in time and location, and the way Jean brought her characters to life in both their historical and present-day storylines. Her focus on family, particularly mothers and children, resonated well with Chelsey's own storyline (past and present), and made for a very well-rounded tale. There were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting and unpredictable, and the revelations were paced out well and really kept my attention at peak levels throughout.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher from my obligation-free review copy.

[Sue Parker Gerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of “Before You Were Anne” by Emiko Jean in exchange for an honest review. Put it on your list for October 2026 when it’s due to be published!

This novel is a terrific follow-up to the author’s earlier book “The Return of Ellie Black,” also featuring Seattle police detective Chelsey Calhoun. Part police procedural, part coming of age story, part murder mystery, and part missing person case, the novel follows Anne Walker, nee Rika, young and pregnant and who thinks she’s heading for a dream that turns into a nightmare. As Chelsea, pregnant herself, investigates, questions arise about her own background as an adopted child of Asian descent.

Powerfully told, this novel will stay with me for a long time. I hope to see more of Detective Calhoun. Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Kerry Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the Return of Ellie Black and Emily Jean’s newest book blew me away. This story goes back and forth in time. Presently detective Chelsey Calhoun is working on a case involving a woman named Rika who is murdered and her 16 year old daughter is missing. In searching for the missing teen, Chelsey dives deep into the murdered woman’s past. During the investigation we learn about Riki’s past starting in Japan and ending in the US. We learn the story from Riki’s perspective and also her daughter Naomi’s experiences.
This mystery is multilayered and character driven. This story will stay with me forever. If you like historical fiction and multilayered mysteries, this one is for you.

[Jill Burgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Return of Ellie Black was one of my favorite recent releases and I was excited to readher new novel again featuring Detective Chelsey Calhoun. This is a deeply emotional story of mothers and daughters, with such richly created characters that I kept thinking of them when I wasn’t reading about them. It’s truly a literary thriller as Emilia weaves a tale of a murdered woman and her missing teen daughter. Learning of their lives both Chelsey and I were rooting so hard for them. Chelsey is also pregnant with her first child and we learn more of the difficult but loving relationship with her own parents while we investigate the parents of this missing daughter. A five star read again! Thoroughly recommended.

[Wendy Remez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star book from the author of The Return of Ellie Black. I was so excited to find out Detective Chelsea Calhoun is at the center of another mystery. (There is a bit of backstory about her personal life and her missing sister that is brought up in this book so I do recommend reading that one first-trust me, it is worth every page!) in this story we meet Rika, who moved from a seedy past in Japan to Idaho. Rika is found dead and her 16 year old daughter is missing and it is up to Detective Calhoun to unravel the mystery. Emiko Jean is a masterful story teller, and definitely a must read author for me! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the privilege of reading and reviewing this book!

[Liza (LitLifewithLiza) Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one writes a missing persons thriller like Emiko. She won me over with The Return of Ellie Black with her deep and impactful writing style that sucks you in, and Before You Were Anne is easily another 5/5 star gem. This truly is the genre she's meant to write and I could read her thrillers all day long.

Across dual timelines and multiple POVs, Emiko takes us on the journey of missing women, power hungry men, and the detective who's determined to be their savior.

I'm not going to lie, this book gets heavy. It gets raw and sheds a light on the ugly parts of society we wish we could ignore. But Emiko is speaking for the voiceless and she will not let them be silenced.

"Nobody would come looking for you. You could die here, and no one would ever know."

Pub day: 10/6/26

[Ani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC. This book tells a dark, slow-burn story that leans heavily into tragedy and atmosphere. The tone is consistently heavy, making the story feel drawn out and unsettling. I personally did not like the writing style that includes very short and choppy sentences. The plot is intricate and layered, but possibly too crowded. The story moves between the present-day case, past events, the detective’s personal story, along with callbacks to book The Return of Ellie Black. If you haven’t read that book or do not remember the details, those callbacks can be confusing.