The Disappearance of Emily Downs

The Renegades of Black River Falls #1

by C.J. Redwine, Mia Jenness (Narrator)

A riveting, action-packed sci-fi thriller about a young girl on a mission to rescue her best friend, from C.J. Redwine, the New York Times best-selling author of The Shadow Queen.

There are three rules in Black River Falls:

1. Don’t break curfew unless you want the monsters to find you.

2. Don’t ask questions, no matter what.

3. When someone goes missing, don’t go looking.

Joey Barnes obeyed those rules, until the day her mother vanished without a trace. She’s spent two years secretly hunting for clues, and she’s discovered plenty of things that don’t make sense, even for Black River Falls. Like the fact that Harrison Pelt keeps a chest full of weapons under a loose floorboard in his porch. Or that there’s a steel door hidden behind a shelf of old books in the library. She's become so good at snooping, she’s found enough strange facts to fill up her favorite purple journal. What she hasn’t found is her mother.

When her best friend, Emily, goes missing, too, and the grown-ups seem ready to accept it, Joey decides enough is enough. Relying on unlikely friendships and a streak of stubbornness, Joey is determined to find her friend, solve the mystery that plagues Black River Falls, and, if she’s lucky, find her mother, too.

That is, if the monsters don’t find her first.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

**Please read my FAQ before sending any requests: http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/p/faq.html **

C.J. Redwine loves fairy tales, Harry Potter, and going to the movies. If the novel writing gig ever falls through, she’ll join the Avengers and wear a cape to work every day. To learn more about C.J., visit her website at www.cjredwine.com

Reviews

[E.F. Buckles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd dropped my Audible subscription last year to save money (libraries are a wonderful thing), so although I've wanted to try CJ Redwine's writing in some form, I didn't have access to this particular Audible exclusive until Audible decided to give me a second 30-day-free trial to try to get me back. Figured I'd listen to as many of their free Plus library as I can while I have the free month, and "The Disappearance of Emily Downs" was the first that I chose.

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect since I'm aware that this is different from Redwine's Young Adult novels, (which I also haven't read yet, but I know what they're about) but I enjoy reading about kid sleuths and liked finding that element here. It was a pretty short book, but Redwine certainly crafted an interesting world and town in that short time! I never knew exactly what would happen next, and enjoyed following our spunky, determined heroine as she solved the big mystery of the town, not matter what obstacles stood in her way. The story is short enough that I feel like I'll spoil everything if I say too much in detail, but I can say that there was a lot of excitement, danger, sometimes a little scariness, and allllllll the snooping!

One minor disappointment was the single unsolved mystery left over by the end, but I'm getting the impression that this might be the first of a series since Goodreads has it labeled as if it is. If so, I guess that unsolved mystery will get solved in other books, so I'm not taking off from my rating for that.

At the same time, I'm not so invested in this world that I'm going to keep paying for Audible just to listen to them, so that's why I'm giving this 3 stars. This was enjoyable enough and I don't regret choosing it, but I felt fairly neutral about it by the end. It was written very well, and I know a lot of young readers will connect with Joey and her spunky, never-give-up attitude. For me, though, I just didn't click with the monster element that well. It didn't "bother" me and I didn't dislike it, I just didn't get that excited about it, either. It's clear, though, that Redwine is a great writer, and I definitely want to try more of her other works.

Content Advisory:

Sexual: None

Language: None

Spiritual content/Magic: None

Violence and scariness: Mainly threatened violence, heart-pounding chases, and near-misses rather than anyone actually getting hurt.

Joey and another girl say some hurtful things to each other about their respective mothers and end up slapping each other hard and nearly getting into a physical fight before the adults break it up.

One 12 year old girl goes missing. (Not a spoiler since it's the title of the book.) It's discovered that she was kidnapped, injured somehow (she has a bandage on her arm when she's found), and being threatened with being turned into/combined with a monster but we aren't shown any of this actually happening, so nothing inappropriate for Middle Grade readers.

As the synopsis implies, people think there are monsters in this town, and this turns out to be True. The average townsperson hasn't actually seen them, but the main characters end up finding them during the story. Monster descriptions don't bother me personally, but the ones here do have physical descriptions that would probably be frightening for some readers, especially ones on the youngest end of Middle Grade readership. However, again, while they chase the kids and threaten violence, they never actually do serious damage that gets described on the page. One monster fights off another, but even that isn't given overly-graphic description.

We learn early on that Joey's mother is one of the people who has gone missing over the years, and no one but Joey searched for her. There was no violence involved in her disappearance, I'm just including this since some children may be sensitive to the subject of parental loss. Major spoiler: The unsolved mystery at the end is that Joey realizes her mother may be one of the people who were combined with a monster, and that she may have seen and been protected by the monster her mother became, but she isn't able to save her by the end. It's implied that future books, if there are any, may feature her trying to save her mother from this fate.

Other:
Many of the adults in Joey's town are untrustworthy. Some end up becoming trustworthy again, and some are unrepentant about the wrong things they've been doing.

As implied in the violence section, one big reveal in the book is that someone is combining humans and monsters in order to create "weapons" for military use. We don't learn the details of how this is done, but it's made clear that this is terrible, wrong, and hurtful.

[Renae | Redhair_and_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

When people start disappearing in a town that has a history of monsters in residence, Josephine suspects that the flimsy excuses for the disappearances are lies, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it. Especially because her mom and best friend are the ones who have gone missing! On top of the disappearances, other strange things have been happening, like iron bars being torn apart like paper, creepy howling up on the mountain, and a terrifying creature in the forest that somehow knows her name. Will Joey and her friends find out the sinister secrets of their town, or will they themselves end up on the dinner menu for monsters? Find out in the wildly fun audiobook, The Disappearance of Emily Downs, an Audible original production!

This story was such a fun adventure, from start to finish! It was full of action, intrigue, and juuust enough creepiness to make the hairs on my arms stand straight up in a few scenes (I mean, if the creepy monster on the mountain started calling your name while chasing you, wouldn’t your arm hairs have something to say about it?!). Joey is a smart and cunning middle schooler who refuses to let the adults of the town pull the wool over her eyes, and I loved her spunky and fierce spirit. She is extremely observant and the local authorities (including her father) seriously underestimate her skill and determination. She is like a combination of Merida from Disney’s Brave, Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables, and Nancy Drew, and if that’s not enough to make you like her, I don’t know what else you could need!

Of course, no story would be complete without the main character learning a lesson or two, and this one is no different. Joey learns to set aside her pride for the sake of those she loves, and in so doing, she makes some new friends who help her with her investigation. She also meets an adorable little creature that is a mutated version of a fox, and foxes happen to be my favorite animal, so to say I was a fan would be an understatement.

All in all, listening to this audiobook that’s included in my Audible membership was 5 hours well spent, and I honestly can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment of the series. This story would be especially great for middle-grade readers, but be aware that there are some slightly creepy moments and detailed descriptions of monsters that may not be every young person’s cup of tea. The main character skips school and gets into a fight with another student, but it’s properly addressed and I don’t think it’s problematic. It really is just a well-written and well-narrated story with fun characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy this one as much as I expected to .

[Marilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super engaging middle grade mystery with a touch of sci-fi

[Ellen-Arwen Tristram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had CJ Redwine on my TBR for ages and when I saw this MG book on audible plus, I thought it would be a fun introduction!

Josephine doesn't believe the flimsy excuses about people disappearing in Black River Falls. After all, her mother 'disappeared' and she knows that what the adults say is a lie - her mother would never just leave. Something is happening in Black River Falls, something big, and something bad. When her best friend Emily disappears as well, Josephine is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery - and recruits some new friends, Ryan and Ray, along the way. What are the adults all hiding? And could do Josephine's dad even be hiding things from her?

This was a fun and pretty engaging little MG - I'd forgotten how fast MG books move! It's first person, so we hear everything directly from Joey (Josephine) and you get to figure things out with her. It's high stake action-adventure from the start with lots going on. I did see the twist(s) mostly before they were revealed but I don't think a younger reader would. Fast-paced and definitely keeps you interested going through - and I didn't realise it was a series either! I'll probably listen to the next one to find out more mysteries...

It seems sad that the overall message of the book appeared to be: 'if you're a kid, don't trust any of the adults around you, even the people you love. Adults lie and aren't to be trusted.' I know it seems silly to quibble about this, but it felt almost like going back to a Roald Dahl book where all adults are automatically Evil, and I just think that's a shame. It's not a message I'd want to give my kids if I had any.

Read very well indeed, a bit predictable, high action and drama, interesting characters, a creepy storyline - a good listen for sure.

[Debbi Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I zipped through this book. The action and drama was high, the characters engaging, the fantasy/sci-fi element a little familiar but still interesting. Will read more in this series.

[Kelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an Audible Original.

This is a very cute story about a girl finding her bestfriend and maybe her Mom. She has help from 2 other friends and the notebook she has been keeping for 2 years. The story would be great for kids and a wonderful and fun listen this time of year.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read of CJ Redwine. The narration was delightful, and the heroine is a reminder that kids are often wiser than adults.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off so well, with a nod to John Wyndham’s style of sci-fi/horror, but for children. Lost its way about half way and fizzled out onto silliness and little structure. This was an original on Audible.

[R.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don't have many people left to love me and I can't lose you too."

A friend of mine listened to this audiobook sometime last year and recommended it to me. I finally made time to read it before it left Audible Plus and I'm glad that I did!

The Disappearance of Emily Downs is a well-written story that has just enough spooks to keep it nail-biting while never going overboard for its middle-grade audience. Joey was a fun main character and I especially enjoyed her and Ray's enemies-to-friends trope. I feel like it's relatable for many middle-graders to realize that often their "enemies" are misunderstood and have the possibility of becoming friends, so I love seeing that in literature.

I do wish the ending had more resolution than it currently does. It took so long for us to finally get answers to what was happening and then suddenly it was over and I still had so many questions. I know this is the first book in a series, so of course I'm hooked for the rest of the series, but I do wish that there had been just a bit more resolution at the end of this one.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and recommend it to older middle grade readers who might be interested in a more spooky and action-packed read.

~No cursing nor sexual content of any kind. Action and gore is more present than most middle grade books with some mentions of d3ad bodies and bl00d in some places, however it isn't gruesome. I would exercise caution to young readers based on their maturity level.

[~Vixhen~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It did remind of another book I read a bit ago that had the premise. While it's listed for children ages 6-12, I'd have to disagree with that. The story content could be a little too much for those under the age of 10. The characters were great, and I was hooked on the mystery of the town and why no one was allowed out after dark. A quick, easy listen...highly recommended.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fun and very mysterious. Excited to read the sequel when it does come out.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our family LOVED this family read. My almost 8 and 5 year old loved it as well. We are ready to hear more from Emily and her social justice, wit, and whom ever narrated this ... such amazing work!

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this audiobook 4 stars if I didn't object to the ending.

The story: Joey Barnes (a young girl) lives in the town of Black River Falls that makes its living off of selling the idea of scary monsters roaming the woods. The town is sealed off and fenced in at night with the warning, do not go out at night, don't ask any questions and if you go missing, don't count on anybody coming to look for you... that is until Joey Barne's best friend Emily Downs goes missing without even saying good bye... just like Joey's mother did. Only this time, Joey's going to find her best friend... and maybe Mom too.

Any problems with this story? Well... it uses the usual plot twists and story gambits for a kid's book: a kid has the guts to do what the adults are afraid to do. You know how that goes. I normally wouldn't mention it, but the way this usually goes is that the adults are grateful in the end and suddenly realize that the kids (saved the day / showed the adults how to be brave / etc.). But no. Not this time. The ending cast the adults in a very bad light especially the Mayor who was both a parent and the symbol of government, and Joey's father represented law and order. He didn't exactly cover himself in glory and none of the adults learned a damn thing

The message for children is that you can't trust anyone except yourselves. You are on your own. Have a nice day.

If you think that is true and you want to teach that lesson to your children, then add a star to the rating and go ahead. Your choice. I didn't like it so I chopped off a star.

The writing was good. I seem to recall reading one other book from the author that was pretty good. This looks like the beginning of a series, so maybe the author will straighten everything out in book two. For right now, I'm skeptical. Nevertheless, I don't think it rated 2 stars so 3 it will be.

I might read this book again. I've changed my mind before.

[Kirsty-Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joey Barnes lives in a mountain town called Black River Falls.

There are three rules in this town:

-Don't break curfew
-Don't ask questions
-Don't go looking for missing people

Cute middle grade/YA scifi

Joey always followed the rules until her Mum went missing it's been two years since she disappeared and in that time Joeys been searching for clues.

Then tragedy strikes and her friend goes missing too, the adults seem to want to brush it under the carpet, but Joeys had enough and wants to find out what happens to the people who go missing in there town.

I listened to this on Audible as an included with its a short listen so took me a couple of walks to and from work to listen.


Firstly I was really impressed with the narrator they did a brilliant job bringing this story to life, usually for me a good Narrator can make a story their voice was really engaging and I loved the little sound effects.

The story was fun if not a little predictable although if I was the intended audience age and not a 37 year old doubt I'd have found this an issue.

A great introduction to Sci fi for young readers, really gave me a bit of a goosebumps vibe.

I'd definitely give the next story in this series a listen if it gets released.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars)

Black River Falls is an unusual place. It attract tourists, but its a gated community with three ominous rules: don't go out after dark; don't ask questions; and don't look for those who go missing. The rules are suppose to keep the community safe from the monsters that lurk outside the gate, but when Joey's best friend Emily suddenly vanishes, she has had enough of the secrecy and evident lies about where Emily has gone; she sets out on a dangerous mission to find Emily and to solve the mystery of her own mother's disappearance a few years prior.

This middle-grade sci-fi thriller was intriguing to start out, and the audio narrator was great, but the plot development didn't come together for me. I ended up finding the revelation and resolution unsatisfying. I'm not sure if I'll continue with these series.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book The Disappearance of Emily Downs by C.J. Redwine is a fantasy story about a girl named Joey. Joey grew up in Black River Falls. Monsters were rumored to live in the mountains around the city. Joey’s mom disappeared when she was little and after her friend Emily disappeared too Joey decided to go investigate by herself. Ryan and Ray join her in discovering the secret of the town. They discover that all the buildings in the town had secret doors that haven’t been used for a long time. Following the tunnels, they slowly uncovered more strange things.
Monsters, conspiracy, adventure, brave, capable main characters! I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and recommend it.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this audiobook from C.J. Redwine. The narrator of the book SOLD this story. I listened to this in my car to and from work and often found myself waiting until the end of the chapter before turning off the car. From the beginning C.J. pull you into a seemingly familiar world of a small town, but this town has secrets around every corner. Oh yes and monsters.

When people goes missing in Black River Falls, no one goes looking. But Joey throws that rule out the window when her best friend Emily goes missing. Joey knows Emily didn't just disappear., just like Joey's mama didn't disappear. And Joey is determined to find the truth, no matter the cost or the monsters.

[Rachel Skidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little story. It is the first book in a series, as of May 31, 2024 I know of no second book yet. It is clearly set up to be book one from a series. In my opinion, this book would be enjoyable to elementary to middle school age group. The main characters are around that age. Kids that are still in school are going to solve the problem the adults can’t. I enjoyed the story, but it wasn’t very in-depth for me because I listen to it on audible. I did have some frustration with the narrator, but not so much that I didn’t enjoy the book.

[Elizabeth Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story. A girl named Joey teams up with the mayor’s twins to search for her best friend. Along the way they uncover some of the towns dark secrets. It was interesting enough that I may continue on with the series when the next one is released. I am curious if Joey’s mom (who went missing a couple of years before) has actually been turned into a mountain monster. I feel like her dad has a little more he is hiding.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have some mixed feelings on this story. While I enjoyed listening to it, it was a bit far fetched for me. A town with people (including kids) disappearing, monsters beyond the fence, strange noises coming from the woods and more. I found it tough to believe a town would just look the other way with everything that went on in this one. But, it was interesting to listen to and is suitable for kids.

[Richard Kendrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kid friendly thriller. Scary but not too scary. But the mystery was a little too simple and predictable for my adult brain. The ending wraps things up in a kid friendly way that leaves room for future sequels, but my grown up sensibilities take some issues with the way the action was resolved. By my way of thinking, the villain is being protected by plot armor and if this story were meant for an older audience, I would be seriously annoyed.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun middle-grades book! I would absolutely continue listening to this series, and my daughters would have loved this when they were younger. Yes, I saw the twist coming, but younger readers might not, and it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story. The audio version was very well-narrated.

[Joey Feldmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good audiobook that kept me interested throughout. Aimed at middle grade readers, I think it is a good fit. My only complaint is that I was unaware going in that it was the first in a series. Thus I was a little surprised when the over-reaching problem that the kid discover is not truly finished. But it was still a satisfying listen.

[Dana "dew" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Original: Good story ; excellent performance/narration; Leaves you wanting more. (Hence I'm bumping this up to 4☆ from an otherwise 3☆ rating.)

First book in a series for children... 3rd-6th grade, maybe? The actress who narrates the story is excellent. This is a quick read/listen. I enjoyed it. I look forward to the next book in the series; It has great potential.

[JR McDonnel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This title is at the younger end of young adult novels that is predictable. It also fails to allow me to suspend disbelief due to various plot holes. I found the ending unsatisfactory in its ability to resolve the incoherent behavior of characters. This story is a step in the direction of more books rather than a complete story on its own.

[Bethany Olin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a MG book in years and boy am I glad this one broke that trend. I spent the beginning of the book wondering how the author was going to make the monsters work & loved that resolution.
The narrator did a fantastic job.
Vivid characters, full of suspense, readers young & old will love this mystery.

[Tiffany Lichlyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m surprised how dark this book went. I was kind of expecting something a bit more lighthearted for a kids audiobook. But it was a very intriguing story with twist that I didn’t quite anticipate. I don’t know if I would continue on in the series. But it was a very well written story and I would be interested in other C.J. Redwine books.

[Stacey Beneze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook was so good! My girls and I (13 & 9) loved listening to this book together! C.J. Is a fantastic author and this book had enough action to be exciting but not too much that it scared them. I really hope that there will be a second in this series because while it ended well, we still have so many questions!!

[MELISSA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Mia Jenness as narrator and the creative mind of author C.J. Redwine. I did not love the story. Twelve-year-old schoolmates putting themselves in such harm's way gave me the willies. So no more of this series for me.