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The Return
A body is uncovered in an empty classroom at Lincoln Lane Prep, West Jackson Boulevard, it’s ruled an accident. A heroin overdose. The case is closed within a month.
Holly Steinfeld already has enough on her plate with her parent’s re-engagement, school, and settling into a town she once considered a distant memory.
But who can resist a good mystery?
Enthralled by the Leighton case—teenage girl found drugged and dead on the night of her prom—Holly enlists the help of four unlikely kids and together, they find themselves digging into a world of lies, secrets, and manipulation to uncover what really happened to Scarlett on the night of her prom.
Can she reopen a cold case and make it back in time for her parent’s wedding?
Holly Steinfeld already has enough on her plate with her parent’s re-engagement, school, and settling into a town she once considered a distant memory.
But who can resist a good mystery?
Enthralled by the Leighton case—teenage girl found drugged and dead on the night of her prom—Holly enlists the help of four unlikely kids and together, they find themselves digging into a world of lies, secrets, and manipulation to uncover what really happened to Scarlett on the night of her prom.
Can she reopen a cold case and make it back in time for her parent’s wedding?
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2022
About the author
Nenny May
15 books116 followersIndie author Nenny May is a Young Adult and New Adult thriller author whose new vision revolves around telling stories about strong black girls using their wit and intuition to explore difficult situations and building connections along the way.
Want to know more about Nenny May? Follow her social media platforms;
Tiktok: @Authornennymay
Instagram: @Authornennymay.
Want to know more about Nenny May? Follow her social media platforms;
Tiktok: @Authornennymay
Instagram: @Authornennymay.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 23, 2023
This book was amazing from beginning to end! I loved that although it was in the end a YA mystery book, Nenny touched on many important topics such as lost friendship, second chances, forgiveness, and teamwork. This book had all of these important messages but still remained an interesting page turner. The twists and turns were unexpected and the author did a great job building the characters to keep the reader invested.
February 25, 2023
So much to love here!! Interesting characters, fascinating family dynamics, and a little romance here and there. It wasn’t as twisty as some thrillers but I liked the premise a lot and I think it turned out really well! I was pulled in by the beautiful cover but I stayed for the intrigue!
April 13, 2023
Rating: 2.5
October 2, 2022
A heartbreaking tale of love, betrayal, redemption’
This book tale explores the life of a teenage girl Holly who due to some circumstances got into investigative journalism and got to see at its rawest the cruelty of humans.
She gets to see how people kill, maim, plot and manipulate one another for personal gain, whether material or emotional and the potentially dangerous side Inexperienced reporters are exposed to everyday while stepping on toes without realizing it thinking some law will protect them.
It was such an interesting read
It made me think and question everything every step of the way
But the writing…got a bit confusing at some point
The sudden introduction to certain characters
The fast paced nature of some relationships
And yes I mean holly and her handsome hunk Kyle
I mean one minute they just met and the next they’re taking down criminals together
There’s the electricity yes but they don’t tell us
They don’t tell us about the little touches or the whispered apologies
There’s no burning tension leading to passionate kisses
We just go from the almost big thing in the cafeteria to neck kisses and licking?
The writing was great but it could be better
It was one of those books that drive you crazy in the oh-gosh-I-cannot-put-this-book-down way but still make you want to smack everyone in the book
All in all it was an easy interesting read and I was very excited to finish the book
This book tale explores the life of a teenage girl Holly who due to some circumstances got into investigative journalism and got to see at its rawest the cruelty of humans.
She gets to see how people kill, maim, plot and manipulate one another for personal gain, whether material or emotional and the potentially dangerous side Inexperienced reporters are exposed to everyday while stepping on toes without realizing it thinking some law will protect them.
It was such an interesting read
It made me think and question everything every step of the way
But the writing…got a bit confusing at some point
The sudden introduction to certain characters
The fast paced nature of some relationships
And yes I mean holly and her handsome hunk Kyle
I mean one minute they just met and the next they’re taking down criminals together
There’s the electricity yes but they don’t tell us
They don’t tell us about the little touches or the whispered apologies
There’s no burning tension leading to passionate kisses
We just go from the almost big thing in the cafeteria to neck kisses and licking?
The writing was great but it could be better
It was one of those books that drive you crazy in the oh-gosh-I-cannot-put-this-book-down way but still make you want to smack everyone in the book
All in all it was an easy interesting read and I was very excited to finish the book
January 13, 2024
Awesome Read
I really enjoyed reading this book. I was really impressed that this was a YA novel. The author is truly gifted and I'm definitely anticipating seeing more from her in the future. Mystery is truly a genre she's made her mark in. Great job Nenny May.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I was really impressed that this was a YA novel. The author is truly gifted and I'm definitely anticipating seeing more from her in the future. Mystery is truly a genre she's made her mark in. Great job Nenny May.
August 7, 2023
I really wanted to love this book but it had a lot of issues that made it hard to follow at times and generally not very enjoyable. There were punctuation issues and confusing jumps between the two plot lines in the past and present, with so many characters I got had to go back several times to check who was who. Overall, I liked the overall concept but felt it needed a more thorough editor.
September 28, 2022
DO YOU SEE THAT COVER? I AM OBSESSED!
July 25, 2025
~ 3.25 stars
This book had so much potential! I loved Scarletts bit, but some of the other parts were not really realistic or quite a bit confusing for me. But was definitely into this story!
This book had so much potential! I loved Scarletts bit, but some of the other parts were not really realistic or quite a bit confusing for me. But was definitely into this story!
June 17, 2025
RATING: ⭐️⭐️.7
I'll always be a fan of YA thrillers. The novelty of their experiences, settling their differences to work together while also fighting their personal demons.
The Return is a YA thriller novel set in a high school. It follows the story of five students and how they investigated a cold case that happened in their school three years prior. The story takes us back and forth between Scarlett’s past and her alleged murder/suicide and back to the present, to Holly and her family struggle.
My favourite of the two parts was Scarlett’s story. I deeply resonated with her struggles and imperfections. I wish she had the courage to surround herself with good friends before it was too late. Her part of the story gives us an insight into the struggles teenagers face to fit in, to find their own way, and how to handle life’s problems. Without proper guidance, teenagers are sure to wander off the right path to destruction. I also deeply reflected on how the choices of adults play a huge role in building character in teens since they are easily influenced by what they see.
These things were also very glaring in Holly’s life. However, Scarlett’s character felt more convincing. Holly was also one of my least favourite characters despite being the protagonist. Teenagers tend to be very spontaneous and can make silly decisions, but Holly does not convince me enough as to why she ignored her best friend or why she kept snapping at everybody at random times. (Maybe that was the Nigerian in me, lol).
Moving on, the introduction into the main story was gripping. Finding a dead girl in a school, the brouhaha of police protocols—these things made me very giddy with excitement for the rest of the story. From that beginning, I was already rating the book as a 4 or 5 star story. However, I changed my mind as I got deeper into the book, and here’s why.
First off, I got tired of hearing about their family issues over and over and over again. It felt like I was being desperately reminded over again about it. I get it, Holly didn’t take her parents’ divorce too well, but then, the info dump wasn't necessary.
A lot of times, the writer was telling rather than showing what happened, which made some things feel forced. A good example was the infusion of Igbo culture. That was a beautiful idea to add to their lives, but the delivery fell short because it appeared at random points in the book rather than being blended with their personalities.
Finally, there were many incoherences in the story. The plot and dialogue switched at random in many places, which made the book less enjoyable. I kept asking myself, “how? when?” Sometimes because I was confused.
What I loved most about the story was the writing style. I loved the little sprinkle of humour where necessary. Overall, I rated the book 2.7 stars because the writing style and Scarlett’s part were enough to save the day. If YA fiction is your vibe, then you must read this book.
Thanks to Nenny May for trusting me with a digital copy of her book. I am truly honoured to read your work.
I'll always be a fan of YA thrillers. The novelty of their experiences, settling their differences to work together while also fighting their personal demons.
The Return is a YA thriller novel set in a high school. It follows the story of five students and how they investigated a cold case that happened in their school three years prior. The story takes us back and forth between Scarlett’s past and her alleged murder/suicide and back to the present, to Holly and her family struggle.
My favourite of the two parts was Scarlett’s story. I deeply resonated with her struggles and imperfections. I wish she had the courage to surround herself with good friends before it was too late. Her part of the story gives us an insight into the struggles teenagers face to fit in, to find their own way, and how to handle life’s problems. Without proper guidance, teenagers are sure to wander off the right path to destruction. I also deeply reflected on how the choices of adults play a huge role in building character in teens since they are easily influenced by what they see.
These things were also very glaring in Holly’s life. However, Scarlett’s character felt more convincing. Holly was also one of my least favourite characters despite being the protagonist. Teenagers tend to be very spontaneous and can make silly decisions, but Holly does not convince me enough as to why she ignored her best friend or why she kept snapping at everybody at random times. (Maybe that was the Nigerian in me, lol).
Moving on, the introduction into the main story was gripping. Finding a dead girl in a school, the brouhaha of police protocols—these things made me very giddy with excitement for the rest of the story. From that beginning, I was already rating the book as a 4 or 5 star story. However, I changed my mind as I got deeper into the book, and here’s why.
First off, I got tired of hearing about their family issues over and over and over again. It felt like I was being desperately reminded over again about it. I get it, Holly didn’t take her parents’ divorce too well, but then, the info dump wasn't necessary.
A lot of times, the writer was telling rather than showing what happened, which made some things feel forced. A good example was the infusion of Igbo culture. That was a beautiful idea to add to their lives, but the delivery fell short because it appeared at random points in the book rather than being blended with their personalities.
Finally, there were many incoherences in the story. The plot and dialogue switched at random in many places, which made the book less enjoyable. I kept asking myself, “how? when?” Sometimes because I was confused.
What I loved most about the story was the writing style. I loved the little sprinkle of humour where necessary. Overall, I rated the book 2.7 stars because the writing style and Scarlett’s part were enough to save the day. If YA fiction is your vibe, then you must read this book.
Thanks to Nenny May for trusting me with a digital copy of her book. I am truly honoured to read your work.
May 19, 2023
Looking to support another Indie author?
Cold Case - This book starts out with a body found dead in an empty classroom
Return home - some time later, Holly and her mother return back to the home of her father so her parents can remarry
Investigate - Holly stumbles on to the cold case and gathers some friends to see if they can solve it.
First, I want to say that the author did reach out and ask that I read and review this book and you can get it for free on Kindle Unlimited. And since I am trying to read more indie books this year, I decided to read it as YA mysteries are right up my alley. So let me start by saying that the premise and the story was actually really exciting. There were some twists that were cool, and the characters were very deep. But for me there are a few things to point out. The first being that there was a lot more cursing the necessary, especially at the beginning for a YA book so if that is an issue for you, be warned. Also, the book probably could have done with another pass at editing as a few times I needed to re-read to make sure I was understanding the intention. But overall, as an indie book, it was an interesting story.
Cold Case - This book starts out with a body found dead in an empty classroom
Return home - some time later, Holly and her mother return back to the home of her father so her parents can remarry
Investigate - Holly stumbles on to the cold case and gathers some friends to see if they can solve it.
First, I want to say that the author did reach out and ask that I read and review this book and you can get it for free on Kindle Unlimited. And since I am trying to read more indie books this year, I decided to read it as YA mysteries are right up my alley. So let me start by saying that the premise and the story was actually really exciting. There were some twists that were cool, and the characters were very deep. But for me there are a few things to point out. The first being that there was a lot more cursing the necessary, especially at the beginning for a YA book so if that is an issue for you, be warned. Also, the book probably could have done with another pass at editing as a few times I needed to re-read to make sure I was understanding the intention. But overall, as an indie book, it was an interesting story.
May 9, 2023
Not what I expected, in the best way!
I loved this book! I loved how the story fit into the place with the past and present. Each character was unique and well written. I am very excited to read more of this story and more from this author!
I loved this book! I loved how the story fit into the place with the past and present. Each character was unique and well written. I am very excited to read more of this story and more from this author!
July 12, 2022
I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC from the author and this book had me hooked from the first page!
September 28, 2022
2023!!!!!!! The fact that this book is supposed to be like One of Us is Lying has me hooked!
September 28, 2022
I AM SO EXCITED!! Finally someone is combining my two favorite books!
September 28, 2022
OH MY GOD! How am I going to wait until 2023?
September 28, 2022
2023????
September 28, 2022
I. CAN'T. WAIT!!!!
Read
September 28, 2022Omggggg!!!!
September 28, 2022
Can't wait for this book! 2023??? I love the cover BTW!
September 28, 2022
2023?? Is this book a series? I'm already Hooked OMGGG!!!!
September 28, 2022
i cant wait omg! I am so ready to read the whole series!!!
September 28, 2022
THIS COVER!!
September 28, 2022
THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAAZINGG!
July 14, 2023
Wow! His was an amazing story. There was so much depth and so many issues teens can relate to. Trigger warning as well!!!
Did Not Finish
September 9, 2023I just couldn’t get past the writing. It was full of typos, hard to follow, and just not great imo.
April 17, 2026
Objectively it wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me. I DNF'ed at 70% . because I wasn't into the mystery that much. Fans of holly jackson will love this book though
April 8, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I powered through this evening, interested in following Holly on her quest to discover what really happened to Scarlett some years before. I also enjoyed reading Scarlett's story aswell, as the book jumps from past to present.
The character development was good, I liked meeting Holly and her family, learning about their life and Holly's journey to acceptance of her past and what the future might bring. This was quite inspiring.
I liked Kyle, alot of emotion written into him. I could've cried when he spoke about his mum, especially as he always referred to her as "leaving"..... 😭
This is one of those books where you're interesting in what's going on with the main story but also enjoy the side stories and development etc. There are some heavy themes here to be prepared for but I'd recommend this book to younger and older audiences.
The character development was good, I liked meeting Holly and her family, learning about their life and Holly's journey to acceptance of her past and what the future might bring. This was quite inspiring.
I liked Kyle, alot of emotion written into him. I could've cried when he spoke about his mum, especially as he always referred to her as "leaving"..... 😭
This is one of those books where you're interesting in what's going on with the main story but also enjoy the side stories and development etc. There are some heavy themes here to be prepared for but I'd recommend this book to younger and older audiences.
April 19, 2023
Rollercoaster of emotions
This was a wild ride but worth every moment, from the moment Holly returns to the very end I was hooked. My heart broke and mended along with these characters, these two very different girls who shared pieces of themselves through time. Both deserved better and one deserved justice. My heart reached reading through Scarlett's life and bled for her situation because it's such a real one. Holly was an amazing character to follow and who grew and evolved as the story went, I loved the band of characters she collected and truly enjoyed this book.
This was a wild ride but worth every moment, from the moment Holly returns to the very end I was hooked. My heart broke and mended along with these characters, these two very different girls who shared pieces of themselves through time. Both deserved better and one deserved justice. My heart reached reading through Scarlett's life and bled for her situation because it's such a real one. Holly was an amazing character to follow and who grew and evolved as the story went, I loved the band of characters she collected and truly enjoyed this book.
July 1, 2024
Audiobook.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews