Kristin's Bookshelf

🎧 All Good People Here
✍️ By Ashley Flowers
🎤 Narrated by Brittany Pressley, Karissa Vacker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately, but I think six of my last books have centered around a cold case and someone returning to solve it or finally come to terms with it. “All Good People Here” shares that premise, but the story itself feels completely unique.

I have vivid memories of the JonBenét Ramsey m***er growing up. It was a 1996 ho***ide that dominated the national news, and I imagine many readers around my age will immediately notice the similarities. While there are obvious parallels, this story quickly becomes its own.

Margot has a lot on her plate in the present day. She’s dealing with the loss of her job, struggling to pay rent, writing an article, investigating a decades-old case, and caring for her uncle as he battles dementia. On paper, that sounds like a lot, but Ashley Flowers weaves everything together so seamlessly that I never felt overwhelmed or lost.

We also get chapters from Chrissy, the mother of January, the young girl at the center of the investigation. Seeing her life, her relationships, and ultimately her perspective on what happened inside that house adds so much emotional weight to the story.

No spoilers, but I both hated and LOVED the ending. It left me with exactly the kind of unsettled feeling I want from a mystery, and it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

The narration was absolutely outstanding. Brittany Pressley and Karissa Vacker each brought a distinct emotional depth to their characters, making it effortless to follow the dual timelines and perspectives. Their performances elevated an already compelling story, adding just the right amount of tension, vulnerability, and urgency.