Jackal Review

Jackal by Erin E. Adams is part folklore, part fiction, and has themes including race, self-identity, and social identity. Elizabeth (Liz) Rocher travels back home to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to attend her best friend Melissa Parker’s wedding. Liz has dreaded coming back home for fear of reliving her past. She prepares for what she believes will be an awkward weekend filled with passive-aggressive reunions. But what unfolds is more sinister than she could ever imagine as her best friend’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing while at the wedding. As the search begins for Caroline, an old folktale resurfaces in connection with the investigation, and while facing her own dark past, Liz learns that Caroline isn’t the only Black girl to have gone missing in Johnstown.  

The synopsis is what caught my attention. The cover was intriguing as well. Initially, I expected the usual find the missing kid tactic, but I was a bit thrown off when the author included the folklore aspect. I didn’t understand the need for it. Adams’ story would have been fine without it. There were moments when the story was great and parts when it wasn’t. Mainly due to her superstitious feature. Toward the middle and end is where the story falls apart. 

What kept me reading was wanting to find out what happened to Caroline and why. Overall, the writing was clean; the story was imaginative and had powerful character leads. If you’re into murder mysteries, women sleuths, and suspense, Jackal might be the book for you. Jackal is available everywhere books are sold.