Leave No Trace Review

Synopsis from Simon & Schuster:

From the author of the “compelling” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis) and critically acclaimed Everything You Want Me to Be, a riveting and suspenseful thriller about the mysterious disappearance of a boy and his stunning return ten years later.

There is a place in Minnesota with hundreds of miles of glacial lakes and untouched forests called the Boundary Waters. Ten years ago a man and his son trekked into this wilderness and never returned.

Search teams found their campsite ravaged by what looked like a bear. They were presumed dead until a decade later…the son appeared. Discovered while ransacking an outfitter store, he was violent and uncommunicative and sent to a psychiatric facility. Maya Stark, the assistant language therapist, is charged with making a connection with their high-profile patient. No matter how she tries, however, he refuses to answer questions about his father or the last ten years of his life.

But Maya, who was abandoned by her own mother, has secrets, too. And as she’s drawn closer to this enigmatic boy who is no longer a boy, she’ll risk everything to reunite him with his father who has disappeared from the known world.

About: Leave No Trace is a mystery thriller written by Mindy Mejia. It will be published on 9/4/2018 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, paperback, 336 pages. The genres are thriller, mystery, detective, and fiction. The author also has another thriller that was excellent to read called Everything You Want Me To Be. According to the publisher’s website, “founded in 2002, Atria was from the start intended to be an environment where new ideas could flourish, the best writers of fiction and nonfiction could thrive and connect with an ever-widening readership, and the best practices of traditional publishing could be integrated with cutting-edge developments in the digital world. In short, a place where great books could come to light.” Please see below for more information about the author and publisher.

My Experience: I started reading Leave No Trace on 6/16/2018 and finished it on 6/25/2018. This book is wow! and nature with camping for an extended period of time is an interesting topic! I like the concept of being left behind, either through unplanned death, shunned, or abandonment. I like following the characters and seeing how they are affected when those events happened to them. I personally don’t like how Josiah exit, it’s just not an ideal last image for Lucas of his dad. I like Maya’s dad’s adventures, though not a good career to have a family for being away most of the time. I like how Maya throw jabs at Bryce. I like learning about agate.

This book is told in the first person point of view following Maya Stark, a 23 years old Speech Therapist at Congdon Psychiatric Facility. Maya is unlike the norm of therapists, she has dyed short pixie-cut hair and tiny silver hoops earrings along her ear. Lucas Blackthorn is famous for his disappearance. He and his dad went camping 10 years ago and never came home. Now the media is saying Lucas is “the boy who came back from the dead”. Lucas coming back aggressive, unresponsive, and alone. He is now admitted to a psychiatric prison for examination and Maya is assigned to him. Another view is Josiah Blackthorn, Lucas’ dad, told in the third person point of view. Josiah is a drifter who doesn’t like to stay inside a house with four walls. He goes camping for weeks at a time. Maya has a mystery past and somehow Lucas only responds to her where he is silent to everyone else.

A well written story, Leave No Trace is a unique read. I love the topic of geology and the wilderness. I love the unlikely character of Maya being a therapist with her history at the facility. Maya indicates that when she goes out for a walk, the image of her would make others pull away from her and yet, here she’s a therapist, someone to help put others back on track. I love the reference to the Lykov family. I rarely look up facts in fiction but the Lykov family and Ho Van Thanh father-son duo truly spark my curiosity. I google them up and read all about them. I devour this book! I love reading about what Maya does and how she handles her job. I love following Josiah’s point of view and his love for his son. I like how outgoing Maya, Josiah, and Lucas are. They don’t lounge around at home but instead out hiking or camping. I like reading about the cost of getting something for free. This book is an excellent read and I highly recommend everyone to read it!

Pro: fast paced, page turner, easy to read, suspense, mystery, nature, diversity, father-son relationship

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

Buy it here for free shipping:  Book Depository or Simon & Schuster’s website

About the Author:

Mindy Mejia received her MFA from Hamline University. Her debut novel, The Dragon Keeper, was published by Ashland Creek Press in 2012. The granddaughter of Minnesota farmers, she lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and two children. She is the author of Everything You Want Me to Be. (Photo & Info obtained from Simon & Schuster’s website).

More Information about Atria/Emily Bestler Books

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***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine