Review of “All Good People Here” by Ashley Flowers

 

Review of “All Good People Here” by Ashley Flowers

“All Good People Here” follows Margot Davies, a journalist who returns to her hometown of Wakarusa, Indiana, to live with her uncle, who lost his wife and is experiencing dementia. The town is still haunted by the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor, January Jacobs. When a young girl from a nearby town goes missing under similar circumstances, Margot is drawn into the mystery, determined to uncover the truth behind both cases. But as she digs deeper, she faces resistance from the town and even her uncle.  

Ashley Flowers is the host of a very popular true crime podcast called “Crime Junkies”, which I listen to and enjoy. Flowers has a passion for crime stories, and the book often feels like an episode of the podcast. The plot is clearly inspired by and at times too similar to the well-known JonBenet Ramsay case. The main character, Margot, is a generic yet plucky character who needs to solve the case to keep her job.

While the story employs familiar elements, such as the girl who returns to her hometown to solve a mystery, interconnected timelines of present and past, and introduces several red herrings. However, it raises doubts about several characters, keeping you intrigued enough to continue reading. Just when you think you have figured it out, there’s a plot-twist.

Flowers uses dual timelines to create a suspenseful narrative that reveals information as needed that keeps the story flowing. Her background in true crime shows in the story’s realism and procedural detail. At only 312 pages, the book is well-paced and easy to read.

The main problem comes with the ending. It’s abrupt and does not provide concrete answers, leaving the main character fate ambiguous. There is also a lack of overall character development throughout the book. While Margot does learn information that could affect her life, the ending means we’ll never know how she deals with it.

Overall, though I found it a breezy murder mystery/thriller, it reminds me of an episode of a true crime podcast.  It’s not the most original story, and the ending is lacking, but if you’re a fan of true crime, then I’d recommend giving it a read. “All Good People Here” is a chilling, twist-filled thriller that questions whether or not you really know the people you trust.