Book Review: ‘Leave No Trace: A Novel’ By Mindy Mejia

Author Mindy Mejia is back with her latest thriller Leave No Trace. It’s the story of a man and his son who went missing 10 years ago in lakes and forests of the Minnesota area known as Boundary Waters and never to be seen again. Now 10 years later 19 year old Lucas Blackthorn has returned and was violent and put into an institution. He refuses to talk to anyone and is still a threat to people and himself.

Maya Stark who works there and was once a patient herself (and we will learn her story) is now the assistant language therapist is assigned to work with him. For some reason he trusts her and they form a bound. He starts to open up to her and soon learns everything about him and he starts to learn about him. We learn the backstory on Lucas and his father Josiah and why the disappeared and continued to stay hidden for 10 years. Soon she finds herself doing things that she shouldn’t be doing to help him. When she learns why he came back and what he’s trying to do know, she risks everything to help him even if it means breaking the law.

With twists and turns throughout the book it makes for a good thriller leading up to the climatic ending and fallout from Maya’s action. My only problem with the book was it gave away to much information by the middle of the book. The mark of a great thriller to give just enough information to lead up to the ending and reveal.

Don’t get me wrong the story is fine just could have been a bit better had some of the reveals been held off just a little bit longer. You can pick it up in stores on Tuesday, September 4th from Atria.