North Carolina holds a special place in my heart as a destination I have often visited and made some wonderful memories. Any book set in this locale peaks my interest, add a historical element and I'm hooked. Such is the case for Emily Matchar's newest novel, The Lost Girl of Craven County, being published by Penguin Random House , April 14, 2026.
The book begins in New Bern North Carolina, 1939, on the tails of the great depression, with the whispers of upcoming war in Europe. New Bern is a culturally diverse town with a thriving jewish community. Matchar focuses the story on two female characters, Millie, the 25 year old daughter of a pickle factory owning jewish family, and a mysterious young lady who shows up hurt and mute behind some pickle brining barrels one hot August afternoon. Over time the puzzle deepens as Matchar weaves the details of the two women and their subsequent lives into a wonder tale of twists, turns of intrigue.
As an avid reader, few plots surprise me. I generally have the basics of the story figured out early in a novel, and then I am just verifying my premise to the end of the story. Matchar surprised me over and over again. Just when I thought I"d figured out the identity of the lost girl, I'd be proved wrong with another detail. Her well layered plot kept my attention to the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Lost Girl of Craven County. To be honest, it's killing me to not share the story, but It's just too good to ruin it for anyone. So reader, you'll just need to grab the book in April and read it yourself!
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House and, Emily Matchar for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
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