Review: The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: June 2020

Everyone knows the story of “the girl from Widow Hills.”

Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps, and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye.

Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She’s managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she’s being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even waking outside her home. 

I've been looking for a good mystery and The Girl from Widow Hills did not disappoint.  The story involves Olivia who went missing when she was 6 years old and was rescued a few days later in a drain pipe.  She remembers very little of her ordeal, and has spent a most of her life trying to hide from the fame of it.  Now as an adult, her sleepwalking tendencies have resumed.   That's all I'm going to say about the plot.  

The story is told through Olivia's perspective with news articles and 911 transcripts from when she was a child.  I did like Olivia as a character.  Although, there was a point where I had to wonder if she was a reliable character. I love when that happens.  I also loved how I didn't know who I could really trust.  There was a lot of twists and surprises.  I did not see the ending coming.   As I said, to say more would give too much away.  I highly recommend this one.