Those Who Return

by Kassandra Montag

Amid the desolate wilderness of the Great Plains of Nebraska, a region so isolated you could drive for hours without seeing another human being, sits Hatchery House. Having served as a church, an asylum and an orphanage, Hatchery is now a treatment facility for orphaned or abandoned children with psychiatric disorders. Haunted by patients past and present, only the most vulnerable find a home within its walls.

Dr. Lorelei 'Lore' Webber, a former FBI psychiatrist, has almost grown used to the unorthodox methods used at Hatchery House. But when one of her patients is murdered, Lore finds herself dragged into the centre of an investigation that unearths startling truths, shocking discoveries, and untold cruelty. And as the investigation unravels, Lore is forced to confront the past she's spent her whole life running from - a secret that threatens to undo her entirely.

Darkly riveting and explosive, and with an unforgettable cast of deeply human characters, Those Who Return is a searing psychological thriller of guilt and redemption, set against a landscape as awe-inspiring as it is unforgiving.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2022

About the author

Kassandra Montag grew up in rural Nebraska and now lives in Omaha with her husband and two sons. She holds a master’s degree in English Literature and her award-winning poetry and short fiction has appeared in journals and anthologies, including Midwestern Gothic, Nebraska Poetry, Prairie Schooner, and Mystery Weekly Magazine. After the Flood, her debut novel, will be published in over a dozen languages and has been optioned for a television series.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former FBI agent Lore(Lorelie) Webber works at Hatchery House in an isolated area of Northern Nebraska. Hatchery House has a chequered past having been an asylum, a therapy house and an orphanage and is now a combination of all three, being a nonprofit funded by billionaire Howard Davis. When a boy goes missing and another is found dead combined with some students behaving oddly, Lore finds her traumatic past colliding with the present.

This is a “game of two halves”. The Nebraska setting is excellent and utilised well to create a good atmosphere with a sense of foreboding and building anxiety. Some of the characters are very well portrayed especially the only real neighbour Hatchery House has in Oxsana Sussel. I find her absolutely fascinating and she exudes an atmosphere all of her own! Lore is interesting as is her background and you grow to understand her reticence to trust. The premise and plot are basically good but oh boy is it ever a crowded plot with everything being chucked in bar the kitchen sink, although in fairness it does build up an intensity. There are hints of Gothic mystery, modern day misdeeds, past hauntings and so on and so on it gets just gets a bit overwhelming.

At times the writing style is slow and laborious then the pace picks up and then it slows again. The nonlinear format going backwards and forwards is also too much and it becomes confusing as my head reels as I try to piece it together to get some clarity.

The ending is a letdown, it feels rushed and pulled together with too much ease and yet some things are still left unresolved. If this could be pared down and some sort of better order created with the format it could be a very good read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those Who Return is a slow burn, atmospheric read. There is a lot happening and a lot of characters to keep track of and I struggled with it. It took me a while to read as I couldn’t get my head in the right place for it. It is dark and deals with murders of children so that is always hard to read anyway. The characters were not very likeable or easy to relate to either.

With alot of jumping back and forth in time, it was hard to stop and start reading. The ending was much faster paced but after the rest of the book felt rushed.

I had high hopes for this one, and while ai didn’t hate it, it is not one that will stay with me. It just felt a bit messy and too much.

Thanks to Hachette Australia for my copy to read. Can’t love them all.

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️
Those Who Return by Kassandra Montag

The storyline of this book really intrigued me. Hatchery House has a long history, it’s been an asylum, church and an orphanage. It’s now a therapy ranch for orphaned and abandoned children with psychiatric disorders. It’s situated in the wilderness and is isolated.

Dr. Lorelei Webber, a former FBI psychiatrist is working at Hatchery House when one of her patients is murdered and another young boy has gone missing. She finds herself thrown into a police investigation and everyone appears to be a suspect.

I think this book had the potential to be a really explosive thriller because it had all the ingredients! I really wanted to love it but sadly it was too much of a slow burn for me although I did find the characters very well portrayed and I really enjoyed the atmospheric Gothic vibe. Overall I did still enjoy the read.

Publication Date 12 April 2022

Publisher Hachette Australia (Imprint:Quercus)


Heartfelt thanks to Hachette Australia for a copy of the book

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a melancholy and atmospheric book. I quite enjoyed it, though. The writing was top-notch. It's a slow burn type of story so isn't the fastest paced story. The plot was engaging, intelligent, and kept me guessing. There are plenty of intriguing and well-developed characters as well. My favorite being Oksana, and it was all wrapped up in a satisfactory ending. This one gets two solid thumbs up from yours truly.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darkly observant and genuinely compelling psychological drama here, with an atmospheric and often claustrophobic setting.

An isolated institution, damaged children and staff who have their own issues sets the scene, when death comes stalking age old secrets start to emerge. Those Who Return is a slow burn, revealing its secrets almost calmly but with a horrifying reality.

Character driven and thought provoking throughout. A great read.

[Karly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hatchery House is a building that has been able to stand the test of time - it was over the years an asylum, a church and an orphanage and it gives off the air of a house that should be set in a horror movie. Hatchery is now a treatment facility for children with disorders, behavioural problems and no one to look after them. The kids here have a multitude of problems and do not like to follow the rules. Among the staff that live in this isolated house is Dr Lorelei 'Lore' Webber (our main protagonist). Lore is an ex FBI psychiatrist and has some series trauma issues of her own - while mostly under control.

Lore is at the centre of a murder investigation that turns into a series of strange and foreboding events where everyone is a suspect including the children.

You could never accuse the author of hand holding in this book and I quite liked that approach a nice breath of fresh air from the usual he said, she said, he did this, she did that type books. HOWEVER, I think the author may have taken it a step too far (I will come back to this).

There is a constant sense of anxiety building throughout the book and I was thinking something really big is going to happen, although murder had already taken place and that is always already very serious... this place and the feeling the author built was like you were on the edge of something all the time. The air, the atmosphere and the sense of danger was constantly ready to come out from every corner and engulf you.

Lore gives us some insight into her past throughout the book in bits and pieces but it is not handed over easily and blink and you will miss it... this book is not the easiest to follow. So if you are looking for a nice easy thriller that follows a pattern this is definitely not the book for you.

When I said there was no hand holding I meant it... there were times I found myself going back and re-reading whole chapters (which to me is just so much work when you want to read forwards) to remember and gain a better understanding of what was going on. I was however excited because it really felt like something big was coming like a metaphorical 'storm' was brewing where some serious was psycho damage was going to happen.

I was left completely disappointed and while we did get a wrapped up story - I think that there was a rush to the ending and there were unanswered questions. The fact that we had to imagine or guess our way through the majority of the book already, was one thing but then to be left with a sense of well... what now... it was a let down.

I was ready to give this book big stars... unfortunately that is not going to happen 2.5* rounded down to 2*

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC for my honest opinion.

[Fiona Audain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I had worked out who was killing the students at Hatchery House all those red herrings sprinkled through the storyline made for an un-put-down-able book!

A very worthwhile read!

I will be on the lookout for more of Kassandra Montag's books.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/

I have a confession to make. I’m a little obsessed with books set in Nebraska at the moment. So when this book landed on my radar I jumped at the chance to read it. The cover is stunning and the blurb is so intriguing, it was impossible to refuse. So much so that I got stuck in as soon as my copy arrived at damppebbles HQ.

Ex-FBI psychiatrist Dr Lore Webber is still finding her feet at Hatchery House – a treatment facility for orphaned and abandoned children with psychiatric disorders – when the unthinkable happens. She discovers one of her young patients dead in an outlying field. With contacts still within the FBI, she makes the call and brings childhood friend and former lover, Cedar, in to investigate. Before long, Lore’s expertise is needed to help move the case along and she’s reluctantly dragged into proceedings. As Lore digs into the history of Hatchery House, it becomes clear the former church turned asylum turned orphanage has a dark and troubled history. Can Lore and Cedar discover what happened to young Luis before the killer strikes again…?

Those Who Return is a very readable, very engaging novel which I enjoyed losing myself in. The remoteness and the isolation of the unforgiving Nebraskan plains was the perfect setting for the novel, adding an air of loneliness, miles from help, to the story which I really enjoyed. Add to that the midwestern gothic feel of Hatchery House with its dark past and locked rooms, whispered tales of ghosts roaming the halls, its mysterious bell tower and the unpredictable nature of some of its residents and you have a very compelling tale indeed.

I enjoyed spending time with Lore and Cedar and really getting to know these two fascinating, yet complicated characters. I also enjoyed the glimpses the reader gets into some of the residents at the House. I felt the children were all believable characters, each with their own fully formed backstory. Particularly Ezra who broke my heart a little. His interactions with Lore were written incredibly well. As I mentioned, Lore and Cedar ARE both complicated characters with different yet troubled childhoods. Neglected by her mother, Lore is haunted by a death she feels she could have prevented. The grief and the guilt still weigh heavy on her shoulders. Cedar’s path to adulthood was never smooth, but the vicious attack of his older brother is something he and his family still deal with on a daily basis. However, Lore and Cedar have always had each other; whether friends, lovers or FBI colleagues. Less so recently following an FBI raid gone wrong and Lore’s detachment from the bureau. But it’s clear to the reader that these two people have a strong bond distance and time cannot break. I thought the relationship between the two characters was fascinating.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Those Who Return is a wonderfully atmospheric novel which I enjoyed reading. The characters were all well-drawn and interesting. The plot moved at a steady pace to its thrilling conclusion which I admit, I did see coming but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all. I enjoyed the time I spent with Those Who Return and would pick up another psychological suspense novel by this author without a second thought. Recommended.

[Jessica Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://jessjustreads.com

Kassandra Montag’s Those Who Return is a psychological thriller exploring guilt and redemption within a desolate and remote landscape. Largely taking place inside a mysterious treatment facility, with nowhere to run these characters are forced to accept their fate within the confined walls of this facility.

Protagonist Lore is a physiatrist at the facility, working with disadvantaged children until they are ready to return to their home. Some are evidently more trouble than others — manipulative bullies that prey on the younger children in the group. And so when one, and then two, children end up murdered on the grounds of the facility, there is a long list of potential suspects.

“I hoped it was nothing more than a shadow that had startled her. Carly was scared of everything, so anything could set her off. She was so terrified of going outside that she sometimes wore paper bags over her head.”

Those Who Return features a large suite of characters, which kept me guessing right until the end. I didn’t feel an ounce of predictability about this story, and thought Kassandra brought a unique offering to the psychological thriller genre.

The secluded and remote setting deliberately feels claustrophobic for the reader, building tension and pace with each chapter. We know things are going to get worse before they get better. And Lore did feel like a compelling protagonist — as an ex-FBI psychiatrist still reeling from a traumatic death, she had to battle her demons in her to solve the murders in the book. There was certainly enough richness to her character to carry through the book and keep the story feeling multi-dimensional.

“I reached out and touched her arm and she trembled against my hand, her whole body vibrating like a harpsichord that’d been plucked. She gripped a single tomato so tightly that its juice dripped to the dirt floor in soft plops.”

Whilst the story is a bit slow to start, I did like the time that Kassandra dedicated to setting up the backstory, the characterisation and the dynamic between the children. It allows for an enriched plot and does help the reader later on when the events grow chaotic and start to spiral out of control.

Admittedly, I did feel like Cedar’s presence in the novel felt underdeveloped — his connection to Lore was strong, but he got swallowed by the other characters in the book and I couldn’t help but feel like he was too forgettable.

“Other people couldn’t stop the hallucinations, so what was the point in telling them? Everyone lives with things: obsessions, tragedies, disruptive thoughts. I wanted to believe everything could be treated for all people, but knew there were limits, or at least, limits for me.”

Tense and fast-paced, Those Who Return is recommended for readers of mystery and psychological thriller. Readership skews 25+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery. Not predictable.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those Who Return is a slow burn crime thriller set in the Great Plains of Nebraska. Here we find Hatchery House, a psychiatric hospital for abandoned children who need help. Dr Lore Webber an Ex-FBI psychiatrist know works at Hatchery House. When a young boy goes missing and murders start to take place. Dr Webber tries to get to the bottom of the mysterious case with help from her childhood friend and ex work colleague. Is it someone at the house doing terrible things or is it someone outside of the house. Have I mentioned that this place is secluded?

I found the story to be a slow burn in most parts of the book but I did enjoy the creepy location, learning about Lore’s past and the character building. I will be honest I did not enjoy the ending but we did get closure on the story. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Hachettte Australia for sending me a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the concept of the book and the plot but found it difficult to read and keep my attention. I had to keep going back to it. But I am glad that I read it, as it certainly was different.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

[Sarah Cole]

We follow Dr Lorelei Webber, a former FBI psychiatrist who now works at Hatchery House - this weird, creepy treatment centre for abandoned children. When one of her patients is murdered she becomes involved and begins her own investigation into the patients, staff and a local hermit lady, they call Baba Yaga.

Hatchery House is set in an isolated region of Nebraska and this only adds to the eerie atmosphere of this spooky asylum. The setting, alongside some peculiar staff makes for a creepy, creepsville vibe.

This is a short, fast paced read with oddball characters popping up here and there and you're constantly wondering who is responsible - is it the staff, the patients or someone else entirely?

A real horror story vibe here with some strange characters to creep you out.

Thank -you Hachette Books for sending me this to read and review.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounding up to three stars.


I struggled with this one,I don't mind admitting.
From the beginning I could get no sense of the size of the house,the amount and ages of the children there... meaning I couldn't set the scene in my head.
Too many vague references that for me,took too long to explain.
From that point,I could never fully get into it.
I read through to the end,as I needed to know the how and the why.
Wrong person for this book I believe.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am always drawn to brightly coloured hardback books that smell new and make a crisp flutter as you turn the page, I bought it second had for a mere £1.50 without looking up the average scores, reading the 'blurb' in the cover piqued my interest - for the last 20 years I have worked for the NHS as a MH nurse supporting patients with a mental health crisis so this one seemed up my street. Let me share some words that I found described this novel - dark, claustrophobic, tortured (in the sense of the mind), introspective, broken souls both children and adults with PTSD. The setting in the wilds of Nebraska (never been so assuming its wild in Parts). I manged 150 pages and realised it was a slow read, I felt depressed and annoyed at the professional psychiatrists who expected their patients the children to open up about their traumas without the slightest understanding and refusal to face their own demons; 'know thy self' comes to mind - to look deeply into ones self to really understand who I am. Supporting my patients I have to know myself, all the nooks and crannies' that hide my deepest horrors, if I don't know these how can I expect my patients to take what I say as a 'truth'.
You can feel Kassandra's writing style captures her poetic side with some nice descriptive sentences,
' The world is a fun house mirror giving off a reflection of myself that didn't mimic my body. and
'When I'd first shaken hands with Helen, her gentle grip had been like a dead bird about to spill from my palm'.
The characters were flawed like 'real' people but I couldn't get near them to love them even a little so I didn't care to keep my own sanity safe and stopped reading retuning the book to the same store I purchased it from hoping that others would take it up, enjoy and give praise for Kassandra's 'Those who Return' to morose for me.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of Those Who Return, a stand-alone psychological thriller set mostly in rural Nebraska in 2007.

Lorelei “Lore” Webber is a psychiatrist working at Hatchery House, a home for troubled teenagers. She used to work for the FBI and finds she needs those skills when one of the residents is murdered. What she uncovers in the course of the investigation is shocking and leads her back into the secrets of her past.

I found that Those Who Return was difficult to navigate and it never held my attention for long. This is a shame as the concept is both excellent and unusual and it is great at building tension. There is a good plot in there, it just gets lost in the execution.

To me, the problem with the novel lies with Lore and her first person point of view narrative. It could be said that it is done realistically as her mind darts from the present to past memories as it makes connections, much as many of us do, but in fiction it makes the read disjointed and a bit disorienting. I also think this means that her thoughts are not fully formed and it leaves the reader searching for meaning and making assumptions. It’s all a bit woolly. Then there is her mental state. Deep trauma from her past, which is only gradually revealed over the course of the novel, makes her distrustful of others, uneasy is company and has certain physical manifestations. It’s very difficult to see her as a reliable narrator and begs the question of how she ever managed to become a registered psychiatrist.

Those Who Return is outside of my comfort zone, but it will probably appeal to those who like a more character based, psychological read.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hatchery House is a home for orphaned or abandoned children with psychiatric disorders, having been a church, an asylum and an orphanage it is haunted by its past. Lore Webber, is a former FBI psychiatrist is now based there and the novel is told from her pov.
Throughout the novel we slip between the present day and the past via Lore's memories. as various actions trigger her. I found that the slipping between different times meant that some times the pacing was a lot faster than at others.
When a child goes missing and another one is murdered Lore is trying to figure out who is responsible.
At some point everybody is a suspect; the crazy neighbour Oxsana Sussel (my favourite character), other staff members, other children. Anyone could have been responsible.

[beth.inprogress · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the remote desert planes of Nebraska, the story follows Lorie a FBI Psychiatrist. She has been sent to Hatchery House to help treat abandoned children with psychiatric disorders. But when her patients start dying it’s up to Lorie to find out who within the walls of Hatchery House is committing these murders!!

This book was slow at first but then became more fast paced and hypnotic at the end! I found the remote landscape a creepy setting all of its own. I would recommend to thriller fans and readers who enjoy police procedural stories or twisty mysteries!

Thanks to the author Kassandra Montag, the publisher Quercus Books and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Allie Byott]

Dr Lorelei (Lore) Webber works as psychotherapist at a childrens facility in the wilderness in Nebraska called Hatchery House. One day the murder of one of her patients sees the place turned upside down and all kinds of abuse and shocking discoveries are made after she’s dragged into the investigation by former partner and friend Cedar. She is forced to confront past events she has spent her life running from.
This book is quite dark but very intriguing. It keeps you guessing at every moment. I would recommend it although at times I found it very slow going.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest views and opinions

[Aria Harlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have both positives and negatives about this book. I liked the idea of the storyline and I think it sounded so interesting and i thought I would be gripped by this book. In some ways I was I was gripped by the storyline and needing to kno what happened. However I found the writing style to be hard to get into and that some things felt cvlunky and over explained whilst others felt like they were skimmed over.
The biggest negative for me though was that the ending felt like it was hurried and fell flat to me personally. I would still read more by this author again though.

[Louise Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot to keep track of as you get to know the characters and the context of the house and its surrounding town. Plenty of dark and disturbing back story to keep thriller fans engrossed, too. I found the pace ebbed and flowed a bit but enjoyed the use of different times as a means of dividing the book into sections. I had some unanswered questions at the end and wonder if we might see more from the author featuring this context and characters.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Those Who Return by Kassandra Montag.
This was an ok read . I did find it slow in places. I wasn't sure about Lore.
Dr. Lorelei 'Lore' Webber, a former FBI psychiatrist, has almost grown used to the unorthodox methods used at Hatchery House. But when one of her patients is murdered, Lore finds herself dragged into the centre of an investigation. Those was slow then picked up then was slow again. Also I didn't like how the ending was left. Could be better. 2*.

[d humean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling book. This is a book where you have to pay attention--so many characters are hiding secrets and have fascinating motivations behind their behaviors. I felt a lot of empathy for many of the characters--esp. Lore, Cedar, Oksana and Ezra. They all had gone through trauma in their past but were trying hard to live a good life in the present. The theme of self-forgiveness fit well with the story. The ending seemed very cinematic.

[Vicky Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to get to grips with this book as it is heavy with psychiatric illnesses and diagnoses, no characters are unaffected which seemed a little too far. It is bleak and dark and moves about in time. I didn’t really warm to the main character as she battled her own demons as well as those of her patients. The end however moved along at a better pace. Overall not bad but wouldn’t be a favourite. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

[Emeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best literary crime novels I've read all year. This is skillfully crafted suspense, with so much tension in every scene. But there is also depth in the characters, as the author examines their inner lives and motivations. This is beautifully written--with a vivid setting and psychological complexity.

[Janaya Kabamba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dont know how I managed to miss this in my tbr pile but I'm very glad I finally got round to it! What a breath of fresh air. Its everything you'd want from a thriller but it's very layered and complex. In parts is seemed slow but it soon picked up the pace again. The setting is captured so vividly and the characters are well written and humanised. A really good read

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this one, but struggled. Didn’t hate it but had trouble following it at times, and there was so much constantly going on. It was a bit much. It’s dark, atmospheric, a slow burn - maybe too slow of a burn? I absolutely loved After the Flood, this felt like it was written by a different author.

[Lesley Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual plot does make you want to read to the end despite feeling there are some gaps in the story. Well written and at times disturbing when one realises the effects of mental illness, not only on the patient but also on those around them.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Premise was great. However, there were times that the continuity was missing. A better edit would have had the flow more consistent and picked up on a few of the inconsistencies throughout.
A murder mystery thriller

[Lisa’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a lot going for it and the first half or so is great. Then it gets a bit lost and totally fizzles out toward the end. Too few characters to make it truly thrilling, I think, and too simple a solution…