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Table of Contents
About the Book
“Time travel, serial killers, and female rage? Yes, please! Carlyn Greenwald's Return to the Scene is a complex, page-turning ride about how far someone will go to discover the truth, no matter the risk. With rich, taut prose, Greenwald keeps the reader in a chokehold until the final reveal." —Sophie Stava, bestselling author of Count My Lies
A pulse-pounding novel in which a modern-day true crime journalist and daughter of the infamous, executed “Bloody Waitress” serial killer wakes up two months before the 1994 killing spree begins. Return to the Scene is a multi-POV high-concept thrill ride, a twist-filled mystery, and, above all else, a mother-daughter book across complex generations of women.
True-crime reporter Daisy Ward has always lived in the dark shadow of her family’s past. Born on death row to Kendra Ward, “The Bloody Waitress” who supposedly killed three men at a truck stop diner in 1994, she’s found it hard to make her own name and life when you’re the daughter of a notorious serial killer.
Now twenty-five, the same age her mother was that fateful summer, Daisy clings to the only connection she has: the books and documentaries about her mother she devours, searching for the one detail everyone else missed. Because Daisy is certain of one thing—her mother didn’t do it.
When a new documentary uncovers fresh evidence, Daisy is determined to finally prove her innocence and heads to the small California town where it all happened to retrace Kendra’s steps. Instead, she finds herself transported back in time, to the very same summer of the killings. Eyebrows are thin, pants are baggy, The Lion King is playing on the big screen…and she's in 1994 with seemingly no time to clear her mother’s name. Daisy wastes no time in finding Kendra, who, fate has it, is looking for a roommate. With her mother now closer than ever, can Daisy save Kendra from her fate? Or will she sacrifice her own future in the process?
A pulse-pounding novel in which a modern-day true crime journalist and daughter of the infamous, executed “Bloody Waitress” serial killer wakes up two months before the 1994 killing spree begins. Return to the Scene is a multi-POV high-concept thrill ride, a twist-filled mystery, and, above all else, a mother-daughter book across complex generations of women.
True-crime reporter Daisy Ward has always lived in the dark shadow of her family’s past. Born on death row to Kendra Ward, “The Bloody Waitress” who supposedly killed three men at a truck stop diner in 1994, she’s found it hard to make her own name and life when you’re the daughter of a notorious serial killer.
Now twenty-five, the same age her mother was that fateful summer, Daisy clings to the only connection she has: the books and documentaries about her mother she devours, searching for the one detail everyone else missed. Because Daisy is certain of one thing—her mother didn’t do it.
When a new documentary uncovers fresh evidence, Daisy is determined to finally prove her innocence and heads to the small California town where it all happened to retrace Kendra’s steps. Instead, she finds herself transported back in time, to the very same summer of the killings. Eyebrows are thin, pants are baggy, The Lion King is playing on the big screen…and she's in 1994 with seemingly no time to clear her mother’s name. Daisy wastes no time in finding Kendra, who, fate has it, is looking for a roommate. With her mother now closer than ever, can Daisy save Kendra from her fate? Or will she sacrifice her own future in the process?
About the Author
Molly Pan
Carlyn Greenwald writes romantic and thrilling page-turners for teens and adults. A film school graduate and former Hollywood lackey, she now works in publishing. She resides in Los Angeles, mourning the loss of ArcLight Cinemas and soaking in the sun with her dogs. Find her online on X (previously known as Twitter) @CarlynGreenwald and Instagram @Carlyn_Gee.
Product Details
- Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press (June 8, 2027)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668221297
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Raves and Reviews
“Time travel, serial killers, and female rage? Yes, please! Carlyn Greenwald's RETURN TO THE SCENE is a complex, page-turning ride about how far someone will go to discover the truth, no matter the risk. With rich, taut prose, Greenwald ratchets up the tension with each chapter, and keeps the reader in a chokehold until the final reveal. RETURN TO THE SCENE is a clever, wholly original thriller that will have you reading late into the night!
— Sophie Stava, author of COUNT MY LIES
“Sets a new golden standard for the feminist thriller. With a plot that fires on all cylinders, characters that pierce you through the heart, and a mind-bending concept that makes good on all of its promises, Greenwald’s adult thriller debut will leave you breathless. "
— Liz Kerin, author of How to Disappear Completely
"With its razor-sharp prose and pulse-pounding pace. Carlyn Greenwald has created a cast of deeply flawed yet irresistible characters you can't help but root for."
— Monika Kim, international bestselling author of The Eyes Are the Best Part
Bookseller Praise
“RETURN TO THE SCENE is an emotional and thought-provoking look at a child's desperate need for a mother - even if that parent is a serial killer. Carlyn Greenwald takes readers back in time as her protagonist seeks the truth behind the murders and her mother's death sentence. This page turner will fuel great book club discussions as well as many late night reading sessions. Prepare to devour it in one sitting.”
— Pamela Klingerhorn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN
" A fast-paced and fresh thriller. A woman is searching for answers in whether or not her mother really is the monster the media wants us to believe. The many twists have the pages of this book pretty much turning themselves!"
— Mary O’Malley, Skylark Bookshop
" Return to the Scene is one of the most clever and wild mother-daughter stories I’ve ever encountered. It has Back to the Future vibes, but throw in a serial killer and a thrilling mystery with twists and turns coming from every direction. A reading experience like no other."
— Maris Herrington, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI
"Return to the Scene is a genre blending thriller, and a truly unhinged ride! Growing up as the child of a notorious serial killer leads Daisy to study criminal justice. She gets the chance of a lifetime when she ends up transported back in time to the 1994 diner where her mother, aka the Bloody Waitress, worked the night shift. Will she be able to prove her mother’s innocence and make it back home alive??"
— Kelli McDonald, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
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