All Good People Here

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: 

                                PopSugar

 
You can’t ever know for sure what happens behind closed doors.

Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January—and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist. But she’s always been haunted by the feeling that it could’ve been her. And the worst part is, January’s killer has never been brought to justice.

When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after he is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she feels like she’s walked into a time capsule. Wakarusa is exactly how she remembers—genial, stifled, secretive. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who’s gone missing under circumstances eerily similar to January’s. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and to solve January’s murder once and for all.

But the police, Natalie’s family, the townspeople—they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie’s disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January’s case feels. Could January’s killer still be out there? Is it the same person who took Natalie? And what will it cost to finally discover what truly happened that night twenty years ago?

Twisty, chilling, and intense, All Good People Here is a searing tale that asks: What are your neighbors capable of when they think no one is watching?

Introduction to Margot’s Life

Margot is introduced as a driven journalist struggling with unresolved trauma about January’s murder.

Catalyst: Margot returns to Wakarusa to care for her uncle, who has dementia.

2. Returning to Wakarusa

Margot’s uneasy feelings about her hometown and her memories of January’s case resurface.

The close-knit, secretive nature of the community is established.

3. Discovery of Natalie’s Disappearance

Margot learns about Natalie Clark, a five-year-old girl who vanished under eerily similar circumstances.

The news stirs Margot’s determination to investigate, despite initial resistance.

4. Margot Starts Investigating

She connects with locals, uncovering whispers about January’s case and Natalie’s disappearance.

5. Interviews and Resistance

Margot interviews January’s family, police officers, and witnesses.

Encounters hostility and secrecy, heightening tension.

6. Strange Clues

Margot discovers a photo of January with an unknown man.

Tension builds as she finds connections between January’s murder and Natalie’s case.

7. Confrontation with the Police

Margot clashes with the local police, who want her to stop digging.

8. A Link Emerges

Margot uncovers a pattern: other girls have gone missing in nearby towns over the past two decades.

9. Personal Threats

Margot’s investigation draws attention; she starts receiving anonymous threats.

10. Breakthrough

Margot finds an old journal belonging to her uncle, revealing cryptic details about January’s murder.

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11. Uncovering the Culprit

Margot pieces together clues, realizing the killer is someone close to the community.

12. The Final Puzzle

A confrontation leads Margot to the truth about what happened to January and Natalie.

13. Climactic Reveal

Margot uncovers the killer and faces a life-threatening situation.

14. Justice and Reflection

The killer is brought to justice.

Margot reflects on the cost of uncovering the truth and what it means for her future.