Search History

A Novel

By: Amy Taylor

Narrated by: Maddy Withington

“Curious about a new guy, Ana falls into a social media sinkhole when she sees her predecessor: gorgeous, blonde, and dead. . . . This propulsive debut will give you chills.”—People (Best Books Fall 2023)

“A serious blend of Fleabag and Rebecca with the pulse of modern-day existence.”—Weike Wang, author of Joan Is Okay

Can you scroll your way to the truth?

After Ana flees to Melbourne in the wake of a breakup, all she has to show for herself is an unfulfilling job and one particularly questionable dating app experience. Then she meets Evan: the old-fashioned way, at a bar. Charming, kind, and responsible, Evan is a complete deviation from her usual type. Ana tries to let their relationship unfold IRL, but she can’t resist the urge to find him online. When she discovers that his previous girlfriend died in a hit-and-run, Ana begins to worry that she’s living in the shadow of his lost love. The more Ana learns about Evan’s past, the more questions she has: Was his last relationship as perfect as it looks online? And why won’t he talk about it?

Perceptive and original, full of both pathos and humor, Search History explores the uncertainties of twenty-first-century romance. Ana’s journey down the internet rabbit hole of modern dating asks the question: Which is our “true” self—the one we show to the world online, or the one we keep to ourselves?

©2023 Amy Taylor (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Curious about a new guy, Ana falls into a social media sinkhole when she sees her predecessor: gorgeous, blonde, and dead. If you’ve ever obsessed over a partner’s ex, this propulsive debut will give you chills.” —People, “Best Books Fall 2023”

“[A] sharp and pacy cautionary tale for the extremely online . . . As the protagonist of this compulsive debut discovers, you click at your own risk.” —The Guardian

“[An] astute debut . . . funny, keenly observed, and, at times, painfully relatable. Taylor’s willingness to hold up a mirror to cringe-worthy impulses make her a writer to keep tabs on.” —Publishers Weekly

So wonderfully and horribly relatable at the same time!

I was really surprised by this book! I went into it expecting a kind of rom-com, that is, a story not to be taken too seriously. But instead I got a story that felt brutally honest and had me looking inward at myself and examining my own habits and feelings in relationships. The main character isn’t shy to explore her questionable actions and be honest about her motivations. It felt like looking in a mirror a lot of the time. Her behaviors and decisions felt very relatable, on a cerebral level if nothing else. Personally, I felt a little like this book motivated me to do a little shadow work and face some of my own questionable behaviors and motivations in relationships. That’s a very personal response to this book, and despite what it may sound like lol, I did very much enjoy this story! I liked its brutal and, often times, uncomfortable but oh-so-relatable honesty. It was not a shallow story, like many rom-coms often feel. But you can’t even put it in that category, I realize. It’s more of a serious story, I felt. It had depth. I think the author did a fantastic job!

Much ado about very little

I did like elements of this book, but ultimately I didn't think there was much of a payoff compared to where I thought the book was going.

Without any spoilers, the way the "climax" got there in the end felt very rushed and unsatisfying. I really did think there was going to be a big twist at the end, but alas there was not much there.

I don't think that I would recommend this book to a friend.