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morethanmylupus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
What happened to the 3 girls who disappeared one night on their way home - and what does the 4th girl who was left behind know?
I enjoyed this thriller. It kept me guessing for a fair chunk of the book. The POV is mostly between Olivia, the girl left behind, and a journalist who's come to town twenty years after the disappearance to do a story on the mystery. I liked both of their characters, but particularly the journalist, Jenna, was compelling.
I think this could have been a 4 star book for me if some things hadn't gotten in the way. For one, we suddenly get some flashbacks to a different group of people in the middle of the book. This was distracting and also gave away a lot of the mystery. For another, some the answer to the mystery of where the girls were was underwhelming although the mystery of why it happened was more interesting.
I enjoyed this thriller. It kept me guessing for a fair chunk of the book. The POV is mostly between Olivia, the girl left behind, and a journalist who's come to town twenty years after the disappearance to do a story on the mystery. I liked both of their characters, but particularly the journalist, Jenna, was compelling.
I think this could have been a 4 star book for me if some things hadn't gotten in the way. For one, we suddenly get some flashbacks to a different group of people in the middle of the book. This was distracting and also gave away a lot of the mystery. For another, some the answer to the mystery of where the girls were was underwhelming although the mystery of why it happened was more interesting.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use
hematthews's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Death, Murder, and Drug use
Moderate: Gaslighting and Stalking
ynaiita_5896's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This thriller is a nail biting, suspenseful read, packed with plot twists. The small town lends a perfect eerie atmosphere adding to the overall mystique of the storyline. The multiple POV and dual timeline help in creating a sense of urgency to unravel the truth behind the disappearance of three young girls who had their whole lives ahead of them.
I normally tend to dislike plots led by main characters that are detectives or journalists looking to unveil a mystery. This is usually because they tend to be unlovable characters. However, Jenna was believable. Her personal situation seemed irrelevant to the story but added colour to her personality.
I normally tend to dislike plots led by main characters that are detectives or journalists looking to unveil a mystery. This is usually because they tend to be unlovable characters. However, Jenna was believable. Her personal situation seemed irrelevant to the story but added colour to her personality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
georg_11's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, and Physical abuse
arielleluana's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, Death, and Infidelity
lillyrose97's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Drug use
tnb10's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Child death
Minor: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Drug use
kyahs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Death
what_heather_loves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
"Something really odd is going on around here. I don't believe it's mystical or supernatural, whatever some of the locals think. But I do believe it's calculated and linked to the events surrounding Olivia's three missing friends."
Present day and Manchester journalist Jenna Halliday, making a podcast for the BBC, is visiting the small Wiltshire town of Stafferbury, to investigate the disappearance of three teenage girls, twenty years ago. Recently separated from husband Gavin, she's left their ten year old son, Finn, with him and her mother. She's staying in a cabin in the forest and soon befriends the local police detective, Dale who's been assigned the cold case. A new death springs the case wide open.
Olivia Rutherford lives and works with her mother at the family stables; she doesn't know her father, he's never been in her life. The only survivor of a car accident on 'The Devil's Corridor', a lonely road that splits a supposedly haunted forest and runs near to the historic standing stones, it's an area many locals believe is cursed by mystical and supernatural incidents. The car accident saw her three friends, Sally, Tamzin and Hetty, disappear, leaving Olivia the only survivor, which damaged her physically and mentally. Vulnerable, she is over-reliant on manipulative childhood sweetheart, Wes.
Stacey, boyfriend JeanPaul and their friends are on the holiday of a lifetime in a luxurious villa in Bangkok. They're staying with JP's mysteriously wealthy friend, Derrek, who he seems to be beholden too.
Switching between present day (Jenna and Olivia) twenty years ago (Olivia) and an unspecified other time period (Stacey) has women at the centre of this mysterious tale. It's one of those novels that pulls you in, wanting to unravel the mystery with likeable Jenna. As the reader gets to know Olivia and her circumstances, it's good to see her and Jenna team up. The rural and supposedly mystic setting, with plenty of local characters is atmospheric and the pacey plot with cliff hangers shocks makes for a page-turner. As with the author's previous, The Couple at No9, this is a tense and creepy mystery, making for a great read.
Present day and Manchester journalist Jenna Halliday, making a podcast for the BBC, is visiting the small Wiltshire town of Stafferbury, to investigate the disappearance of three teenage girls, twenty years ago. Recently separated from husband Gavin, she's left their ten year old son, Finn, with him and her mother. She's staying in a cabin in the forest and soon befriends the local police detective, Dale who's been assigned the cold case. A new death springs the case wide open.
Olivia Rutherford lives and works with her mother at the family stables; she doesn't know her father, he's never been in her life. The only survivor of a car accident on 'The Devil's Corridor', a lonely road that splits a supposedly haunted forest and runs near to the historic standing stones, it's an area many locals believe is cursed by mystical and supernatural incidents. The car accident saw her three friends, Sally, Tamzin and Hetty, disappear, leaving Olivia the only survivor, which damaged her physically and mentally. Vulnerable, she is over-reliant on manipulative childhood sweetheart, Wes.
Stacey, boyfriend JeanPaul and their friends are on the holiday of a lifetime in a luxurious villa in Bangkok. They're staying with JP's mysteriously wealthy friend, Derrek, who he seems to be beholden too.
Switching between present day (Jenna and Olivia) twenty years ago (Olivia) and an unspecified other time period (Stacey) has women at the centre of this mysterious tale. It's one of those novels that pulls you in, wanting to unravel the mystery with likeable Jenna. As the reader gets to know Olivia and her circumstances, it's good to see her and Jenna team up. The rural and supposedly mystic setting, with plenty of local characters is atmospheric and the pacey plot with cliff hangers shocks makes for a page-turner. As with the author's previous, The Couple at No9, this is a tense and creepy mystery, making for a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Child death
Moderate: Gaslighting
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