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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
"She Was the Quiet One" is Michele Campbell's second novel and who is the Sunday Times bestselling author of her debut book "It's Always the Husband". Michele is a new author to me and after reading this gripping book - which literally had me hooked from the first page - I'm now very interested in buying her debut book too.
When fifteen year old twin sisters, Rose and Bel Enright enrol at a prestigious boarding school following their mother's death, it seems an excellent opportunity too good to miss. However, the sisters couldn't be more different and as the school brings out a rivalry between them that even they didn't know existed, along with sinister school rituals and traditions, it can only lead to disaster. When Sarah Donovan's ambitious husband Heath, is offered the job as a teacher at the school, they move their family into the faculty accommodation to become new dorm heads. How well does she know her husband and what lengths would she go to support him? Unfortunately, one dark night ends in murder, who is guilty and who's been keeping secrets?.......'because murderers are never who you expect......'
I was immensely intrigued from the very first chapter, with a girl locked in the school infirmary, telling the reader she can't believe she's being accused of a terrible crime against her twin sister and that no one will come to her defence. From this moment on I found the whole story compelling, gripping and a one I had difficulty putting down.
With raging female teenage hormones and a good looking young male teacher, it's always going to be a disaster waiting to happen. It's easy to see why vulnerable teenagers fall in love with their tutors when they believe they are being led on and in Bel's case having a dishy ambitious teacher as an advisee, while still grieving for her dead mother just leads you into a pit of temptation and deadly secrets.
Odell Academy had a typical boarding school environment for the girls to adjust to, with cliques of unruly students and privileged alumni who have a reputation for being wild and notoriously attracting hangers on. When Bel falls in with a similar group of girls who run a contest on who would seduce the new English teacher first, she falls into very dangerous territory and sadly into violent and vicious arguments with her sister.
This story felt very much like a Young Adult novel when it first started off but then developed into a very mature adult thriller which means it fits the bill for both young and older readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought the layout of the story with live police transcripts from witnesses as the story progressed and getting their thoughts on the events as they happened, made it all the more engrossing. With multiple points of view (which I love), suspense, a tangled web of deceit, scandals, jealously and rivalry, this psychological whodunit has all the hallmarks of a page turning thriller to keep you constantly on your toes throughout. Even the prologue had a surprise twist.
Do I recommend this book, definitely! It's a fast paced, intriguing and exceedingly well written story, exploring abuse, pressure and power in a US boarding school. Just excellent!
Five solid stars!
When fifteen year old twin sisters, Rose and Bel Enright enrol at a prestigious boarding school following their mother's death, it seems an excellent opportunity too good to miss. However, the sisters couldn't be more different and as the school brings out a rivalry between them that even they didn't know existed, along with sinister school rituals and traditions, it can only lead to disaster. When Sarah Donovan's ambitious husband Heath, is offered the job as a teacher at the school, they move their family into the faculty accommodation to become new dorm heads. How well does she know her husband and what lengths would she go to support him? Unfortunately, one dark night ends in murder, who is guilty and who's been keeping secrets?.......'because murderers are never who you expect......'
I was immensely intrigued from the very first chapter, with a girl locked in the school infirmary, telling the reader she can't believe she's being accused of a terrible crime against her twin sister and that no one will come to her defence. From this moment on I found the whole story compelling, gripping and a one I had difficulty putting down.
With raging female teenage hormones and a good looking young male teacher, it's always going to be a disaster waiting to happen. It's easy to see why vulnerable teenagers fall in love with their tutors when they believe they are being led on and in Bel's case having a dishy ambitious teacher as an advisee, while still grieving for her dead mother just leads you into a pit of temptation and deadly secrets.
Odell Academy had a typical boarding school environment for the girls to adjust to, with cliques of unruly students and privileged alumni who have a reputation for being wild and notoriously attracting hangers on. When Bel falls in with a similar group of girls who run a contest on who would seduce the new English teacher first, she falls into very dangerous territory and sadly into violent and vicious arguments with her sister.
This story felt very much like a Young Adult novel when it first started off but then developed into a very mature adult thriller which means it fits the bill for both young and older readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought the layout of the story with live police transcripts from witnesses as the story progressed and getting their thoughts on the events as they happened, made it all the more engrossing. With multiple points of view (which I love), suspense, a tangled web of deceit, scandals, jealously and rivalry, this psychological whodunit has all the hallmarks of a page turning thriller to keep you constantly on your toes throughout. Even the prologue had a surprise twist.
Do I recommend this book, definitely! It's a fast paced, intriguing and exceedingly well written story, exploring abuse, pressure and power in a US boarding school. Just excellent!
Five solid stars!
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder
Minor: Child death, Death of parent
There was this whole part near the end where all the characters were so annoying. There's so much miscommunication between them, and then was just wrapped up so easily. The epilogue was completely unnecessary. But I did finish it, and the beginning really kept you intrigued, so it still gets 3 stars.
mysterious
fast-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
All my reviews can be found at http://jessicasreadingroom.com
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She was the Quiet One is Michele Campbell’s second novel. I hope to read her debut It’s Always the Husband. I enjoyed this novel and read it in a week, which is good for me: I tend to get books read in 10-14 days. The chapters were short and the mystery kept me reading wanting to know how the novel was going to end. From page one you know that one of the twin girls is dead due to murder; we just don’t know which one. This was the way to pull you in!
Boarding schools make for great settings: There is always a lack of supervision and the kids always seem to get away with so much and trouble is always lurking somewhere. There was one thing I could not get over throughout the novel: No locks on the bedroom doors at all?!?!? I found that highly unbelievable as that is just asking for trouble (which happens).
Bel and her sister Rose are fraternal twins and very different girls. I liked both of them, and they really are Yin and Yang: Total opposites but still care for each other as they are all they have left…. Until they get to Odell Academy. As I read I was wondering what was going to happen to break that seemingly unbreakable ‘twin bond’.
"I was constantly wondering which twin was going to be murdered; I kept going back and forth between Bel and Rose." I really had no idea which one it was going to be, as both could have been described as ‘the quiet one’ in their own individual way.
There are many secrets held by many characters throughout the novel. You also see how cruel kids can be to each other.
The mystery of the killer's identity was a predictable one for me. I was hoping for a twist surprise but it became obvious that was not the direction the novel was going to go. As it was predictable for me, the last act of the novel was anti-climactic. BUT then we have that epilogue…… It brings everything together and everything makes sense.
I enjoyed She was the Quiet One and look forward to reading more by Campbell. Special thanks to St Martin’s Press who sent me an arc copy along with a tote bag for It’s Always the Husband via a Goodreads giveaway.
She was the Quiet One is recommended.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She was the Quiet One is Michele Campbell’s second novel. I hope to read her debut It’s Always the Husband. I enjoyed this novel and read it in a week, which is good for me: I tend to get books read in 10-14 days. The chapters were short and the mystery kept me reading wanting to know how the novel was going to end. From page one you know that one of the twin girls is dead due to murder; we just don’t know which one. This was the way to pull you in!
Boarding schools make for great settings: There is always a lack of supervision and the kids always seem to get away with so much and trouble is always lurking somewhere. There was one thing I could not get over throughout the novel: No locks on the bedroom doors at all?!?!? I found that highly unbelievable as that is just asking for trouble (which happens).
Bel and her sister Rose are fraternal twins and very different girls. I liked both of them, and they really are Yin and Yang: Total opposites but still care for each other as they are all they have left…. Until they get to Odell Academy. As I read I was wondering what was going to happen to break that seemingly unbreakable ‘twin bond’.
"I was constantly wondering which twin was going to be murdered; I kept going back and forth between Bel and Rose." I really had no idea which one it was going to be, as both could have been described as ‘the quiet one’ in their own individual way.
There are many secrets held by many characters throughout the novel. You also see how cruel kids can be to each other.
The mystery of the killer's identity was a predictable one for me. I was hoping for a twist surprise but it became obvious that was not the direction the novel was going to go. As it was predictable for me, the last act of the novel was anti-climactic. BUT then we have that epilogue…… It brings everything together and everything makes sense.
I enjoyed She was the Quiet One and look forward to reading more by Campbell. Special thanks to St Martin’s Press who sent me an arc copy along with a tote bag for It’s Always the Husband via a Goodreads giveaway.
She was the Quiet One is recommended.
The synopsis for She Was the Quiet One drew me in right away.
It might be because I wished once upon a time that I could have gone to a snooty boarding school, complete with preppy boys and smoldering hot English teachers.
It's just that all these movies and books and tv shows make it seem like it would be so awesome--until someone has to go and get themselves murdered.
I should tell you straight away that I usually expect these types of books to be terrible. You know... trashy, but deliciously so--like reality television. I also expected this to be a YA title, but I was wrong on both counts.
This is a well written book, with some well developed characters and some predictable, shallow characters. The story itself was believable and had enough mystery that although you could probably figure out pretty early on who the murderer was, it may have taken you a little longer to figure out who the murdered was.
Twin sisters Bel and Rose were at the center of the novel and their characters and motives were well-fleshed out. I especially liked how easy it was to empathize with each girl when the story was being told from her point of view.
I think we were meant to empathize with Sarah as well, but that was hard for me because she is written as a strong, smart female role model, but her actions are not congruent with who she is supposed to be.
Heath was the least believable character. I actually felt at times that he was a parody of a young, hot boarding school teacher, with very little to actually root for him about.
This is probably one of the best tropey boarding school books I have ever read. (Never Let Me Go being the reference point I use for best.)
She Was the Quiet One is a solid four out of five stars. Pick up your copy on July 31st.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.
It might be because I wished once upon a time that I could have gone to a snooty boarding school, complete with preppy boys and smoldering hot English teachers.
It's just that all these movies and books and tv shows make it seem like it would be so awesome--until someone has to go and get themselves murdered.
I should tell you straight away that I usually expect these types of books to be terrible. You know... trashy, but deliciously so--like reality television. I also expected this to be a YA title, but I was wrong on both counts.
This is a well written book, with some well developed characters and some predictable, shallow characters. The story itself was believable and had enough mystery that although you could probably figure out pretty early on who the murderer was, it may have taken you a little longer to figure out who the murdered was.
Twin sisters Bel and Rose were at the center of the novel and their characters and motives were well-fleshed out. I especially liked how easy it was to empathize with each girl when the story was being told from her point of view.
I think we were meant to empathize with Sarah as well, but that was hard for me because she is written as a strong, smart female role model, but her actions are not congruent with who she is supposed to be.
Heath was the least believable character. I actually felt at times that he was a parody of a young, hot boarding school teacher, with very little to actually root for him about.
This is probably one of the best tropey boarding school books I have ever read. (Never Let Me Go being the reference point I use for best.)
She Was the Quiet One is a solid four out of five stars. Pick up your copy on July 31st.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.
A quick, easy thriller with some solid “good twin/bad twin” antics. The book starts with a flash forward: one of the sisters is dead. But which one? And who is the killer? The mystery is fun and the cast of characters is generally terrible, so you could say most characters would have motive. It definitely kept me turning pages because I so badly wanted to find out “whodunnit” (I read it in a day), but it was a little predictable. It would have benefitted from a big twist, but instead, I saw it all coming pretty early on. Despite being a tad predictable and a bit repetitive, it was a fun journey through the lives of terrible, rich boarding school baddies :)
