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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Overall Good book. Interesting twists and turns. Got confusing at times with who was who, though that could have been just me, as I listened to the audio version and may have been distracted at times.
A 70's coming-of-age thriller set in St. Cloud, MN, The Quarry Girls held my interest, was well-written, and accurately reflected the times. As a long-time reader, I appreciate the details the author sprinkles throughout her tales, and she has a keen sense of the human condition.
Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
mysterious
medium-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
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder
Solid 3 rating. Read this book as an audio book and the narrator was fantastic and made me not DNF the book. Overall felt more YA and I was expecting more thriller, not just light suspense.
This a violent tale of murder and deception, not for the faint of heart. I was on edge the entire time I was reading it; the scenes Lourey writes of are dark, hair-raising and graphic. She writes of the details of the true story this book is based on in the opening pages and sets the scene for the pages that follow.
What I liked about this read: Heather is a very brave soul, squarely facing her fears. When no one else seems to be concerned about Beth, Heather, Brenda and Junie, she springs into action. There are numerous twists and turns, revealing strengths and weaknesses of the characters. The quote “You don’t know someone until you really know them” seems appropriate. Underneath it all Lourey is saying that those of the female sex need to stick together, a fitting conclusion in the male dominated town where the exploitation of young women is common. I didn’t find any obvious loose ends or inconsistencies.
In the summer of 1977. Heather Cash, a teenager living in St. Cloud, Minnesota, more specifically in the Pantown neighborhood, where the houses are all connected underneath by tunnels, narrates this story. Her best friends, Maureen and Brenda are both a year older than her. Heather plays the drums, together the threesome make music as a garage band, calling themselves The Girls. Local waitress, Elizabeth McCain goes missing in the early chapters. This should be a warning to the townspeople that something is afoot, but law enforcement dismisses it, claiming that she ran away. Maureen and Brenda are hanging out with older guys, Ed, Ricky, and Ant (Anton), and when they invite Heather to join them at a party at the quarry, she jumps at the chance.
Heather lives a complicated life in a dysfunctional home. Her mother is manic depressive, she has fragile mental state and is completely unreliable. Heather is responsible for making the meals, cleaning up and keeping an eye on her twelve-year-old sister, Junie. The two of them walk on eggshells when their mother is present. Heather’s father is the District Attorney and he works long hours, so he is seldom home. As I neared the end of this read, I was shocked to read about Heather’s family and the truths that she must come to accept.
What I liked about this read: Heather is a very brave soul, squarely facing her fears. When no one else seems to be concerned about Beth, Heather, Brenda and Junie, she springs into action. There are numerous twists and turns, revealing strengths and weaknesses of the characters. The quote “You don’t know someone until you really know them” seems appropriate. Underneath it all Lourey is saying that those of the female sex need to stick together, a fitting conclusion in the male dominated town where the exploitation of young women is common. I didn’t find any obvious loose ends or inconsistencies.
In the summer of 1977. Heather Cash, a teenager living in St. Cloud, Minnesota, more specifically in the Pantown neighborhood, where the houses are all connected underneath by tunnels, narrates this story. Her best friends, Maureen and Brenda are both a year older than her. Heather plays the drums, together the threesome make music as a garage band, calling themselves The Girls. Local waitress, Elizabeth McCain goes missing in the early chapters. This should be a warning to the townspeople that something is afoot, but law enforcement dismisses it, claiming that she ran away. Maureen and Brenda are hanging out with older guys, Ed, Ricky, and Ant (Anton), and when they invite Heather to join them at a party at the quarry, she jumps at the chance.
Heather lives a complicated life in a dysfunctional home. Her mother is manic depressive, she has fragile mental state and is completely unreliable. Heather is responsible for making the meals, cleaning up and keeping an eye on her twelve-year-old sister, Junie. The two of them walk on eggshells when their mother is present. Heather’s father is the District Attorney and he works long hours, so he is seldom home. As I neared the end of this read, I was shocked to read about Heather’s family and the truths that she must come to accept.