Book Review

Brilliant and suspenseful, The Broken Girls is a true nail-biter and a 5 star read!

The Broken Girls ( Release Date: March 20, 2018)

A suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare…

Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants–the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it’s located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming–until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . .

Vermont, 2014. As much as she’s tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past–and a voice that won’t be silenced. . .

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My Thoughts…

Ooh my goosebumps have goosebumps!

This thrilling suspense/ ghost story kicks off with a decades old murder and the main character thinking that perhaps the person doing the time, may not be guilty after all. Her obsession leads her to Idlewild Hall. A creepy boarding school right out of a Victorian gothic novel where “troubled girls” are sent not to get a good education, but to be hidden away from the rest of the world. Very soon our protagonist learns that maybe her poor sister wasn’t the only tragedy connected to the reformatory.

This story captivated me right from the start. It’s superbly written, intense, and the characters are fantastic. I quite liked the protagonist ‘Fiona’ but I especially loved the small group of ‘broken girls’ who attended Idlewild Hall in 1950. Their stories will break your heart, but you will applaud their strength and camaraderie under the most trying (and spooky) of circumstances.

Honestly, I really enjoyed everything about this book! Great characters, chilling plot, and an unexpected paranormal twist… what’s not to love?! You absolutely must read this book! I promise you won’t be disappointed. I warn you though, be prepared for a long night of reading because you will not want to stop once you’ve started reading “The Broken Girls”.

Rating… A+

*Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my digital copy of “The Broken Girls”

Simone St. James