Title: The Broken Girls
Author: Simone St. James
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Edition/Pages: Hardcover, 336 pages
Goodreads page

Synopsis

In 1950, haunted Idlewild Hall was a boarding school for girls no one wanted. Four roommates become friends and share the dark secrets of their pasts. The girls rely on each other to withstand the schools terrors – both real and otherwise. Until one day, one them goes missing…

In 2014, Fiona Sheridan is a journalist who is obsessed with the murder of her older sister. Twenty years ago, her sisters body was found near the now abandoned Idlewild Hall grounds. When Fiona learns that someone plans to restore the school, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery on the grounds leads her to secrets that were meant to stay hidden.

My Review

This book took my total surprise. There were so many story lines and themes I had no idea were going to be part of this. And I loved it. This story does have a subtle paranormal subplot, but I would definitely label this as mystery, not paranormal.

What I Liked

1. This is told in alternating timelines, and I was completely obsessed with the chapters set in 1950. They were so creepy and so mysterious. I was totally invested in that story from page one.
2. There were so many moving parts and subplots in this book and the author handled it really well. Everything came together beautifully and when the story ended, I felt like every loose end was tied.
3. Despite the paranormal aspect, this book actually felt realistic. As a personal preference, I prefer my thrillers to not have outlandish plot twists. I like things to be believable. If you love out there, crazy plot twists, this one might be a little disappointing to you.
4. I loved Sonia’s story line. It was completely unexpected and heartbreaking. I definitely cried during some of her chapters.

What I Didn’t Like

1. I really didn’t like the relationship between Fiona and her cop boyfriend. They had no chemistry and overall their relationship just seemed toxic. Half the time it felt like they were together out of convenience and desire for comfort rather than because they actually liked each other in any way.

This was a great spooky, mystery. I’m usually not a huge paranormal fan, so I’m glad I found a mildly paranormal story to sneak in for the month of October. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for an engaging, eerie mystery! This had me hooked from beginning to end.

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