The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
on March 2018Genres: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
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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. . . .
Guys, guys, why did I wait so long to read this book? Boarding school, murder, ghosts, WHAT?
The slow boil of this atmospheric thriller is deeply unsettling, reminding us how powerless young women were and how their fates were usually tied to outside power.
I couldn’t put it down.
The story flips back and forth between present day Fiona’s search for clues about her sister’s murder and the story line of the four girls when the school was a boarding school for out of control ladies. Each story line was intriguing and whenever we flipped back and forth, I was eager to know more of what was happening.
Fiona Sheridan is a journalist and years ago, her sister was murdered and left on the field of Idlewild Hall. In 1950, another girl disappeared from the grounds. Are their stories intertwined? Who is the mysterious ghost who haunts the grounds? Now a new benefactor has decided to reopen Idlewild Hall. What will they find?
This book was such a drug for me. I loved the writing and the tone, the atmosphere and all of the characters. Each girl had a very different voice, which I liked a lot. I loved the setting. It was creepy and dark, whether looking at it form the 1950s perspective of living there or the current abandoned buildings. The ending did not disappoint either. I will be reading more of Simone St. James’s books.
Perfect for this time of year!
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.
