• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (August 2, 2016)
From a bright new talent comes a riveting psychological thriller about an American exchange student in France involved in a suspicious accident, and the journalist determined to break the story and uncover the dark secrets a small town is hiding.
On a quiet summer morning, seventeen-year-old American exchange student Quinn Perkins stumbles out of the woods near the small French town of St. Roch. Barefoot, bloodied, and unable to say what has happened to her, Quinn’s appearance creates quite a stir, especially since the Blavettes—the French family with whom she’s been staying—have mysteriously disappeared. Now the media, and everyone in the idyllic village, are wondering if the American girl had anything to do with her host family’s disappearance.
Though she is cynical about the media circus that suddenly forms around the girl, Boston journalist Molly Swift cannot deny she is also drawn to the mystery and travels to St. Roch. She is prepared to do anything to learn the truth, including lying so she can get close to Quinn. But when a shocking discovery turns the town against Quinn and she is arrested for the murders of the Blavette family, she finds an unlikely ally in Molly.
As a trial by media ensues, Molly must unravel the disturbing secrets of the town’s past in an effort to clear Quinn’s name, but even she is forced to admit that the American Girl makes a very compelling murder suspect. Is Quinn truly innocent and as much a victim as the Blavettes—or is she a cunning, diabolical killer intent on getting away with murder…?
Told from the alternating perspectives of Molly, as she’s drawn inexorably closer to the truth, and Quinn’s blog entries tracing the events that led to her accident, The American Girl is a deliciously creepy, contemporary, twisting mystery leading to a shocking conclusion.
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About Kate Horsley
Kate Horsley’s first novel, The Monster’s Wife, was shortlisted for the Scottish First Book of the Year Award. Her poems and short fiction have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Best British Crime Stories. She coedits Crimeculture, a site dedicated to crime fiction and film offering articles, reviews, and interviews with writers.Find out more about Kate at her website, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Google+.
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My Thoughts:
I have to say it's quite funny how I've gone from not really being a fan of this type of genre, to really enjoying it now.
I've been lucky to review quite a few good mystery and thriller books the past few months, and this is another that I am adding to that list of "wow, didn't think I would enjoy it, but actually did".
I found that the story was well told, though I will say that from the beginning I knew immediately who the actual culprit was, so there was never really a sense of whodunnit, there weren't clues being thrown around that led you in different directions and away from the guilty party.
Now that may not be enjoyable for some people, but for me I found it interesting nonetheless. Sometimes it's quite fun to see how the author wraps the story up and manages to keep it entertaining while flat out showing who the bad guy/girl is from the get go.
One of the aspects that did catch my attention, and I think was well brought in, is the influence of social media and the gang mentality and bullying that seems to run rampant. The minute anything is put up online, people become judge and jury without even trying to find out the truth.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Social media makes the world of today a very different place than it was when I was younger. There are some great things about it but there is a very dark side to it as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour!