A great novel which blends the present and the past perfectly. Hints of the supernatural but does not force events in the real world that way.

I really enjoyed the book. Loved the story plot and twists. Approachable characters, realistic situations. Some descriptions or story „fillers” were tiny bit too long, but in overall - very good book and I’d read more by the author. Thank you, great job!

I have had this book waiting to read for FAR too long, and now I have no idea why I waited! A brilliantly plotted and real rollercoaster of a read, encompassing Ravensbrück (a Nazi concentration camp), a girls boarding school with stories from 1950, a murder in 1994 and the life of a journalist in 2014, tie in a ghost story and mysterious happenings and you have a belter of a read.

We follow mainly two timelines, 1950 and 2014 with a variety of narrators from each time. I felt like this started out as two separate and seemingly unrelated stories, developing into even more strands, each fascinating in their own way.

Fiona is a brilliantly crafted main character, whose journalistic mind and determination to make sense of the murder of her sister, twenty years ago, keep her as focused as the reader on solving the mysteries and danger which surround her. My heart was in my mouth at several points and I found it hard to put the book form.

How Simone St.James managed to hold all the details together and twist them so tightly together to form this pulse-raising read, is beyond me!

This story is a fascinating read and just keeps giving more, even when you think everything has been tied up. Just read it!

I really wanted to like this book as the premise of a 'creepy ghost story set in an old boarding school' combined with a 'dual timeline murder mystery' was completely in my wheelhouse. Unfortunately, despite several attempts, I struggled to connect with the book and didn't manage to make it past the first third.

I think I expected the book to be more of a supernatural mystery but, whilst The Broken Girls does have those elements, stylistically it's definitely a thriller. As a result, I think my expectations going into the novel didn't match up to the content, which might explain my failure to connect with it.

Going by the reviews, it's clear a lot of other readers loved this book but, sadly, it just wasn't right for me.

An absolute page Turner. I cannot wait to read another from St. James. Truly brilliant. Recommend highly and will definitely read the next!

I enjoyed this book as it was part mystery/part ghost story. I liked how you heard from different people in the different time lines and how the two timelines came together.. there was a shock I was not expecting but glad the stories came to a conclusion.

Idlewild Hall is a boarding school for illegitimate or troubled girls.
Four roommates are friends then one disappears. Fiona a journalist decides to write a story on Idlewild Hall when she hears that it is being restored. Twenty years ago her sister’s body was found near the ruins of Idlewood. Delving into the case she discovers the renovations link to secrets from the past.
Starts as a spooky ghost story and into a murder mystery. I love a good ghost story and this book was rated really highly but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

This was an incredible book weaving two timelines together perfectly. Not often can a write tell a study so seamlessly from the point of view if several characters but this author can. I loved this story.

Read October 2020

For a while I wasn't sure what to rate this book as everything seemed very disjointed. Part thriller, part ghost story and part holocaust story all told in dual timeline format.

Some of the writing style was a bit odd for the themes as well. There was an over-emphasis on how pretty certain characters were and a strange amount of time dedicated to how how the main character - Fiona's - boyfriend was and the lead up to their sexual relations.

All that aside the story was compelling and drew me in and I wanted to know what happened. Everything ended up weaving together very neatly and cleverly and I really appreciate the thought and effort that went into crafting the story. There was one element at the end that was kind of skimmed over and we never found out the outcome for definite.

I'd never heard of this author, but I will seek out her books in future. This is a creepy mystery, and the background of Idlewild School is pleasingly dark. Highly recommended.

I loved The Broken Girls. It was a real hand over your mouth, heart stopping read that leaves you wanting more. A brilliant read for late at night.

Well I was not expecting that! An interesting book that delves into the history of Idlewild, a school for ‘problem’ girls in 1950s Vermont - coupled with the tragic murder of the sister of the main character some [20] years earlier ... add to that the investigations by the main character, Fiona into the school where her sister’s body was found...

Some great characters, and interesting interconnections between the modern day story of someone renovating the school, Fiona’s investigations into Deb’s murder and her relationship with Jamie, a policeman.

I must admit that I very nearly gave up on this book. Whilst I love books set in schools - and particularly boarding schools - I found this rather slow to start. I picked it up and put it down several times. But unlike other slow burners, TBG got to me... and I was drawn in by its secrets and its characters. All in all an interesting and intriguing book which shows how far modern society has come from that in the 1950s...

A thought-provoking read - I particularly liked the boarding school scenes and was less taken with the modern day unfurling. 3.5* from me.

Mysteries wrapped in mysteries, a spooky, chilling story with an interesting plot well worthing reading it you can get on board with its slightly far-fetched ending.

The rural setting combined with mysteries of a boarding creates a perfectly claustrophobic eerie atmospheric setting. You get that uneasy feeling in your stomach.

The characters are drawn so vividly you easily become invested in their stories and the girls are so different and written with such depth you can picture them all individually, they don't just blur into one character. As the twists and turns pile up so does your sense of dread.

I'm not a massive fan of supernatural books but the ghost story here is like icing on a cake to the suspense, it's not the justification of the spooky goings-on it just adds another element. Which in this case I found it really intriguing and very creepy.

It missed out on 5 stars because one of the stories threads feels overdone and out of the blue for me and it seemed a bit unnecessary to me. That being said it is still a gripping, haunting story and a wonderful piece of escapism.

Thanks to Netgalley & Headline for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

This book received quite some hype!

I read this book and believed that it deserves every bit of hype that it gets!

It has great twists and turns throughout and kept me right on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed this book.

It took me a while to get into this but I’m glad I persevered. Alternating between 1950 and 2014 the story uncovers itself. We meet four girls in a boarding school, all with their own stories of how they ended up there in 1950 and Fiona in 2014 whose sisters body was found years before in the now deserted grounds of the same school. In the mix is a ghost story too and all in this small town. Some of the closest relationships will be torn apart and laid bare before it all ends

Atmosphere, chilling, suspense - these are just some of the words that spring to mind when thinking about this book. From the first chapter you are left with wonder and mystery, as each story unravelled I found my reading was getting quicker and quicker.

The ghost element was really interesting and although I wasn't sure at first I actually really enjoyed the way Simone St James had included Mary Hand and her story.

I received a copy from Netgalley.

I love boarding school mysteries. Especially ones where there is a mix of past and present. The mystery of this one was what caught my interest in the synopsis. A journalist who can’t get over the murder of her older sister at an exclusive boarding school is still haunted by the brutal crime. Still stalking the grounds of the now closed school.

And discovers a body in a well. On the same grounds. To make things worse…the school is reopening.

The present chapters are the main character Fiona investigating, still troubled by her sister’s death, despite the fact that the culprit was caught and imprisoned and remains in prison. She seems to think there was something more to it. Despite being told to let it go. Of course, she won’t. Her police officer boyfriend seems to be slowly losing patience with her obsessiveness into this murder.

The past chapters tell the stories of a group of girls who all attended the boarding school in the 1950s. The school was a stowaway place for unwanted girls – from a mix of poor families and wealthy ones with secret daughters they wanted to keep hidden. The teachers were all cruel, the rules were strict, and there were frightening stories of a ghost haunting the grounds and the buildings. There was at atmosphere of mystery, gloom and unpleasantness. The girls in one dorm all around the same age, were all very different yet managed to bond and eventually share secrets.

One of them disappears.

Fast forward to modern times and Fiona’s investigation. She’s a journalist and convinces her boss to let her write a story on the upcoming revival and reopening of the school, allowing her more freedom to dig into the events surrounding her sister’s death and subsequently the discovery of the dead girl in the well.

To be perfectly honest I really didn’t care much about Fiona or her side of the story. She was likeable enough, but everything felt just a bit bland and cardboard cut-out. She reminded me of the same sort of journalist I’ve seen in TV movies – strong willed and independent, smart in some circumstances but irritating in others. Obsessive where she doesn’t need to be which of course leads to discovering secrets that dangerous people want to keep hidden and will go to any lengths to make sure things stay that way.

What really interested me was the 1950s story of the girls at the school, their histories and secrets and how they came together, the mystery when one of them disappeared. There were no obvious suspects which didn’t help matters. And the body went undiscovered for so many years. The more Fiona digs in the more unanswered questions she finds. What leads to the truth is was really surprising.

There was a good sense of atmosphere and mystery, and the plot was fairly fast paced and made for a pretty good page turner. The writing was good, and made the story flow really well and easy to picture and disappear into the narrative. While I’ve already said I didn’t care for the main character, I still really enjoyed the book. I always find it a mark of a really good book when I don’t like half the characters but still really enjoy the story. I would definitely pick up something else by the same author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for approving my request to view the title.

A seriously creepy, ghost story which sent shivers down my spine and kept me gripped throughout the story.

Perfect for those who love Pretty Little Liars. It’s an intriguing mystery that will keep many people on the edge of their seats. I struggled with the dual narrative more than I thought I would, but it didn’t stop me from reading.

I couldn’t wait to read this book after hearing so many people talking about it but unfortunately I was left disappointed.

The premise of the story was brilliant and could have led to a much more thrilling story. The fact that this book is branded as w thriller is misleading, I’d say it’s a mystery.

The writing was very long and drawn out. The story probably could have been written just as well in two thirds of the book. The characters themselves were believable but I had to force myself to finish this book. Sadly disappointed.

I received a free arc from netgalley.co.uk in exchange for an honest review.