Cover Image: One of the Girls

One of the Girls

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Member Reviews

Another brilliant thriller! Lots of twists and turns which made this a real page turner. The setting was incredible and I really need to visit this fictional island!

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EXCERPT: Later, we would all remember the hen weekend for one reason: because of what happened on the night of the beach fire. Before that, there were good moments - even beautiful ones - like sharing dishes of tzatziki and glistening olives beneath the Greek sun, or laughing till our knees gave way about something that would never be funny if repeated, or dancing barefoot on the lip of the shore.

We mustn't forget those moments.

If we'd been more astute, if we'd listened more closely, if we'd not turned away from her - from ourselves - we could have stopped it. That's what makes this so much worse. We could have changed it.

Now it's too late. It's over. We can never unsee the trail of her red wrap as it fluttered in the morning breeze, caught in the zip of a body bag.

ABOUT 'ONE OF THE GIRLS': It was supposed to be the perfect weekend away. Six very different women travel to a sun-soaked Greek island for a bachelorette trip, to celebrate Lexi’s upcoming wedding. From the glorious ocean views to the quaint tavernas and whitewashed streets, the vacation seems too good to be true. But dangerous undercurrents run beneath the sunset swims and midnight cocktails – because each of the women is hiding a secret. Someone is determined to make sure that Lexi’s marriage never happens – and that one of them doesn’t leave the island alive.

MY THOUGHTS: I have to say right off that the publicity blurb is just a little misleading. But I can't tell you how, because that would spoil it. But I will say that I didn't find the story particularly twisty, and it is more a psychological drama than thriller.

Six women, each of whom have their own voice, and a secret:
Lexi, the bride-to-be, ex-dancer, ex-wild-child, and about to be married to the solid and reliable Ed; Bella, Lexi's maid-of-honour who is not at all sure that she likes this new, settled Lexi; and partner of Fen who borrowed her aunt's house on the Greek island of Aegos for the getaway; Robyn, the recently divorced single mum who is back living with her parents; Eleanor, Ed's sister who is still grieving following a medical misadventure which resulted in the death of her fiance Sam; and Ana, the newest member of the group, Lexi's newest friend who is perhaps concealing the most damning secret of them all.

The story starts slowly, but as the true natures of these women are revealed, the pace does pick up. There is a good amount of misdirection as to who both the victim and the perpetrator might be as alcohol fueled cracks begin to show in the women's relationships, and true feelings are revealed.

One of the Girls (I have to ask, why not Women in the title rather than girls? None of them are in the first flush of youth.) is a quick easy read. I wouldn't call it gripping or thrilling, but it was ultimately satisfying and the characters are mostly interesting.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#OneoftheGirls #NetGalley

I: @lucyclarke_author @harperfiction

T: @lucyclarkebooks @HarperCollinsUK

#contemporaryfiction #mystery #psychologicaldrama

THE AUTHOR: Lucy Clarke writes from a beach hut, using the inspiration from the wild south coast to craft her stories. Lucy is a passionate traveller and fresh air enthusiast. She's married to a professional windsurfer and, together with their two children, they spend their winters travelling and their summers at home by the sea.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

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How well do.you really know your friends? Six women on a hen party on a Greek island in a villa miles from.anywhere! Cracks start to appear in friendships quite early on and it's apparent that some have their own agenda for being there and it's nothing to do with wishing Lexi all the best. Bell a is quite loud especially when she's had a drunk but just why did she quit being a nurse and go into jewellery selling? Why is she so horrible to Robyn even though they've known each other for years? And just what is wrong with Fen Bella s wife they had an argument at the airport and still haven't cleared the air. Why is it that Bella thinks Ed isn't good enough for Lexijust what does she have against him? Someone ends up.dead but is everything as it seems and was it really an accident?

Many thanks Net Galley for letting me read this book. A great holiday read and loved the way it was told from each woman's point of view.

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I knew this novel was a 5 star read right from the start. I could not put it down and only stopped reading after my Kindle needed recharging and so did I. Straight after waking up this morning I picked it up again to finish it! What a marvellous read.
I loved the Greek location of the book. The rural landscape, beautiful sea, magnificent villa - I could almost picture it.
A rare book that made me think I wish I didn’t reach the end so soon. A book that made me think ‘Well, I didn’t expect that!’. It also made me hungry for olives, pitta bread and hummus, and for reading outside in the sun! This is a perfect holiday read & I can only recommend it! I love it!

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Six women descend on a remote holiday villa on a greek island for a hen party. Lexi, the hen, is due to marry Ed the one man she believes she has ever loved. Bella, self appointed maid of honour and hen weekend organiser, is loud and gregarious and seems oblivious that she rubs people up the wrong way making for some uncomfortable moments.

The story develops at what seems a slow pace however, I now believe it was more laying the foundations of the differences between the 6 women. I liked the character Eleanor, Ed’s recently bereaved sister, her grief over her fiancé, Sam was heartbreaking.

The finale is good and this book is definitely a holiday read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy read in exchange for an honest review.

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I really loved One of The Girls. I found it to be a bit of a slow burner to begin with but then it picked up pace and I could not put it down. I loved the dynamics of the friendships and was totally gripped by it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC.

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Six women spend a Hen weekend on a remote Greek Island, in an idyllic villa away from civilisation. Sounds lovely, and the island and coastal villa are, but not everyone wants to be there, and not everyone is what they first seem. Atmospheric and claustrophobic the tension deepens as the women's secrets unravel. The villa's setting is picturesque but close to an unforgiving cliff drop.

Told from the six women's viewpoints, the reader learns about their pasts, motivations for being on the island, and relationship dynamics. Each character is believably flawed and unreliable in their perceptions of past events and present relationships. All have secrets, and the air of menace increases as proximity makes friendships falter.

I like the detailed characterisations and the dynamic between the women. It explores themes of bullying, parenting and self-realisation through the characters, and all develop in complex ways as the story progresses. The intensity is palpable and keeps the reader riveted. The twists are dramatic, and the ending is impactful and perfectly paced.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

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Rating - 4.5 stars rounded to 5

An engrossing page-turner, packed with some delicious entertainment in a gorgeous setting!

Having loved 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 by this author, this was one of the most anticipated reads for me and it did not disappoint!

Synopsis –

It’s Lexi’s hen party. Bella, her childhood bestie and maid of honor, has organized it diligently at a villa in an isolated Greek Island. Her other friends Robyn, Ana, Fen – Bella’s girlfriend and Eleanor- her soon to be sis-in-law are also joining them on this sunny holiday. But what should’ve been a perfect getaway for the hens, turns sinister when it ends with death.

Review –

The narrative involves multiple POVs of all the six women. Although I took some time to register who is who, once it fell into place, it was easy to follow along.

Clarke’s casting involves women from different backgrounds and varied personalities. In my view, this is where the book really shines. I loved how she explores their friendships and relationship dynamics – the changes over the years and what makes them who they are now.

Giving us a peek into their deepest thoughts, darkest secrets and innermost struggles, we get to know each of these girls very closely. It’s very clear from the writing, as to how well the author understands the general psychology and mindsets of women of this age group.

Initially, everything seems hunky-dory, but soon, we realize each of them harbor their own agendas for the trip. The plot slowly unravels the hidden mysteries layer by layer, dissecting them to reveal their past, interlinking one another with connections, that suddenly pop up as twists that I did not see coming!

For me Bella, the drama queen that she is, stood out the most. I can assure you that you will love her, hate her, laugh and cry with her. I even adored Eleanor - with a heart wrenching story of her own, she amazed me with her grit, ability to forgive and carry forward.

The intensity and tension run high towards the end as the complex web of secrets is pulled taut by them all. Having evaded my guesses, I enjoyed the adrenaline filled, satisfying conclusion.

With themes of bullying, sexual assault and single parenting, Clarke delivers a compelling thriller filled with fun, drama and excitement.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the ARC!

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One Of the Girls follows six friends, Lexi, Bella, Fen, Robyn, Ana and Eleanor travel to the Greek Island of Aegos for Lexi’s hen weekend. They are all looking forward to the just a nice quite weekend in with sun, sea and cocktails. However the weekend doesn’t quite go to plan, tension builds and by the end of the weekend one member of the hen party will not make it off the Island!!

I’ve read a few books by Lucy Clarke in over the years and some I’ve adored and some not so as much but this one I absolutely loved!! I was gripped from start to end, and it was so hard to put down!!

The book is well written, with lots of lovely descriptions of the scenery and the food that will have you wanting to be on the Island!! I love how the story is told through the POV’s from each of the characters. Although there are six POV’s to follow never once did I feel confused. The names at the beginning of each chapter helped but honestly I think even without these you wouldn’t have any trouble keep track of which POV your following.

I loved the secrets, and the twists that slowly unwind. While reading I did think I had worked out who was not going to return but I was so wrong, and was honestly shocked when the mystery was finally revealed.

The characters are brilliantly drawn and I loved them all however at time I did find Bella a little annoying.

This is definitely a great summer read!! And would definitely recommend. Can’t wait to see what Clarke has in store for her readers next!!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins UK for my eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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I loved The Castaways, so I was hugely excited to read this. Lucy Clarke more than delivers here - with an even stronger novel that combines an undercurrent of death and danger with concurrent plotlines of love and female friendship.
The Greek Island setting is blissful - you can almost the feel the burning heat and see the crystal clear waters - and that's before one gets onto the descriptions of food - Eleanor's love for deep fried cheese had my mouth watering!
In terms of plot twists - there are quite a few here - and whilst some rely on coincidence, none rely on big leaps of the imagination - they all make sense and work well together.
Come for the heartstopping thriller - stay for the surprisingly nuanced take on friendship and growing apart whilst growing older - another roaring success for Lucy Clarke!

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An isolated villa, perched on the edge of a cliff on the Greek island of Aegos is the setting of Lexi Lowes hen weekend. Six friends – Lexi, Bella, Fen, Robyn, Ana and Eleanor – all looking forward to sun, sea, cocktails and celebrating Lexi’s upcoming nuptials! But – dangerous undercurrents run beneath the sunset swims and midnight cocktails because each of the women is hiding a secret! Four weeks until the wedding – but one of the wedding party will never make it off of the Island!

I LOVED this book! It gripped me from the very beginning and it’s one that I found increasingly difficult to put down. I love the way the book is set out with each chapter being one of the characters POV’s. The book was full of slow-building tension as the story unfolded and was filled with uncertainty and revelations along the way. It was not only a whodunnit but a who was it done to… With lies and deception aplenty, I found this book to be really fun but also heartfelt and an interesting peek into female friendships and perception. I’ve read two of Lucy Clarke’s books, the first one being ‘You Let Me In’ back in 2018, which I loved, and the second one, almost a year ago – The Castaways – which I equally loved – and dare I say it, I think I loved this one even more!

I love Lucy Clarke’s writing style and find the pacing and short chapters in this book make for a quick read. I sped through this book in a couple of days and enjoyed losing myself in the character driven story and the beautiful descriptions of the stunning island setting – not to mention the drama – which I suppose is fairly standard when a group of women who don’t necessarily know each other well get together for these events, which is why there are rules such as; ‘what happens on the hen weekend, stays on the hen weekend.’ What isn’t quite as standard; is Murder!!

“We all had different reasons for being there. But one of us – well, she had a very specific reason for saying YES to the hen weekend. The problem was, none of us realised until it was too late.”

My thanks to the author and Harper Collins UK for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due out 26th May 2022!!

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Loved this book. Very enjoyable fast paced story. Five friends, five different personalities, anything can happen... Perfect summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest opinion

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After loving The Castaways I was really pleased to receive a copy of this one & I'm glad to say this is just as enjoyable!

We follow Lexi & her 5 hens on her hen weekend to a small (fictional) Greek island. The most beautiful setting with 6 friends, what could possibly go wrong?! Let me tell you a lot 😂! These women have so many skeletons in their closets & I couldn't wait to find out what secrets they were all hiding.

The book is told from the pov of all the hens & there's lots of tension, mystery & twists. I loved all the secrets that come to light & I thought the twist at the end was brilliantly done. You know there's a death right from the off, but it's hard to know who it will be. I had several theories & changed my mind so many times, but was nice to see I hadn't quite worked it out! My only reason for knocking half a star off is I found Bella irritating after a while, other than that, I cannot fault this!

Lucy does such a fabulous job of taking you to Greece with the girls in this. As a frequent visitor of the Greek Islands the setting of this book was perfect. If only it wasn't a fictional island (& didn't have the frightening drop 😳!) I'd love to visit 😂!

This is the perfect summer thriller!

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Fast paced, energetic and gripping! Six women come together on a Greek island to celebrate Lexi getting married but things don't end quite as they thought...

Initially I found the short chapters tricky to keep up with, but soon found my flow and couldn't put down the book.

Character building was fantastic, with personal secrets and/or hidden agenda being gradually revealed building to a climactic conclusion. Another great offering from the author, thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

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Five friends , five different personalities and five agendas. A page turning thriller with lots of twists and turns that even when you think you know what’s going to come next you are wrong. Well drawn characters set on a beautiful Greek island you almost wish you were there. A great read that would make a really great film.

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I loved this book. I'm a huge fan of Lucy's books and this one was another absolutely brilliant read.

Set during a hen weekend in Greece and revolving around a group of women, some close friends, some less so, the dynamics of female friendship is so accurately and cleverly portrayed here. Everyone has something to hide and gradually more and more secrets and lies come to light.

I love the way the author writes, I could almost smell and taste the descriptions of Greece, the food, the beautiful surroundings and atmosphere. Wonderful.

Just when I thought I'd started to figure things out, I'd suddenly find I was completely wrong! The plot kept me gripped throughout and expertly ties up all loose ends at its conclusion.

I've read a few books worthy of five stars recently and this one is no exception. Highly recommended. I can't wait for Lucy's next book.

Thanks to the author, Lucy Clarke, publishers Harper Collins UK and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Thoroughly enjoyable book and now I have finished it I have missed joining the girls on their hen weekend in Greece where slowly the links that joined them together by lies, death and hurt are unravelled.
Thank you to Netgalley, Lucy Clarke and the publisher Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I could not praise this book higher! I absolutely devoured it - the multiple POV, impending doom from exposed secrets amongst the girls on the hen do meant I really couldn’t put this read down. The twist actually surprised me which is so refreshing after reading too many thrillers that are predictable. The book kept me guessing and I just wish I could experience reading it for the first time again!

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This was a good holiday read. It has short sharp chapters which left me wanting to read more and I found the story building up with each chapter too. I liked the characters, each one was different and individual.
The setting of the story was lovely with lots of descriptions about scenery, food, beach and even the sea.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I absolutely bloody loved this book. It’s written in a classic Lucy Clarke style-gripping, intense and leaves you on the edge of your seat. I read this in one sitting, I just couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

I loved that it contains multiple characters, who are written fantastically. They have tragic backstories yes-but they’re not boring or dull, or predictable in the slightest.

Just…wow

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