A hen weekend should be fun with friends shouldn't it? What happens on this hen do is very different. I loved this book so much and will definitely read more by this author

#netgalley #oneofthegirls
A trip to the Greek Islands for a hen weekend, then this is the perfect book for you. Beautifully written and set, love the characters. A fast paced physcological thriller. I couldn't read this one fast enough as it had me wanting to read more from start to finish. Loved it. Highly recommend 5/5 stars

I'm a big fab of Lucy Clarke and have read all her books. You're guaranteed some great writing and a twisty story, and One of the Girls did not disappoint.

We join a small group of women away to Greece for Lexi's hen party - but all harbouring some secrets.
I won't reveal much more as it will give away the storyline, parts of which were easy to piece together but others not so much. I love Lucy Clarkes writing style, definitely a book to pick up for your summer holiday read.

One Of The Girls
Ooh I so enjoyed this book! I haven’t read a really good page turner in a while and this was definitely a box ticker. I loved the Greek island setting of the hen weekend, I could just picture the beautiful blue sea and the rocks and water hole. The characters weren’t all likeable - but then I quite liked their little quirks and flaws. Lexi is on her hen weekend in Greece - with her two oldest friends, a friends girlfriend, her sister in law and her new friend…and every single one of them has a secret. Which secret will you guess? Which truth will come out first?
Definitely a 4.5 stars from me. Only wish I had read it on the beach - not on a bus.

Having read Lucy Clarke's The Castaways, I could not wait to read One of the Girls and it did not disappoint. This psychological thriller is fast-paced and twisty in all the right places and the character development is terrifically well done. Having six narrators could have been awkward to get the weighting right for each individual, but this reader completed the tale having got to know all six rather well. It was a toss-up between wanting to be part of the group on the hen weekend on the Greek island of Aegos, painted as idyllic and heavenly, and being pleased that I wasn't caught up in the havoc.

An outstanding story that ticks all the boxes in terms of ominous undertones, atmosphere, characterisation and unexpected surprises. The plot is perfectly executed, suspenseful and gripping and I had no idea how the story would conclude. One of the Girls is escapism at its best.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HarperCollins via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is one of my favourite thrillers that I have read so far this year. I thought I would probably enjoy it, which is why I volunteered for the tour. I am a fan of this author’s work and the blurb suggested it had all the elements I love in a book – female dynamics, exotic location, death…. Even so, it exceeded all my expectations.

The tension in this book is palpable from the very first page and it has all to do with the awkward dynamics between a group of people who have only been brought together by their loose connection to one of their number. Anyone who has ever been on a hen night will recognise the friction between groups of women who don’t know each other, who come from different areas of the bride’s life and are forced into camaraderie and jollity with people they would not personally choose to hang out with. The author captures this feeling absolutely perfectly and it gives this thriller an uneasy feeling even before there is any indication that anything is particularly wrong. It’s easy to see how a tiny nudge can send this trip off the rails.

Once she has set up this tense scenario – awkward group of women, isolated location, too much expectation for the trip – she plays on it beautifully by introducing hints that each of the women is hiding something. Some personal issue, some resentment, some secret, so the reader then doesn’t know who trusts whom or who is in conflict with whom, or who they themselves can trust. This is what makes for the perfect thriller – suspicion. Suspicion abounds between all the characters, and between the characters and the reader and the tension sits like a brick in your chest as you proceed through the story, until it gets to an almost unbearable pitch, because we KNOW something is going to go wrong, which just don’t know what or to whom or why. She dangles us on a string, waiting for the drop. The literary equivalent of Disney’s Tower of Terror.

The pacing of the book is perfect, the writing is easy to read, the characterisation is totally believable and the dynamics between the characters feel authentic and work perfectly for the story. There was not one thing about this book that I didn’t enjoy, it’s a wonderful example of the genre and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for their next fantastic thriller. The perfect book to take to your poolside lounger this summer- just make sure you are travelling with people you trust!

I wasn’t sure on this book to begin with, there are lots of characters on a hen weekend all with different lives and stories and I thought it may be difficult to learn who was who. It’s written just as well as her other books and it’s very easy to keep the pages turning. Once I got to the half way point I was completely invested and really couldn’t call where the book was going.
Overall a great book and would highly recommend but I won’t be going on any Jen parties in Greece any time soon!

I can't believe that One of the Girls is the first book that I've read by Lucy Clarke, although having subsequently checked my TBR I do have a couple of her previous books in my TBR piles, as it looks like I've missed out reading such a fantastic writer.

No sooner had I finished reading the opening page, when we discover someone had died, I was instantly intrigued and impatiently wanting to read on to find out what had happened. Of course the answers will come but first we have to go back and follow the group of friends who have travelled to the Greek island of Aegos for a hen weekend to get to know who they all are, their relationships with one another and discover how such a celebratory weekend ended so dramatically.

The story is told over a four day period, Wednesday to Saturday, with each chapter narrated by one of the women - Lexi the bride-to-be, Bella, the maid of honour, and her girlfriend Fen, Robyn who is one of Lexi's oldest friends, Lexi's future sister-in-law Eleanor, and Ana who doesn't know any of the group other than Lexi. All of the characters had their flaws and as with any group of friends, some were more likeable than others.

The short chapter format worked perfectly to drip feed us information about each of the women and it doesn't take long to realise that there's a lot of more going on than just coming away to celebrate Lexi getting married. Several women have their own agenda and there could be trouble ahead.

Over the course of the weekend a lot is revealed but one thing's for sure, their lives will never be the same again. There was underlying tension running throughout as deeply hidden secrets are revealed that threaten to tear friendships and relationships apart. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, another red herring would be uncovered that would throw my theory out of the window. And as they say 'What happens on the hen weekend, stays on the hen weekend'...

Brilliant book! I wanted to read this after I loved The Castaways, and I wasn't disappointed! I loved the character development in this book and how it really drawed me into the story. I loved the setting of a hen weekend on a Greek Island. Little by little the author reveals details about the different characters which leaves you wanting to know more. With a few twists and turns and a great climax of an ending which again leaving you guessing until the very end. I now need to go back and read this author's earlier books as she is fast becoming a reliable fave of mine and I can't wait for the next Lucy Clarke installment!

We start the story knowing that someone will die, but we don’t know who or why.
6 friends travel to the Greek islands for a hen party, and they all have secrets they are hiding.
The story is quite suspenseful as it unfolds, and keeps you guessing as to the ending. It’s written well and keeps those pages turning!

I have read plenty of closed-room mysteries set on isolated islands, far away from civilization. But, to be honest, I haven't enjoyed anything much after Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None.' This book was the exception.

The Story:
Lexi is getting married to the handsome Ed Tollock. So, Lexi and five of her closest friends (and relatives) - Lexi's schoolmates, Bella and Robyn; Bella's girlfriend, Fen; Lexi's yoga student, Ana; and Ed's sister, Eleanor - go to the Greek island of Aegos for her hen party for a long weekend. Only, everyone carries a secret. And the secrets they carry might have repercussions for all of them. Will they be able to pass the weekend without getting harmed?

The Positives:

1. The storytelling - I have read and liked "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty and the reason I liked it was that it was different insofar that we are in the dark about who died until the end. This book followed the same format. Someone gets killed but who? Read the book to find out.

2. The characters - Though there are six different characters in the book, all of them have unique voices and I loved that about the book. Lexi is the people-pleaser. Bella is loud and obnoxious but is the life of the party. Fen is quiet but has a whole range of emotions raging within her. Robyn is anxious and on the edge. Eleanor has just lost her fiance and is reserved and morose. Ana is straightforward and capable. The author managed to make each of the characters lovable and relatable. In fact, I was so invested in all those people that I couldn't sleep thinking about them.

The Negatives:

1. The ending - The ending is a bit too convenient and that is all the complaint I had with the book.

This is a book that celebrates female friendships - we need more of them! - and solidarity. More than a thriller, it shows us the layers in which humans are wrapped in and what happens when those layers come off.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC. Will look forward to more books from Lucy Clarke.

As locked-room mysteries go, this is a cut above. And then some. A mesmerizingly twisty read, predicated on a false assumption that sends you off on a wild goose chase, only to discover after 400-odd pages that the goose was never a goose in the first place.

Meet bride-to-be Lexi and her five “hens” as they arrive on a Greek island for Lexi’s pre-wedding bash. The setting is perfect: an isolated villa perched atop a cliff with its own pool and private beach.

Oh, and a body!

Which we know about thanks to the tantalizing foreshadowing in the prologue:

“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.”

*Note to self: keep eyes peeled for red wrap.

I loved the suggestion, even before the first chapter, that one of the women was going to come a cropper. The challenge of trying to guess which one and how she would meet her fate was a brilliant hook.

There’s plenty scope for speculation, as the jolly group dynamic starts to falter and fracture, gradually revealing insecurities, suspicions and resentments as well as a hornet’s nest of lies.

The unraveling of the plot is very much a slow burn, but it works well, as we need time to get to know each of the six women. This is achieved through multiple POVs, and although it meant the narrative felt a bit fragmented at first, the characters quickly took shape in my mind.

The pace picks up dramatically towards the end, culminating in an explosive finale, in which the red wrap does indeed reappear, infuriatingly passing from one woman to the other before making its final landfall.

Okay, so there were a few coincidences, integral to the plot, that definitely pushed the boundaries of credibility. But hey, stranger things have happened, and these certainly didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of the book. It’s almost, but not quite, all the stars from me.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Six friends embark on a hen weekend to a secluded villa on a Greek island. They all have their own secrets and not everything is as it seems. It all ends in tragedy and death but for whom and why.

This is an enjoyable psychological thriller. It’s quite a slow burner where the tension builds up gradually, gathers pace and then accelerates along to an exciting finish. There are plenty of twists and turns en route. I would say it’s quite character based and it’s easy to get a feel for each personality - a sign of a well written book in my opinion. They’re not all likeable - I don’t think I’d want to go on holiday with these girls! I didn’t guess the ending, either, another bonus. An intriguing and compelling read full of suspense and unease which kept my attention to the very last page.

Book arrived, devoured it, life on hold.

If you're heading off for a long weekend with your girlfriends, this is the perfect sun bed read- but , warning, choose your friends carefully!

I love Lucy Clarke novels and have been a fan since reading The Sea Sisters. I am delighted to hear that The Blue is currently being made into a film & am looking forward to seeing if it is how I imagined it.

I find all of Lucy's books are extremely visual & evocative of the locations they are set in, and One of the Girls is no exception, I was transported to a Greek island, along with six distinctive characters and numerous twists and secrets.

This is yet another of her novels that I could easily see being made into a film. Really enjoyable and good to escape from the current variable weather!

This is the perfect summer thriller from Lucy Clarke. The pace feels fast and easy to read, with short chapters told from the POV of one of the six female characters. I thought the characters were a really good mix of personalities, just the right combination to set off some fireworks.

The location of the villa was ideal for this thriller. There were no neighbouring villas so the atmosphere felt claustrophobic as well as isolated.

The story is simmering along, building tension and intrigue until a very twisty ending in the last 10% of the book when all the little threads come together in a dramatic conclusion.

I really enjoyed this one and will definitely read this author again.

Fancy a sunshine-filled summer thriller? Look no further than One of the Girls – if you love a fast-paced novel that’s full of tension and fun, this will tick every box!

This book had me absolutely hooked. Set on the fictional Greek island of Aegos (the description of which made me instantly want to be in Greece, right now!), we follow six women as they embark on the hen do of their friend, Lexi. Some of these women have been friends for years, and some are pretty new, but all of them are very different – and as the book continues, we learn that they each have something to hide…

We learn that, by the end of the four day holiday, someone will be dead. We don’t know who, and we don’t know how, but that ignites the tension which is always there in the background of this book. But the death that we know is coming isn’t the main draw of this book. What I loved was the slow reveal of details and secrets that each woman is hiding – secrets that we learn more about through chapters told from each of their perspectives, and which delves into their lives before this fateful weekend again. I loved the character development and how easy this was to read. It’s pure escapism and makes for absolutely addictive reading – if you’re after something you won’t want to put down and you’ll absolutely tear through, this is it! I’ve read a few other novels by Lucy Clarke and really enjoyed them too, but now I’m ordering her entire backlist to lose myself in!

The only thing which could make this novel better was if I was reading it on a sun-soaked island myself – but I guess we can’t have it all…!

I got One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, for free, from Goodreads for a fair and balanced review.

One of the Girls Tells the story of a group of friends who are on a hen party on an idyllic Greek island. However rather than have a weekend of drinking and partying several secrets will be revealed and one person will lose their life.
This is a novel for readers who love their mystery thrillers set among a close number of friends in a confined area, which allows the reader to get to know each one of individually.
This is especially true this case as the story changes perspective of one character to another. I know some of you reading this will not like this style of storytelling, as sometimes it can be confusing with the change of perspective.
However, in this novel Lucy Clarke only changes characters at the start of the chapter, which makes it a lot simpler for the reader to know what is happening and allows the writer to add new pieces of information throughout the book.
What I really liked about one of the girls is that while on the surface it is a simple thriller with plenty of twist and turns throughout the book, it does deal with issues relating to the expectations other people, both friends and families.
To me One of the Girls, is very well written by in terms of the way that each character has their own story line and motives throughout the book, while some of them, are out front throughout the novel others change or become clear.
With the pacing as well as the writing adding up to a well written novel and one that I can recommend, for readers of this genre.

The perfect holiday read. So many twists and turns. When Lexi’s friend all gather in Greece to celebrate her hen weekend they are not all there just to support their friend. Brilliant read, told from multiple different points of view. As secret after secrets are revealed and unbelievable links to Lexi & her friends are uncovered you’ll find yourself thinking “what the” many times over

A very gripping read that gifts juicy drama and delicious characters that keeps you guessing what will happen

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of character development and mystery trying to see how the girls all link into each other. a hen weekend with a difference. A good build up to a thrilling end - I definitely recommend.