I was certainly intrigued by the concept of the book, and many elements I enjoyed.

Such as trying to work out just where in Europe the island was, while pretty much understanding the language which has French and Spanish roots.

I was intrigued to find out just what going on, on the island and really enjoyed Mercedes take on everything.

However I was also frequently confused by the timelines, some chapters being clearer than others as to whether they were past, present or somewhere in between.

I was interested in Gemma and in discovering just what she was involved in, even if i found Robins chapters rather frustrating.

Although clearly a good book it just didn't quite mesh with me the way I would want it to.

Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

The Mediterranean island of La Kastellana is an island locked in the past. The Duke controls the place. Traditions rule. For twelve year old Mercedes it is just home. Bit when multi-millionaire Matthew Meade arrives with his yacht & his spoilt daughter Tatiana her life changes forever. Tatiana decided Mercedes is going to be her friend. The excuse that she needs to work in the family restaurant is swept away when Matthew draws up a contract with Mercedes father. From then on her life is linked to the millionaire & his daughter. The narrative switches from Mercedes growing up & becoming more disillusioned to present day Robin- a woman whose daughter has disappeared.

This is a hard hitting book showing how great wealth can corrupts & changes a place. La Kastellana was not a paradise before the Meades' arrival but it had definitely become hell for those who had fallen into their hands. It was a five star read & one I won't forget for a while. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I have enjoyed a few of this authors other books but unfortunately I was slightly disappointed with this one. I found it quite hard to get into and confusing at times.

This book is heart-breaking and full of loathsome things that will have your stomach heaving. It is also strong, affirmative and bloody brilliant. It completely blew me out the water.

I’m a massive fan of Alex Marwood’s writing and here she brings her subjects alive, every single repugnant wart glistening on the face of sheer, loathsome evil. Set on a sunny Greek Island, Marwood takes us deep into shadows and crevasses of the rocks where sharp and rough edges lie ready to pierce the skin with every mis-step.

The Island of Lost Girls will unquestionably remind you of one family and one recent series of criminal revelations, but readers should be in no doubt that this is behaviour that is replicated throughout the world, wherever money talks and men wield it as a weapon of power.

Set over two timelines on the island of La Kastellana, a beautiful, unspoilt island where the inhabitants follow their religion and fealty and deference are due to the old Duke whose family has ruled the island for generations.

But things are changing. A new Duke, the crapulous Matthew Meade, has radical ideas about the Island and he and his daughter Tatiana are determined that their super yacht, globe-trotting lifestyle will now encompass La Kastellana and they bring with them a host of rich and powerful men whose appetites are varied and all too easily jaded. So Tatiana and her father supply what others cannot.

Robin is on La Kastellana, desperately looking for her teenage daughter, Gemma. Gemma has run away from home and her mother, increasingly anxious for her welfare, has been following snippets of her whereabouts from Gemma’s friends’ social media accounts and has seen that Gemma talked of attending a party on La Kastellana.

Mercedes works in her family’s local restaurant and she and her parents, together with her beautiful sister Donatella, work morning, noon and night to make it a success. When Tatiana and her father arrive in on their super yacht and Tatiana spots Mercedes, she decides that Mercedes will be her friend for the duration of their stay. And what Tatiana wants, she gets, courtesy of Daddy’s dosh.

The Island of Lost Girls follows Gemma’s story alongside that of Robin and Mercedes, with a pretty big cast of characters along the way. Marwood shows us all too clearly how well money talks and how easy it is to wield the power that it brings and in so doing, to bring more power and influence into the orbit of the wielder.

Marwood shows us the corruption of an entire island as the old feudal system kicks in hard and when bad things start to happen it is always the women who are blamed, even by those who would see themselves as the most religious. A free spirit in a woman is a thing to be crushed and bowed to the will of men. That attitude of complicity plays well into Matthew Meade’s agenda and both Mercedes and Donatella will soon find themselves being unwillingly crushed under the pressure.

This is, however, a nuanced story and though it is hard to find compassion for Tatiana, nevertheless we can come to see this spoiled and vicious socialite as a very distinct product of her upbringing and horrendous parenting. It is very hard not to draw parallels with contemporary cases and to shudder as you realise exactly what has gone on at some of Tatiana’s parties where would be young ‘models’ are paraded in the modern day equivalent of a slave auction.

It’s a painful and deeply abhorrent story made bearable by the strength and tenacity of some of the women who feature. Mercedes may change a great deal throughout this book but she never loses her capacity for real love, nor her absolute determination to set things as right as they can be.

Verdict: This is riveting, fearsome fare that should and does make you flinch. It is disturbing and involving and it is heart-breaking. It also, I believe, makes you review what you think you know about recent events and that makes it incredibly challenging and thought –provoking, too…

As ever, Marwood’s writing is brilliant and intense and her plotting is immaculate. A first class must read novel of our times.

This story is set in both 1985 and 2016 - which, at the beginning, was a bit confusing. However, when I was a few chapters in, I got the hang of it and found it to be incredibly intriguing.

I found the characters to be well-developed and captivating, whilst also being incredibly believable. Just like real life, some were likeable, others were completely horrific. It had a dark and threatening atmosphere, that left you wanting to go back for more.

I did think it required a lot of concentration so not the easiest read, but well worth it.

In light of some of the things coming out recently, this book struck a nerve. Money can buy you a lot, and the contempt I felt for some of these characters was visceral. It was too easy to see how some of these predators engineered situations to exploit the vulnerable, and I really hope people who pick this up will stick with it.
Mercedes is a young girl living on a beautiful island and she, like many in her hometown, is rather taken aback when multi-millionaire Matthew Meade arrives with his daughter. The glamour and wealth they bring has its allure…and we soon see how certain people are prepared to look the other way if they can benefit from their association. Mercedes is one of the first victims, when her father takes a huge payout in order to encourage his daughter to befriend Tatiana Meade.
While Tatiana has some redeeming qualities as a child, we also see her as an adult exploiting her relationship with Mercedes. There are hints of behaviour that sets alarm bells ringing, but the true horror is not revealed quickly.
As we follow Mercedes going about her work, we also follow the story of seventeen year old Gemma and the mother seeking her runaway daughter. Their stories inevitably link, and when they do we see the full horror hidden beneath the glamorous surface.
A mesmerising read, and one which feels unsettlingly relevant. I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this prior to publication.

The Island of Lost Girls is a bit of a slow burner with a very dark storyline. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it as it wasn't to my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

I'm coming to this as a fan of Alex Marwood, having read all of and really enjoyed most of her previous books. Always original stories, angles and deep, dark undercurrents.

Set on the fictional Mediterranean island of La Kastellana, an island untouched by the outside world, with centuries old traditions and a deeply rooted patriarchy.

Spanning the decades from from 1985 to 2016, there are major changes as Matthew Meade, a multimillionaire is determined to transform to island into an exclusive party destination for the ultra-rich and famous.

Mercedes’ family proudly run the village restaurant, but their lives will change forever when Matthew Meade's daughter Tatiana (a lonely 'poor little rich girl’) decides she wants to have Tatiana as a friend.

2016 and Robin is mother searching for her runaway teenage daughter, Gemma, and arrives on the island desperately hoping to find her.

It is a bold, bold and sprawling story, spanning the decades, the changes that come with the big money and super yachts, and the changes in Mercedes' family and her connections to Tatiana.

It flits about between characters and time, and you need to pay attention. There is a growing sense of dread as the thriller elements emerge, revealing a deep and dark world of super rich men abusing their power. There are echoes of Jeffrey Epstein and Silvio Berlusconi's bunga bunga parties.

It ends strongly and I found it to be a consistently very involving book rather being a gripping thriller, recommended, and definitely recommended if you've enjoyed any of Alex Marwood's previous books.


Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK

THIS REVIEW IS ALSO BEING POSTED ON MY BLOG, NOVEL KICKS.

It's 1985.

Twelve-year-old Mercedes has known nothing but La Kastellana. This island is home, untouched by the modern world beyond.

That is until multi-millionaire Matthew Meade shows up with his spoiled, thirteen-year-old daughter, Tatiana.

It isn't long before Mercedes and her family are tied to the Meades and Matthew's influence runs deep.

2016.

Robin finds herself on La Kastellana in her search for her missing seventeen-year-old daughter, Gemma.

Surrounded by the rich, little help is given to Robin and she has a feeling she's running out of time.

But someone is waiting to expose the truth about the Meades, however dark.

This was my introduction to Alex Marwood and from page one, I was hooked.   Spilt across multiple points of view, the story goes between 1985 and 2016.

In 1985, Mercedes is a very sheltered girl who is used to growing up amongst her island's traditions. So, when she meets self-assured Tatiana, she is thrown into a whole different world, one she is not prepared for.

From the moment Tatiana appears, there was something about her I didn’t trust and as the book progresses, it’s clear that she, and her father are used to getting their own way.

I felt for Mercedes, Larissa and Donatella. This is an island where men are still the head of the household.


In 2016, Robin is both a tragic and frustrating character. I did really feel for her as she searches for her daughter.

Gemma is a typical teenager who is looking for adventure, excitement and something in her life that doesn’t involve fighting with her mother and facing apathy from her father. Unfortunately, her quest for these things catapults her into Julia and Tatiana’s orbit; women who seem to good to be true.

There are many thought provoking, triggering and hard themes running through this novel.

Tradition verses modern living, as well as looking at the role a woman has in the world. How sometimes, people are seen as objects - something that world history is unfortunately familiar with.

Alex Marwood has certainly drawn from recent events when looking at the plot of this novel and it had me so angry in many parts - which shows how powerful this story is. I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry at characters in a novel before.

It certainly is a rollercoaster of a psychological thriller that had me go through so many emotions. At the beginning, I was unsure of how it would all tie together and I really couldn't stop reading or predict how it would end.

I am not going to say anymore. I don't want to spoil this book for you.

If you’re looking for something that has you wanting to turn the page and not want to put down, this novel is for you.

This is one powerful novel that I will not forget in a hurry. Bravo, Alex Marwood.

(Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)

The story begins in 1985, twelve year old Mercedes and her family live on the Mediterranean island of La Kastellana, a place with long held traditions but that summer everything changes with the arrival of Matthew Meade and his daughter Tatiana, who bring untold wealth to the island, but the hold they will end up having over Mercedes means her life will never be the same again. Fast forward to 2016 and Robin arrives on the island looking for her missing seventeen year old daughter Gemma, but nobody wants to help her and she fears she'll never see her again.

The Island of Lost Girls is a dual narrative told from the perspectives of Mercedes and Robin, across a dual timeline switching constantly between 1985 and 2015. It's a complex and dark read with some very undesirable characters and covers some distressing subjects which the author handles with integrity and compassion. This is a long drawn out tale which requires full concentration to follow the plot, as it switches so frequently, and I have to admit to getting confused quite a few times throughout, but I had to know how it ended and was determined to finish it and I'm pleased that I did, as it was a really enjoyable read.

I'd like to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

I found this a bit of a slow burner and a bit confusing in the beginning but once i was a few chapters in it was a captivating read. The story is set in two timeframes 1985 and 2016, it’s a story of wealth, sex trafficking, and small island life. Although this wasn’t my favourite Alex Marwood book overall its a good read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Loved this book! Really interesting storyline and definitely a serious page-turner! I I found the main character relatable and I love a good twist! I also really enjoyed the way you can sense something sinister throughout the whole book, but you never quite grasp it until it's spelled out for you. Great!

4.5 stars
This is a slow burn pretty much all the way through as layer upon layer is built up until the whole, sad, shocking, truth is finally revealed.
We start in 1985 when Mercedes in 12, living with her family on the small island of La Kastellana, leading a simply life and helping out in the family restaurant. Life ticks along nicely for her and her family until the arrival of multimillionaire Matthew Meade and his daughter Tatiana. Tatiana singles out Mercedes to be her friend her father duly opens his wallet to make it so.
Back in the present, in 2016, and Robin is desperately looking for her missing daughter. She has followed a clue that Gemma could be on La Kastellana. We also follow Mercedes, still tied to Tatiana.
Quite how these timelines fit with each other, well, I really don't want to spoil anything so I am going to say nothing more. Suffice to say that the can of worms the author opens is shocking and all things horrible...
I said it was a slow burn. It is, but that doesn't mean that the book dragged. Far from it. It is just one of those books that doesn't seem like as much when you are reading but, when you put it down for a bit, you realise how much has actually happened... There is definitely a lot going on - both in the past and the present.
The plotting is excellent and the timing of the reveals in both past and present is perfect. Each complements the other all the way through.
Characters are well described and all play their parts well. Main and supporting cast alike. There was definitely a lot of emotion surrounding certain characters along the way - not all of it positive, I hasten to add!
And the ending, when it was delivered. Perfect...
All in all another winner from an author I have had my eye on a while now. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Alex Marwood writes excellent thrillers and this one surpasses them all. Set on the fictional island of La Kastellana the story focuses on two families of very different backgrounds. The main narrator Mercedes Delia is from a poor family and there are several strands to this novel, concentrating on what happened to her sister in the past, plus we have Robin seeking her missing daughter in the present.

The glorious setting provides a powerful backdrop to the sinister goings on aboard the Princess Tatiana, luxury boat belonging to the Meades and a heartbreaking story unfolds focusing on the way women and how money and power can make people behave and the hypocrisy behind it all. And family ties, revenge and love. Mercedes is a character you hold in your heart. Utterly brilliant.

Alex Marwood is a blind-buy author for me. Every topic she touches sizzles at her fingertips. She's undoubtedly one of our greatest ever writers and 'The Island of Lost Girls' is no exception.

The book is set on the fictional island of La Kastellana. The odious, obnoxiously affluent Meade family bring their wealth and connections to the island but at what cost to the residents?

Marwood skilfully illuminates the vulgarity of the obscenely wealthy, and the nature of entitlement and exploitation. The Meade family treat people as commodities and display utter contempt for those less privileged. The misogyny runs deep - and not just among the incomers. The book illustrates the pitfalls of living in a close-knit community steeped in outmoded tradition. 'The Island of Lost Girls' made me furious and broke my heart in places but it's an essential read in a world where we allow rich cretins to do as they please.

I love a good Alex Marwood book but I was slightly disappointed with this novel. I found it extremely hard to get into and quite confusing at times. When I did eventually get into this novel I did enjoy it.

The blurb reads

"1985
For twelve-year-old Mercedes, La Kastellana is the place she calls home. It is an island untouched by the modern world, with deep-rooted traditions - though that is all about to change with the arrival of multimillionaire Matthew Meade and his spoiled young daughter, Tatiana. The Meades bring with them unimaginable wealth, but the price they will all pay is far darker than Mercedes and the islanders could ever have imagined.

2016
Robin is desperately searching for her seventeen-year-old daughter Gemma, who has been missing for over a year. Finding herself on La Kastellana, the island playground of the international jet set, Robin is out of her depth. Nobody wants to help and Robin fears she is running out of time to find her child.

But someone has been watching, silently waiting for their moment to expose the dark truth and reveal to the world what really happens on the island of lost girls."


It sounded like a novel that I absolutely love to read. I really enjoyed the descriptions of La Kastellana as it sounded like some sort of paradise and I enjoyed the characters. Mercedes has a troubled past and makes for a really good colourful character.

Then we meet Robin who is trying to find her daughter and she ends up on La Kastellana to uncover what has exactly happened to her child.

At times, this novel is dark and does not have a very nice undercurrent to it. Told through the view point of both Mercedes and Robin this novel really gets into the nitty/gritty of how people use their wealth to intimidate and use it against people of less fortune.

To enjoy this book you really need to concentrate and shut yourself away from the world.

Thanks to Alex Marwood, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The story is set on the small island of Kastellana somewhere in the med. The island is headed up by a Duke and traditions rule, even if they are brutal.
It alternates between thirty years ago and 2016.
Mercedes Delia's family run a local restaurant and her and her beautiful sister Donatella help out.
When a large yacht arrives with their young daughter in tow, Mercedes befriends her and at first all is good. But when Mercedes says she is too busy to play, Tatiana sulks and runs to her ultra rich father who negotiates with Mercedes father for M to be Tatiana's playmate for the summer. A contract is drawn up and she is at the mercy of the family.
In the now, Mercedes is indebted to the family and is their housekeeper to pay off the debt. We find out later what the debt is.
Meanwhile, back in London, several young girls who have been recruited as models are on their way to the Island for a party. One of them has run away from home and unknown to her, her mother has finally got wind of where she is going and has headed to the island.
The first part of the book is setting out who the characters are and who is good and who isn't. The action starts to ramp up towards the end of the book. Personally I would have preferred to know a bit more of what happened to whom as I felt it wrapped up a bit too quickly. Even so I enjoyed this book.

La Kastellana is a Mediterranean island, steeped in tradition and playground of the super rich. Islanders are indebted to the wealthy and turn a blind eye to what goes on. Over the space of a few days a mother from England turns up looking for her missing daughter and some of the residents of the island decide that they've had enough of being treated as servants.

When I first started The Island Of Lost Girls I wasn't really enamoured of the story. I think this was because of the number of different threads over a variety of timelines. I'm so glad I stuck with the book though because once I'd sorted everything out in my head I was absolutely gripped.

The story is primarily about a clash of cultures. The small island is home to a thousand residents who live a simple life, as they have done for hundreds of years. Deference is shown to the ruling class of the island, traditions are still followed. When the island becomes a playground for the super rich the residents are then treated as servants. The rich have no respect for traditions and act as if they own everything.

The majority of the story focuses on Mercedes, a young girl growing up on the island, and Tatiana, the daughter of a rich and powerful man. Initially the girls strike up an unlikely friendship, but over time Tatiana begins to treat Mercedes as a plaything and eventually a slave. The reader follows Mercedes as she is initially awestruck by everything the rich have access to but then grows to realise that beautiful on the outside doesn't necessarily mean beautiful on the inside.

Through Mercedes we see the contrast in the way women are treated by society. Among the residents women are held to a higher standard than men and punished if they bring shame to their families. Women have few rights. The rich, however, bring beautiful young women to the island. Women who should have everything going for them but are treated as commodities.

The young women who are shipped to the island to "party" provide the thriller element of the novel. Thankfully the author chooses not to go into graphic detail but the descriptions will still have your pulse racing and fill you with shock and anger. I almost cheered out loud at the conclusion but I really wanted a little more detail about what happened to Tatiana at the end.

From the synopsis this book really intrigued me. For the main part I did enjoy it but I felt like it took a while to really get going and the pace did drop off in places. Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and the author for the chance to review.

This is a well-written, captivating and fascinating novel, which at times is also dark and difficult. The story deals in part with the exploitation by the wealthy of the vulnerable poor. The characters are well developed and believable, some are likeable and others detestable. It is a very atmospheric read with great locations.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.