Book Review Rewind: The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

 

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

   Happy New Year! Horror novels with a paranormal spin have always been a favorite genre of mine. When reading a haunting ghost story I love to settle down and curl up with a hot coffee and fuzzy blanket, letting the book's spookiness wash over me. But when a ghost story is also a crime thriller, I love the book even more.

 

  The Broken Girls is written by Simone St. James. It is published by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. In it, we are introduced to Fiona Sheridan, a journalist for Lively Vermont magazine. She follows in the footsteps of her father, famous journalist Malcolm Sheridan. Fiona has seen her father decline over the years since her sister, Deb, was found murdered on the grounds of Idlewild Hall. The years have not been kind to the Sheridans, seeing Malcolm retreat even further into himself when Fiona's mother passed away years after Deb. But twenty years later Fiona still has unanswered questions about her sister's murder. Deb's boyfriend Tim Christopher has served two decades for her murder. But the evidence given during the murder trial did not add up. No matter how "cut and dry" this case seems, Fiona is still unsettled.   

  Living in Barrons, Vermont everyone is familiar with the derelict boarding school at the end of Barrons Road. It is said that the ghost of Mary Hand walks the grounds. It is said that she has the ability to drive you crazy, and in some instances, kill you. But the corridors of Idlewild Hall also have another history: one day in 1950, after visiting relatives, a young girl went missing. Her dorm mates believed that she had been murdered. However, the authorities and the headmistress of the school all agreed that fifteen-year-old Sonia Gallipeau ran away with a boy. Her body was never discovered... until sixty-four years later.

  Fiona Sheridan is on the scene of Idlewild Hall's latest construction. A millionaire and her son have set upon the old school to breathe new life into it. Sheridan has been obsessed with the grounds of the school ever since Deb's body was found there. The latest plan to re-open Idlewild has left her uneasy as to why anyone would reopen such an infamous school. But soon her personal interest turns into an investigation of a different kind when the body of Sonia Gallipeau is found in an abandoned well on the Idlewild grounds. After decades of speculation about the girl's disappearance, it is clear that a murderer was active in 1950.

  Who killed Sonia? Why did Deb's trial have missing witnesses? And does the ghost of Mary Hand truly haunt the grounds of Idlewild Hall? Fiona is about to discover the secret of the broken girls, and it may be the last story she ever writes.

  The Broken Girls was a riveting tale of the supernatural mixed with a crime thriller. I loved all of the characters and was immersed in the history of Idlewild Hall. St. James headed into Nazi history with Sonia Gallipeau's storyline. I found it fitting that I finished this book on Holocaust Remembrance Day, as I learned the story of Sonia. Her life in Ravenbruck prison was heartbreaking and well-researched by the author. I felt for the girl as she tried to adjust to civilian life in an age where PTSD was not even recognized. Her dorm mates were also very interesting to read, as were the faculty of the school. Fiona's story could have gone in the usual direction of a character investigating a loved one's death. But St. James gave us a heroine that was aware of her faults and strengths. This made her smarter and more resilient in my opinion. The book was filled with spooky encounters as Mary Hand appeared to those who walked the grounds of Idlewild Hall. The mystery of Sonia's murder and the discovery of Tim Christopher's final hours with Deb was thrilling to read. And when the two cases met in the present day, the finale was filled with tension.

  I read this book in part with the narration of actress, Rebecca Lowman. Her presentation was even, with some accents and voice changes. But for the most part, she read the story at the same even pace. Her reading was best suited for a sped-up version since she read the text slowly and deliberately. She did a good job conveying Fiona's story, as well as Sonia's. I felt that she favored the pair most out of all the characters, giving them a little extra attention. A good job overall.

  The Broken Girls is a crime thriller that featured a haunted girls' school. The combination was a solid four-star read for me. I liked the characters a lot. And the ghost story added more shadow to the murder cases. The finale was exciting with a surprising outcome that I did not see coming. I read hope more people discover this book and enjoy it as much as I did.     

  

Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading this week.

 

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