The Roanoke Girls - Review

Title:  The Roanoke Girls

Author:  Amy Engel

Synopsis:  “After her mother’s suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas.  Lane knew little of her mother’s mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls.  But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran fast and far away.

     “Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing.  Did she run too?  Or something worse?  Unable to resist his please, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind.  Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer.  But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

     “As it weaves between Lane’s first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.”

Review:  This review will be short because with this type of book I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to ruin any surprises.  I was captivated by The Roanoke Girls after the first few pages.  It was creepy, terrifying, and disgusting.  I loved it.  I sort of had it figured out before we found out what the family secret was, but that didn’t make it any less horrifying.  There is the potential for some confusion as the story jumps back and forth in time, but after the first couple of times I became more comfortable with it and stopped being confused.  I highly recommend The Roanoke Girls for fans of psychological thrillers. 

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.**

Publisher:  Crown

If you like this book you may want to read:

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda