3.5 stars
Good solid read - although I think I have probably reached my limit of missing child books!
There were parts I struggled with, and other bits that I loved.
Well written and worth persevering!

Two Little Girls is a psychological thriller by Frances Vick. It is a story about two girls, Lisa, and Kirsty who are best friends. Unfortunately, Lisa dies and Kirsty gives evidence which helps catch the killer. Did that person kill Lisa or was he wrongly accused because of Lisa? Where is Lisa’s body and how did she die? These were the questions that haunted Lisa and she sets on a perilous journey to answer these questions when she becomes an adult.

The mystery held until the end. Even when I was almost in the last few pages of the novel, I was suspicious about the motives of the characters and concerned about Lisa’s safety. The author did an excellent job sowing seeds of doubt in the readers’ mind at all the crucial points of the story. A few sections in the book could have been shortened, for example, the relationship between Lisa and her sister.

Two Little Girls is a stellar read for psychological thriller bookworms.

The story of best friends Lisa and Kirsty back in 1985, with Lisa known to embellish the truth while Kristy is the quieter of the two. Lisa turns up missing and Kirsty is confused while being questioned by the police and under pressure, she names a boarder as the kidnapper/murderer who is convicted and sent to prison. Many years later, Kirsty returns to the same area to help her sister and she meets a mom/daughter who both claim to be able to communicate with the dead who unnerve her initially but then begin to interest her. Interesting thriller that has some good twists and turns but didn't hold my interest as well as it could have...I found myself scanning in the middle and the end was not a huge surprise either....nothing majorly suspenseful. Good but not fabulous....

This was such a clever story. Most of the way through the book I was convinced I knew who had committed the murder and was worried that I’d be disappointed when I was right. Well I was wrong, well and truly wrong!

We’re taken back to the beginning where we meet Lisa and Kirsty as young girls and BFF’s, and learn of their hopes and dreams. But then Lisa is murdered. And Kirsty is apparently the last one to see her alive. She gives evidence and a man is charged, but did he really do it?

Years later, we’re back with Kirsty and what happened to Lisa has always haunted her. But her Husband has discouraged her from investigating and trying to learn the truth. She ends up moving back to her hometown to be nearer to her sister, and she starts having dreams about Lisa…..is she trying to contact her? She ends up talking to an old lady who has a gift and she realises that she needs to look into what really happened. But digging up the past is dangerous….Will she finally find out what happened, and who did it? Or is she just putting herself in danger?

This is a story with some completely unexpected twists and turns. I was thoroughly gripped and although I thought I was going to be disappointed when I was right, I still didn’t want to put it down. And I’m very glad that I didn’t, because as I said, I was very wrong! And completely and utterly surprised!

If you like a twisty, turny thriller then this is definitely for you. Another one recommended by me!

I enjoyed this book,, the second half wasn’t quite as exciting as the first, but there were still plenty of twists and surprise moments.
Kirsty and Lisa are best friends, Lisa is the dominant one and as they grow, so do Lisa’s stories and lies. Kirsty is keen to keep up with her more grown up friend so believes her far fetched stories.
Then Lisa disappears, Kirsty believes it’s all her fault as do many of the locals - she left her alone in the park.
Kirsty moves away and moves in with her life, but she is drawn back to the Beacon Hill estate by a series of random events. Or are they?
I won’t add any spoilers but the Kirsty finds herself embroiled in the world of psychics and mediums, but can she believe any of it and will she finally find out what happened to Lisa?
I haven’t read any of the other books by this author, but I’m definitely going to now.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

You can’t fault Frances Vick on her insightly way of getting into her characters minds. I mean, just look at Kirsty for example. She, alongside her best friend, Lisa, were at the heart of a devastating event which changed the lives of those around them forever, and still the author got into their minds and transferred their thoughts onto paper in a really clever and chilling way.

However, I am on the fence about the book in its entirety. The twisted element to the storyline definitely kept me hooked, but the fact the storyline didn’t seem to go anywhere in the latter half of the book was a bit of a ‘huh’ moment.

‘Two Little Girls’ is a devious read, and it contains topics which will get the readers talking, such as autism and vaccines. A sore spot for some (the vaccine thing), yet it’s one which will give the book it’s time in the spotlight.

This isn’t my most favourite of books by Frances Vick, but I still enjoyed the complex relationships between the characters in this read. Very impressive.

Sadly I found Two Little Girls by Frances Vick hard to get into. Usually I am hooked from the first few pages and end up hooked and wanted to read the whole book. However, I struggled with this one. I got half way through the book and I found it hard to carry on reading it. I kept on putting it down and picking it up hoping it would get better. It was an OK read. But, it wont put me off reading more of Frances books as I have loved Bad Little Girl.

Big Thank-you Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity of reading an advanced copy of Two Little Girls in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book. posting initial feedback here, will update shortly with full review and blog links. Really enjoyed it though!

This started out pretty good and then stalled for a while. It was an interesting premise and the characters and writing were quite good. That Lisa was something else!

Then it gets strange, this story. Maybe because the whole “two friends start out and only one returns” thing is starting to wear on me but the second half of the story was odd. Did I expect it? No, so there’s that. It’s not a bad ending I just didn’t see it heading that way...

Pls try this one for yourself as I think I’m tired of the missing child genre and many will enjoy this story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

With this crazy boom of psychological thrillers at the moment it's usually really difficult to find something with different and unique plot. When starting this book, I wasn't convinced I found it but as it went on, I was really surprised.

Story starts with two girls, best friends, growing up together in that difficult age of not wanting to be girls anymore but not being women yet. Lisa wants to be more experienced, takes risks, acts very grown up. But Lisa also lies, or does she? Kirsty being her best friend is hang up on her and trusts her completely, but stories change, tales don't always make sense. Girls and their differences drive them into a disagreement on day that shocks the nation. Day when Lisa is seen for the last time. Day that doesn't just ruin Lisa's family but Kristy's too. She was the last person who saw her alive after all. But were the stories she was told real? Who could be involved in disappearance or death of Lisa? Where is her body and will her family ever get a closure?

I loved the introduction to the story at the beginning of the book. Explaining relationship between Kristy and Lisa was incredibly important and stayed with me throughout the whole book. But it's not until decades later when story takes very unexpected turn. I would say middle of the book feels a bit flat at times, that transition between initial story of disappearance into Kristy's new life and her drive to finally find out what happened to her best friend all those years ago. When you feel like not much is happening, suddenly you are thrown into completely different world. I wouldn't like to give out spoilers but what comes in the second half of the book, isn't at all what I expected. I always find it very refreshing when things completely throw you, especially in the psychological thrillers.

All in all, I enjoyed this book even if some parts were a bit more difficult to get through. I'm glad I kept pushing when I didn't think it was going anywhere. I was definitely worth it.

In 1985, ten year olds Lisa and Kirsty are "best friends forever". They have a minor argument and Kirsty goes off home and Lisa isn't seen again, presumed dead.

Fast forward to present time and Kirsty has moved away and is married to Lee. A family commitment brings her back to her home town and she becomes friendly with an older psychic lady who thinks she can help her find out the truth of what happened to Lisa, and she soon finds out that she can't really trust anyone.

I was excited to read this book based on the synopsis and I really enjoyed it. It's full of twists which kept me on my toes. I don't buy in to the whole psychic/medium thing so I read parts with a pinch of salt but the plot is still very good!

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.

Two Little Girls is a book of two halves for me, the first half being a fast flowing thriller with lots going on, to the second half where everything slows down and feels like a totally different book.
The story is based around Lisa and Kirsty, school friends and best friends. Lisa is known to make things up and so when she says she’s married to the lodger in her mums house Kirsty knows it’s another lie until after an argument at the park and Kirsty leaves Lisa there and Lisa is never seen again.
Fast forward thirty years and Kirsty is still struggling to get to grips of her friends death and has a feeling the wrong man was found guilty of her murder so starts to dig into the evidence and find out as much as she can.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read from this author but it will not be the last. It began in 1985 with two best friends Lisa and Kirsty pushing the boundaries and rules of childhood. I was a similar age at the time; I could visualise their lives easily with the mention of Grange Hill, Care bears and Smash Hits but it took me a while to get into the book and relate to both girls. It became easier to form the connection to Kirsty as the harsh consequences of Lisa’s disappearance were revealed. There were times I thought I knew what had happened as she began to uncover the truth but the introduction of two psychics turned my assumptions around. I love books with a potential supernatural element so I became gripped as the tension increased and the pace escalated to the surprising finale.
This a strong psychological thriller with an interesting premise and many twists making it a good book to snuggle down under the duvet with at a weekend. I am looking forward to adding more of Frances Vick book on my TBR list.

Thank you for my copy! I enjoyed this! I am bad at reviews but I highly recommend this and will tell others.

1985

Lisa and Kirsty live next door to one another and are best friends. The girls want to be allowed to walk home from school by themselves even though their mothers aren’t too happy about it. So, they make the girls promise they will avoid certain areas on the way home. As always the daring one, Lisa insists they walk in these areas simply to thwart authority as she always does with her mother, Denise.

Lisa has been telling Kirsty about two men who are lodgers in her mother’s house. They are from Oman who say they are princes and that they want to marry the girls. Not truly believing her, Kirsty is shocked when two grubby looking men show up at a school function and Lisa introduces them to Kirsty. Kirsty is disgusted by them. One day when they are walking home, they get into another argument and Kirsty runs home. That’s when Lisa goes missing and Kirsty blames herself for leaving Lisa alone. The police question Kirsty alone in a room twisting her words to make them what they want to hear. Soon, one of the Oman men is arrested for her disappearance but refuses to say where Lisa is.

Years later, Kirsty is a social worker and married to Lee. There is tension in their marriage because she is caving in to her younger sister, Vic’s, demands that she be with her during her pregnancy. Vic is married to a wealthy man who is able to give her everything she wants. However, Kirsty and Lee struggle to make enough money. Kirsty’s dedication to her sister causes tension in their marriage.

Kirsty has never forgotten the tragedy of Lisa’s disappearance and wants so much to solve the mystery. She meets two psychics that Vic had brought in to cleanse her new home. There is an immediate connection of sorts between these two women and Kirsty yet she doesn’t know if what they are saying is true or not.

What happened to Lisa? Will anyone ever know?

There is early some racial profanity in this book but I was not offended by it because I think the author simply expressed what people in that class would say. She is very telling of the dishonesty of the police department and the sorry conditions of England’s health care system. A well written, but gritty and dark story that will make readers cringe, however, the author threw in a bit of humor here and there to lighten things up a bit. I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started reading it. Sometimes it just seemed crass but as I really got further into it, I realized that the author has written a truly stunning thriller unlike others. Don’t miss this one. It’s a winner!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ten year olds, Kirsty and Lisa are best friends but Lisa is prone to telling lies. One day when Lisa doesn't come home, Kirsty repeats lies that Lisa has told her and a man who has been a boarder in Lisa's home is accused and convicted of her murder. However, Kirsty is never really sure that he actually committed the crime and years later she is determined to find out what really happened and set things right. This book is a gripping psycholgical thriller about memories. It asks the questions do we really remember what we think we remember and examines how easy it easy to manipulate memories. It does so in a facinating story with a chilling conclusion that you will never seen coming.

I have many thoughts about this novel--some positive, more negative.

Two Little Girls is hard to nail down. It had potential...loads, in fact. Unfortunately, it never quite reached a sterling level. Indeed, there were parts I found utterly offensive.

The Good:

1. Frances Vick was effortless writing from the children's point of view. I often find books written from a child's perspective tedious and cringe-worthy (Room, anyone?). Thankfully, the voices of Lisa and Kirsty were not only believable, but really captured the essence of an 80s child.

2. This is a slow-burning story, but it does eventually get you where you want to go...I was somewhat engaged throughout.

The Bad:

1. I realize the protagonist can't see everything from the start...otherwise, there wouldn't be a story. But what is it lately with these dimwitted characters? So many books I've picked up recently have characters who are clearly lacking in IQ points. Either that, or they're doormats. Both are equally frustrating to read. Kirsty was no exception.

2. I figured out the "twist" by the halfway point in the book. Admittedly, I was thrown by a couple red herrings initially, and although those ploys were quite good, the author then proceeded to make the rookie mistake of practically holding a blinking, neon sign above the antagonist's head, reading, "I did it."

3. I wasn't able to relate to any of the adult characters. Lisa was such a liar, I'm not sure she could even discern fact from fiction. Kirsty was haunted by her part in putting an innocent man in jail, but, then again...not really. Her guilt and shame never truly made an appearance. Lee was too good to be true, and popped one too many one-liners for my taste. Vic was a self-centered basket case. Angela was icy and closed off. Bryan was an idiot. Sylvia was a poor, lonely old woman, living off her daughter's fame. The entire Leaves clan was gritty and somewhat distasteful. None of them rang true to me.

The Ugly:

1. And this, my friends, is why this book only earned 2 stars. Multiple times, the author made veiled, but disparaging remarks about those suffering from autism. Her distaste was clear. As the mother of a child on the spectrum, it ruined the story for me...not that the story was that brag-worthy to begin with. Further, she also made a comment about vaccines not causing autism. I beg to differ. My son's medical records, from a developmental pediatrician, indicate a diagnosis of autism secondary to vaccine injury. If Ms. Vick would like to debate this, I'd be happy to...but in the meantime, she should avoid topics she clearly knows nothing about, and quit hating on spectrum children/adults. For this reason alone, I will never pick up another of her books.

**Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Frances Vick for an advanced reader's copy of his novel, in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book struck me as a little creepy but I liked it. It really kept me engaged and the way the book was written and I also loved the cover art.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Two Little Girls is a difficult book to engage with, and I found my interest lacking as the story progressed. The first half actually felt like it was going somewhere but the second half goes off on a tangent and almost instantly becomes tedious. I also felt it was lacking the essential thrills to be defined as a thriller. It was predictable, too, and so disjointed that the flow was affected time and time again. On the positive side, it portrayed how manipulative people can be and will make you consider whether those around you have an agenda or are genuinely showing real emotion and speaking true thoughts.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.