It has taken me a while to write this review because I am so conflicted in my feelings about this book. It was entertaining when it should have been gut-wrenching.

I love a book that opens my eyes to a slice of history I know nothing about. When I read the description of this book a few months back, I immediately added it to my TBR list. I couldn't wait to learn more about the fiasco that was Willowbrook State School. So, I expected to love this book.

When reading a book like this, I often take to the internet looking for just a little bit of background. I find this helps me appreciate the historical components more. Once I got to the part where the author started describing the physical structure of Willowbrook, I got on Google to see what the building looked like. While there, I decided to watch a video clip that showed the atrocities inside. The clip was only 1.5 minutes long. Needless to say, it was horrifying! I also glanced at a photo with a caption that said something about tunnels in the building. I made a mental note to look for a documentary sometime down the line, but I didn't allow myself to look any further for the time-being. I returned to the book, figuring I'd learn more about Willowbrook as the story unfolded. Disappointingly, I can't say I learned much more than what I saw in the 1.5 minute video clip. In fact, I got the feeling that the author had done about the same amount of research I had... about two minute's worth. The language she uses to describe the scene was like a commentary of that 1.5 minute video.

The story lacked substance for me. The dialogue bothered me and some of the plot features seemed so far-fetched. The thing that irked me the most, though, was that I felt like the author used Willowbrook simply as a backdrop for her story; she didn't succeed in making it the heart of her story. For these reasons, The Lost Girls reads more like YA than adult fiction. I felt gross reading/listening to it because it was like she is profiting off of the atrocities committed without truly giving a voice to the victims.

The narrator of the audiobook did nothing to help the book either. While she had a pleasant enough voice, she lacked emotion at times where there should've been immense amounts of emotion. She'd be better served as a narrator of nonfiction audiobooks instead.

Overall rating: 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and RB Media for allowing me early access to the ebook and audiobook versions of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is such a well written book especially for the tough subject and place involved. This book really takes you into the details of Willowbrook so much so that it feels real. I could imagine the wailing sounds, filth, stench and just deplorable conditions. I'm not gonna lie, this book got pretty intense.

I really admired Sage's bravery throughout the book. She not only got mistaken for her sister Rosemary and was forced to live in ward 6, but she also was instrumental in finding the killer.

This book fits as a historical fiction, but really felt like a suspense/thriller. This book is a reminder on how horrible we have treated the disabled in the past and how much we continually need to do better as a society. This is an intense book, but really makes an impact.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

This author writes a story like she's living it. This book will touch your heart in ways you never expected. The sorrow that you'll read about is so real. It's what actually happened on Staten Island, NY back in the early 1970's and let's hope it isn't still happening anywhere today.

This is the story of an institution that was suppose to house mentally challenged children. What happened there was nothing short of the worse abuse I have ever read about in this country. The fact that it is based on actual events makes me cringe. Reading this book you will learn about the atrocities that happened to children. The filth they were made to live in. The meager amount of food they received. The drugs they were all given. All the same thing none the less. The abuse was atrocious. I could feel the stench. The horrible living conditions. The cold. The vermin that they had to endure each and every day of their young lives. Though some lived to be adults they were still kept there, in separate quarters. Some never made it to their teen years.

This book is based on the events that led up to the public finding out the truth about what was going on at Willowbrook. A young woman who went there looking for her twin sister was kept against her will as they thought she was the twin. Actually they said she didn't have a twin but was delusional. She was said to be violent and out of control. The sad part is that the so called doctors did not do evaluations on the patients like they should have. A year or more would go by before they were ever seen by a doctor. They were placed in very overcrowded rooms with nothing to do but fight, drool, walk in circles or just exists they best they could. What this one young lady, who was only sixteen, discovered what no one cared. Even the attendants were doing the best they could. Though some of them were very abusive also. Sage Winters went to Willowbrook looking for her twin only to find herself as a patient. What she went through was horrendous but she did survive.

Sage Winters went on to help many of the patience at Willowbrook. She worked endlessly to find them places to live. Ways to help. Her ultimate goal was restitution for what her sister and many others went through. Knowing this actually happened makes this book even more worth reading. It was so very well written and researched. This author never lets me down with her writing skills and way of putting in print what we need to know and remember. This place was full of children. Starving and many naked and abused sexually.

There was a lot going on but the overall is that this was written about an institution that should have been helping but was hurting so many. So many died and there was a serial killer among them that said he was only doing what they asked of him. To help them escape.

The last chapter of this book tells what happened to Sage later in life. All the good she did. This is a very emotional read. Not doubt about that. I shed many tears reading this but it was also very good. Very interesting to learn about. It was worth every single tear.

Thank you #NetGalley, #EllenMarieWisman, #KensingtonBooks for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5 huge stars and a very high recommendation.

Who even knew that there really existed at one time a place such as Willowbrook State School in New York? The horrors described are so hard to fathom and just abhorrent to comprehend. In this story, Sage is a teenage girl who learns that her twin sister Rosemary, whom she thought had died 6 years previous, was alive and committed to this home of the mentally disabled but has now been declared missing. She sets off to see her and help in a search. However, upon her arrival, Sage is mistaken for Rosemary and committed back to the ward where her twin sister existed. The horrible conditions are abundant in the place that they call Stalag 6 house. No one believes Sage as she tries in vain to convince everyone that they’ve made a mistake. Sage does whatever she can to survive and makes friends with some within. However, she doesn’t realize that reality is only an illusion and freedom too. People are not what they seem, especially Eddie. Twists and turns, the suspense builds. Will Sage be able to convince others that she is not Rosemary. How can she escape? Why is no one looking for her like her step-father and friends? Where is Rosemary and will she return? This is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat especially when you realize there is an element of truth about what really went on in this institution. The surprise at the end will have you shaking your head as to how did you not see that coming. Well written and great descriptions in both setting and development of strong characters. Just don’t read this one in the dark or when you are alone.

Many thanks to #netgalley #thelostgirlsofwillowbrook #ellenmariewiseman for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In 1971, high school senior Sage thought her twin sister, Rosemary, died six years earlier from pneumonia, shortly before her mother died in a car crash, leaving Sage alone in the world with her careless stepfather. But after overhearing Alan talking one night, Sage realizes that Rosemary was actually sent to the infamous Wilowbrook State School, and that she’s now missing. Determined to figure out what’s going on, Sage heads to the school, only to find herself in a nightmare: the doctors and attendants all think SHE is Rosemary and Sage finds herself a patient at the notoriously inhumane school. Now she not only has to figure it what happened to her sister, but how to remain sane in what can only be described as the depths of hell itself.

The book is set at the real-life Willowbrook State School for the intellectually challenged on Staten Island in New York. I didn’t know much about the school until reading this book, but obviously after reading about it, I HAD to know more, so I found the Geraldo Rivera news piece that was written into the storyline: “Willowbrook, the Last Great Disgrace.” It’s not easy to watch. But it’s images mirror Wiseman’s descriptions pretty well, proving she did her research and really worked hard to be accurate and not sensationalize the details.

As far as the storyline, it was like an episode of American Horror Story. I mean, how do you prove you’re not insane, without just looking more insane? It seems so impossible. And in many ways it really is. Watching Sage in her quest to not only get justice for herself but for ear sister was harrowing and I was hooked as she kept trying everything she could think of to prove her case.

I won’t give away too many details, but there are a lot of twists and turns that go on throughout the book that will make you gasp and just keep turning pages until the very end. It was just wild how few rights patients in these places had and how much power the word of the administrators had. And this took place in the 1970s, not that long ago. My parents were in high school then. Absolutely wild.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a good suspenseful, informative, and creepy read. You’ll be up late reading this one and thinking about it long after you finish it, if my reading experience is any indication.

Ellen Marie Wiseman handled an horrific period in the history of treatment of the mentally ill very well. She didn't shy away from the details nor did she drag them out or further sensationalize them. Not only did a lot of research go into this novel, but the care given this subject was appreciated by tis reader.

The character of Sage was so very well done. She was strong, fierce, intelligent, and someone I found myself caring for. This book isn't for everyone, but I recommend it to people interested in the history of such "schools" and the treatment of the mentally ill in our society.

Thank you to Negalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook (Ellen Marie Wiseman) is raw and painful to read. Sage discovers her identical twin (who she had been told died years ago) has been confined to Willowbrook Hospital and is missing. So Sage goes to help hunt for her without telling anyone her plans.

There are some historical fictions that you read that are fascinating but don't affect you at a visceral level. Not with this one! I literally found myself anxious, continuously tapping my foot and tensing my shoulders as I was consumed by this book. Wiseman starts out with the story of a young teenager (Sage)with a deceased mother, emotionally absent stepfather and the 9 year old death of her identical twin sister (Rosemary) who had some mental disturbances. However, we quickly discover that the parents were untruthful; the "dead" daughter had been committed to Willowbrook State School for all these years but was suddenly missing. Devastated by the news that her sister was indeed alive, she makes the treacherous and scary journey to the school to try and assist in the search for her. Consumed with naivety she thought she could be of assistance. BUT...there was no search and the administers and physician at the facility believed Sage was the missing Rosemary and committed her by force and drugs. The rest of the story revolves around Sage's attempts to get out of the institution as they believe she is just delusional regarding her identity. There is nothing, though, that can prepare you for the horror of the conditions and people that you will read about. It was a violent degrading excuse for literally warehousing unwanted kids and those who did indeed have mental and intellectual disabilities. I can honestly say it made me sick to my stomach but was riveted to the story. Geraldo Rivera, when he was a journalist, did an expose on Willowbrook which I happened to have seen, and I could not be more appalled what he chose to divulge. Bone chilling and heavily researched, it will lay heavily on your minds. Because of its graphic descriptions it may not be suitable for some people but for those who can withstand its content, it makes an important statement on the conditions in some of our state mental institutions.

Sage always believed that her twin sister, Rosemary, died from pneumonia. But after hearing her stepfather, Alan talking about Rosemary and how she had gone missing from Willowbrook State School, Sage set out to find her twin. Sage knows little about Willowbrook, a place shrouded by rumors and mystery, but she is determined to help find her sister.

Upon arriving at Willowbrook, Sage is mistaken for her twin sister, Rosemary. No one believes her when she tells them who she is and why she is there. Sage finds herself trapped, drugged, mistreated and in danger. Will she ever learn what happened to her sister? Will she ever get out of Willowbrook? Will anyone believe her when she tells them that she is not Rosemary but Sage?


**In 1965, Willowbrook State School was the biggest stat run institution in the United States. Designed to hold 4,000 at that time it held 6,000. Robert Kennedy described it as a 'snake pit' and Geraldo Rivera did an exposé showing the horrors, mistreatment and abuses of Willowbrook.

Ellen Marie Wiseman uses Willowbrook as the setting for her heartbreaking and sad tale. It was evident that she did a tremendous amount of research in preparing to write this book. This book grabbed my attention from the very first page and had me glued to the pages wanting to know if Sage would learn the truth, would she ever be free, and would justice be served?

I enjoyed how the author used historical facts about Willowbrook in the writing of this book. I found this book to be captivating, well written and heartbreaking. It is very sad and shocking to think about how those institutionalized were treated.

This is a powerful book that is not an easy read. Yet, it was gripping and had me swiping those pages.


#TheLostGirlsofWillowbrook #NetGalley

Thank you to Kensington Books, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sage is sixteen when she finds out that her twin sister Rosemary didn’t die from pneumonia but actually was committed to Willowbrook State School. Sage has had a rough life and the one thing she misses is her sister, so shocked as is she is to find out that Rosemary is still alive, she decides to head over to Willowbrook and help with the search … best thing to do right?
The descriptions of what is happening at Willowbrook, the horror, the neglect, … not recommended reading for the faint of heart, or as bedtime reading.
Ellen Marie Wisemans once again brought history to life, with all the details we should not forget and make sure doesn’t happen again.

First of all, I freaking love Ellen Marie Wiseman because she takes historical fiction to a whole new level by making them into thriller/murder mystery novels. I don't know any other author that writes like this! Her books are so unique and beyond gripping while also being heartbreaking and informative.

'The Lost Girls of Willowbrook' not only sheds light on the horrific School of Willowbrook that got shut down in the late 1980's in Staten Island, New York, but also ties in this creepy atmospheric vibe with a murder mystery involved. The book is bound to leave you thinking about it for days after you finish while also leaving you intrigued and wanting to learn more about the true case of this horrendous "school/hospital". I am now definitely interested in looking to see if there are any non-fiction books out there regarding Willowbrook!

Although 'The Life She Was Given' is still one of my absolute favourite books, I still highly highly highly recommend this one!

This is a historical fiction book that will grab you from the first page, and will not let up through the very end of the book. It is both heart wrenching and gut wrenching…and based on the true facts that were uncovered at the Willowbrook State School on Staten Island where families had left their mentally ill and developmentally disabled family members for treatment. Unbeknownst to the family members,unspeakable acts of cruelty and abuse occurred at Willowbrook. There are very few books written on this subject matter, and Ellen Marie Wiseman has done an outstanding job of researching,and writing a story that is filled with details that are soo vivid, it almost felt like my senses were on overload. This is a very important book,one that should not be missed. Awareness,and advocacy for our underserved populations needs to continue.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This book is literally a nightmare. The characters were flawless, the descriptions were perfection - I was transported directly into the book. Wiseman wrote a heartbreak book highlighting the horrors of a mental intuition in the 70s. Follows a teenager, Sage, who shows up to Willowbrook when she learns that her twin sister is not dead, but instead missing from willowbrook. When sage arrives, she is mistaken for her sister rosemary and committed at a patient. The horrors of what she experiences and watches other experience is mind blowing. If it weren’t for parts of the story being slow and repetitive I would have given this 5 stars!

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I couldn't do it. I just could not finish this book. I have loved other books by this author and felt that this one was going to be just as good. It was not. At least, not in my opinion.

This book just seemed to be a poorly written remake for teens of the book The Snake Pit The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward , and you might as well just watch the movie.

What the re-cap leaves out is that the live twin gets her butt in trouble big time by ending up in this horrid place (and YES, there was such a place as Willowbrook) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowb... , then to add insult to injury, the author adds in a possible serial killer. As if there wasn't already enough horror in this novel!

This is the perfect kick-off for Halloween!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Kensington Books, the author, and NetGalley.

Ellen Marie Wiseman does it again in The Lost Girls of Willow Brook. I never heard of the Willow State School on Staten Island in the 1970’s which was a famous dumping ground for unwanted children of all types.. The scholl was open from 1947 to 1987 at Willowbrook State School for the intellectually challenged on Staten Island in New York. Some children were perfectly normal when their parents dropped them off. Most of the children did not stay that way for long because of the terrible abuse, mistreatment, and drugs they were given.

The reader learns about this school and the terrible treatment through Sara Winters. Sara has/had a twin sister named Rosemary.. Sara was told that her sister died when they were 10. Sara had no reason not to believe this and always mourned for her. Ten years later, Sara, now 16, discovers the truth; Rosemary was sent to Willow State School, and now she is missing from there. Sara takes a bus to Willowbrook determined to find her sister. Unfortunately she tells no one wherer she is going . Her purse in stolen on the bus ride, so she enters the school with no proof who she is.

Here is where everything becomes so intense that I could not put the book down. It is an up and down thriller that makes the ready not want to stop. Sara is mistaken for her sister Rosemary and put in the institution on a ward herself. No matter what she does,, nobody believes her except for maybe Eddie the janitor. During an attempted escape Sara find her sister tortured and dead. Of course nobody believes her and throws her into the pit. Another horrible punished dealt out in the “SCHOOL”

You must read this book and find out for yourself what happens and if Sara is ever freed.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Publishers and to Ellen Marie Wiseman for the opportunity.


Thank you

I am a huge fan of Ellen Marie Wiseman, and while this wasn't my favorite of hers I still enjoyed it. The writing is excellent and kept me interested. Sadly the Lost Girls of Willowbrook is based on a true facility, and seeing a glimpse into the horrors is unsettling. We purchased a copy for our library, and I appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

An intense novel. Gripping and heavy. Such a good story, though! In 1971, Rosemary and Sage Winters are identical,twins that have a strong bond. Sage knows Rosemary is a bit different; too emotional, feeling things deeply. Six years after Rosemary’s death from pneumonia, Sage is now 16 and still misses her. Their mom died in a car crash and their stepdad Alan is resentful of his burden. Despite being strangers to each other, Sage finds out that Rosemary did not die; but was committed to the Willowbrook School where she was lingering for years until she just disappeared. Sage sets out to find her sister but is mistaken for her. What she discovers there will change her life forever.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for this e-arc.*

Well that was disturbing...

Wiseman takes us back to early 1970s New York, the Willowbrook school for children with intellectual disabilities. We follow Sage, a 16 year old girl who believed her twin sister, Rosemary, died when they were 10. When she discovers that Rosemary is in fact, not dead but a resident of Willowbrook she sets off to find her. That is all you need to know going in. In fact, I beg you not to read the synopsis of the book. This is a historical thriller and the less you know going in the better.

What you should know:
-This book brings to light a time and place I had not heard off and knew nothing about. It was horrifying but I am glad I am now better informed.
-This book does not shy away from the grittiness of the situation, therefore I would not recommend this book for everyone. It IS disturbing and verges on creepy. (Note that I am not a thriller/horror reader so my creepiness tolerance is pretty low.)
-Am I glad I read this book? Absolutely! Would I recommend it? Absolutely (If you have the stomach for it)!
-My one complaint would be the ending. For a dark gritty story the ending came too quickly and was too neatly tied up in a pretty bow.

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook is part historical fiction, part mystery about a young girl who is trapped in a horrific home for the disabled. It features Willowbrook State School in Long Island, New York in the 1970s that housed thousands of people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its an eye-opening account of the atrocities so many experienced in the not so distant past.

Sage is a 16 year old girl whose identical twin sister Rosemary' "died" about five years prior. However, she learns her sister is alive and was committed to Willowbrook, but has recently gone missing. Sage goes looking for her at Willowbrook, but is mistaken for Rosemary and is committed to the ward.

Willowbrook State School was infamous in its horrific conditions and the negligent treatment of its residents in the second half of the 20th century. The novel is told in Sage's perspective, which did get a little tedious at times. It frustrated me how much she continued to see those committed as "others" for most of the novel and herself as unique and "normal." As time passes and she's continually gaslighted, her reality distorts and she realizes she's in true danger from a killer that targets those at Willowbrook. It was a riveting read and kept me interested and I wasn't sure were the novel would ultimately lead. I listened to the audiobook which was wonderfully narrated by Morgan Hallett.

Thank you to the publishers for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This is one of the most upsetting books I have ever read. I forever myself to finish the book, but cringed through most of it.
The appalling conditions people were subjected to at this torture asylum was just diabolical. I know the conditions, treatment, the constant drugging, and abuse are not over embellished.
Please don’t read this book if you don’t have a strong stomach or emotionally weak because it will wreck you.
People who were considered throwaways treated worse than animals is just reprehensible.