Initially, I found “The Island of Lost Girls” intriguing. Dual timelines give the mystery a little more depth and excitement when the timelines start to click. In one, we follow along with the childhood of Mercedes, a housekeeper to a very wealthy family that harbors a lot of dark secrets. The other is present day, starring Robin, who arrives at the island in search of her missing daughter.

I did find the story a bit slow and felt that it was somewhat predictable. The human trafficking aspect (think Epstein Island) is dark and interesting but the characters felt a bit exaggerated which didn’t seem to be the intention. There were some confusion scenes where I wished I’d had a little more elaboration, I had to flip back and forth a few times to see if I missed a plot event.

I think the story is worth reading and has a lot of potential. I wanted to love it but it fell a little short when it came to captivating me as a reader.

A highly intense and disturbing account set on an elite and trendy European island where girls have gone missing. Multiple time lines create suspense. A bit heavy at times but well-written.

A bit of a slow burn, but worth it. A thoughtful take on Epstein island, but not one that will make you recognize any characters from the news. This book is beautifully written. I simultaneously listened to the audiobook, which was also very well-narrated.

Alex Marwood is one of my favorite literary thriller writers. She always makes me think while she's thrilling and entertaining me, and this book is no exception. Maroon makes the tough subject matter easier to read through her beautiful prose and well-drawn characters. Recommended.

Couldn't get into this one. It was a "did not finish" for me. But not because it was poorly written. Just not my bag.

DNF

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Alex Marwood for allowing me to read and review this book.

Sadly I could not get into this book. When I requested the book the description caught my eye and it seemed interesting. However, I was unable to get into this book when I started it. I will try again in the future, as I may be able to one day in the future.

I will be rating it 3 stars here on Netgalley, but if I do read it in the future I will adjust the review and rating accordingly.

This was very slow paced and bounced between 2 different timelines that were 15 years apart. Sometime I couldn’t keep track of what was going on, as it seemed to be all over the place. I did enjoy parts of the story and that’s what kept me pushing through the book.

I'm honestly not sure how to even describe how I felt about The Island of Lost Girls. As a whole, I thought it was a well-told story. However, I felt like at times the story was really discombobulated and all over the place. It constantly bounced from the present back to the 1980s, and there were times I wasn't quite sure what era. I really didn't connect with any of the characters, and I found the epilogue to be a letdown.

I will say the main aspect of the story was deeply disturbing, but I'm sure it's something that happens all the time, which is scary to say. I felt like the book could have been about 100 pages shorter too.

All in all, I read it and it was fine. Some parts were better than others.

Thank you, Harper and NetGalley for the eARC!

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I struggled to connect to the story or the characters and ended up DNFing this one.
I am thankful for the opportunity to read this book and I know that it will be a great read for other thriller lovers.

I have loved literally all of Alex Marwoods other books. This one I just did not care for at all and ended up DNF ing about 40 percent in.

I loved the scenery in this book. I could totally feel the vibe of this island, lavish with money. But as the dual timeline reveals, there is a sinister side that money cannot erase. This book really gripped me and I enjoyed it. Heck, I'll even call it a beach read because I found myself reading it at the beach and I think it added an extra layer to the thrill factor.

This is my first book by Alex Marwood, and it did not disappoint. I loved the setting on a made-up Mediterranean island--I've obviously never been but could so easily picture La Kastellana. The alternating timelines were a bit confusing at first, but I liked both storylines and loved how they came together to pack a big punch at the reveal. I'll certainly look for more books by this author!

Rounding up to 4.5. Excellent take on the Epstein case set on an island. Woven with mythology and told from the staff’s point of view as underpaid workers who cleaned and cooked and gradually knew what was happening. It’s difficult subject matter but the story is very well told. Interesting contrast between the natural paradise, native residents’ family life, rich and poor living together on the island with visiting royalty. It makes you think about those who looked the other way and those who didn’t. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced reader’s copy. Highly recommend.

The way this book is written makes it unreadable for me. I found the characters unlikeable and I'm not able to read a book in which I don't like any of the characters. Did not finish.

Without being graphic and by focusing on abuse's aftermath rather than its details, this book tells of evil, depraved violence to women so convincingly that the reader feels dirty after having read it. In the world of the uber-wealthy on the fictional Mediterranean island of La Kastellano, entitlement plays out as disregard and dehumanization of those less advantaged. What was once a remote and unspoiled island, though even in earlier days not necessarily a happy or safe place for girls and women, has turned into a viciously unsafe place. In the past, the rules that subjugated women were clear; in the present, there are no rules.

When, as a twelve-year-old rich girl, Tatiana sails into the isolated port at La Kastellano, she settles upon innocent, unworldly Mercedes as her island playmate for the summer. Four decades later, the island has been completely transformed by the rich who have taken over, and Mercedes remains under Tatiana's thrall. The story of Tatiana's and Mercedes' relationship is alternated with the story of Gemma, a young girl in the present who has run away from home in London, and her mother's search for her. Tatiana's complicity from a young age in her father's dissolution leads to her procurement of Gemma for her father and his accomplices, while Mercedes works both to free herself from Tatiana's grip and to put an end to the broader evil being perpetrated by Tatiana and her father.

The main characters are deeply developed, either in their complexity or in the full extent of their degeneracy. There's nothing to like about Tatiana, her father, or their associates, nor should there be. But other characters are more nuanced. The writing about the ocean and the landscape of the island is beautiful and evocative. The plot, taken as it is from some of the more extreme examples of sexual predation presented in the news over the past few years, is compelling. As the book moves toward a resolution, it is very difficult to put down. I wanted so much for Gemma to be saved, but I had so little hope. Marwood builds a world where the rich prevail no matter how horrific their behavior while the disadvantaged suffer. Even in this context, however, she manages a satisfying conclusion.

I am a fan of dual timelines, and I don't mind being confused occasionally until I figure out which world I've been transported into. Marwood does a masterful job of jumping from one world to another, but that may be disturbing to those who prefer a more straight-line narrative. That and the references to sexual depravity that invite the reader to fill in the details may be enough to keep a reader away. However, the book has a strong sense of morality that provides balance.

It's hard to say I enjoyed this book, given the subject matter. But I definitely appreciated it and will continue to follow Marwood into whatever world she writes for us next.

A bit slow and confusing to start, but once it gets going it gets very good.

It leaves you wanting for more. It leaves you wanting to read more chapters and more details, yet leaves enough for you to make your own interpretation.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Alex Marwood. I will be going back to read her others. This story is very current and not for the faint of heart. It’s a slow burn and that also might have been my head space at the time I was reading it but it’s definitely not a page turner.if you enjoy dark characters then you will like this. There isn’t really much happiness in this book, so be forewarned. Lots of trigger warnings for just about anything you can think of except animal cruelty. Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion.3.5⭐️

3.5 I've read and enjoyed all of Alex Marwood's books. I picked up her latest book - The Island of Lost Girls - by her name on the cover.

The prologue introduces us to twelve year old Mercedes, who lives on a small Mediterranean island, in 1985. Mercedes is our protagonist and her timeline flips from 1985 to present day 2016. Robyn is also on in 2016, looking for her daughter - a teenaged runaway.

And behind the seemingly idyllic façade, there is a wealthy man who believes he can buy anything and everything - and this extends to people as well.

I enjoyed the then and now timeline flips. As readers we are now witnesses to the 'how things got to be like this'. And the tension grows with every new chapter.

The level of debauchery and cruelty is quite ugly to read, and I had to put the book down more than once. But it was Mercedes who had me picking the book back up. She's an excellent lead that you'll be urging on. I quite liked the depiction of her marriage to Felix. Robyn is just as tenacious in her desire to find her daughter. But she too encounters nothing but the circle of protection around the wealthy. I'll leave things there for you to discover if there is retribution for our protagonists....

Here's the thing - sadly, this tale isn't that far from the truth at all.

I am so thankful to Alex Marwood, Harper Books, NetGalley, and Bibliolifestyle for sending me both a finished copy and a digital copy before this baby's publication date, which is literally tomorrow! This twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat and left wanting more.

Written in two timelines, the past and present, and written from multiple point of views, this book weaves a sad tragic tale of the life of girls on an island. They are essentially indentured servants to the duke until the Meades family starts frequenting the island. What dark dangerous games happen where women have no say and men have all the power?

This book does a lot of reading between the lines and isn’t explicit in some of the events which I appreciated. While some characters have their story lines wrapped up, some are left open ended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Although I thought this book was well-written, it was a little too unsettling to enjoy it. I just couldn’t really get into it. I’m afraid this one just wasn’t for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.