It was nice like a little treat read it didnt excite me as much as i hoped it would but it was still worth the read

"Girl Falling" is a stunning showcase of beautiful writing and a masterful tone. The metaphors are some of the most powerful I've encountered in a novel recently, weaving depth and emotion into every page.

This author’s twisted mind is a place I’d gladly explore again. While the narrator's tendency to keep secrets from the audience added intrigue, it could also be frustrating at times. The time jumps occasionally made the narrative a bit confusing.

That said, I couldn’t put this book down. The twists were incredible, making it a thrilling and unforgettable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Girl Falling” by Hayley Scrivenor is an atmospheric thriller that focuses on the themes of toxic friendship and betrayal, set against the rugged beauty of Australia’s Blue Mountains. Told from the perspective of Finlay (Finn) Young, a national parks guide, the story unfolds after the tragic death of her girlfriend, Magdu, who falls from a rocky escarpment on a group hike. As Finn grapples with her grief, she relives the complexities of her relationships with Magdu and her manipulative childhood friend, Daphne, unraveling a web of dark secrets and psychological control.

Scrivenor’s book balances psychological thriller elements with an exploration of human relationships. Finn is a complex protagonist, struggling with self-doubt and still haunted by the trauma of her younger sister’s death. Her relationship with Daphne, a domineering and possessive force in Finn’s life, is both unsettling and compelling. Through flashbacks, Scrivenor reveals how Daphne has long wielded control over Finn, using emotional manipulation and blackmail to bend Finn’s will, especially when it comes to her romantic choices. Daphne’s character is both magnetic and menacing, leaving you questioning her motives as the mystery deepens.

The story’s setting in the Blue Mountains adds a powerful, if underused, sense of isolation and danger to the story. The remote environment emphasizes the precariousness of Finn’s situation, mirroring the psychological cliff edge she teeters on as her friendships and past traumas converge. While “Girl Falling “excels in character development and tension, its pacing is a “slow burn.” The story oscillates between past and present, gradually building suspense as you start to piece together Finn’s relationships with Magdu and Daphne. However, the investigation into Magdu’s death doesn’t fully take shape until the final quarter of the book, and the climax and concluding twist were a bit unsatisfying as the sudden shift near the end feels discordant with the carefully constructed buildup, leaving the resolution feeling abrupt.

Overall, “Girl Falling” provides a raw look at the power dynamics within friendships, the yearning for self-worth, and the destructiveness of repressed desires. Scrivenor’s prose is thoughtful and attentive to detail, bringing Finn’s emotional landscape to life even when the plot veers away from conventional thriller territory. This is not a fast-paced mystery, but a slow, introspective exploration of how friendships can become twisted and how love can both heal and destroy.

It’s OK. If you’ve read enough thrillers, the twist aren’t super original. They’re almost too unpredictable— I felt like there wasn’t enough foreshadowing to fit the puzzle together. It’s also not psychological enough to compensate. Some people will like this, but it’s not my thing.

This novel totally lacks the depth and suspense of Scrivenor’s first one. Plot is predicable, characters are stereotypical and writing is flat.

Best friends Finn and Daphne have a great close friendship and can always understand how the other one feels since they have both lost sisters to suicide. When Finn falls in love with a new student, Daphne starts to show jealousy over having to share her best friend. When the 3 women go hiking one weekend, Finn's new girlfriend falls to her death and the mystery over exactly who's to blame begins.

I liked the flashbacks and flash forwards throughout the story slowly revealing the truth behind the death of Finn's new girlfriend. I also liked the close, albeit unhealthy, friendship between Finn and Daphne. But the ending felt too predictable and also rushed.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

This one was so close to 3 stars until the last few pages. I overall really would have enjoyed it if that twist at the end was different (or honestly not even there). It didn't line up with what we had learned so far, and since the story ends so quickly after the reveal, you get the technical explanation but not any of the emotional depth that should go along with a twist like that. The characters were nicely built out, and I liked the dreary vibes. Unfortunately, there was just a lot of untapped potential that made it all fall a little flat.

Thank you to Flatiron Books for an advance copy!

When Finn's girlfriend dies in a climbing accident, she is shocked. However, in her grief, she begins to investigate and realizes that maybe it wasn't an accident and that someone wanted Magdu dead.

This one jumped the reader in quickly and was pretty fast paced. However, like many other readers, I was really underwhelmed by the ending. It just felt meh. The twist was not even really a twist. And then it just ends! There was not really a satisfying conclusion here.

Edge of my seat action. I didnt know what would happen until the very last page and i love that. I try to come up with my own theories when i read books like this and it just. kept having me guessing.

I enjoyed the complexity of the relationships '
It was written very well but from the first sentence you already knew what the twist was going to be.

I enjoyed reading this. It was hard to put down. I felt the relationships between the three main characters were well developed. I really liked the use of dual timelines as well.

This was one that I felt engaged in for most of the book. I already had a fear of heights and then has confirmed that I will not be mountain climbing anytime soon lol! I enjoyed it for the most part. If you read thrillers often the ending was very predictable from the beginning. It was a nice filler read for me to get my thriller fill. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to my other thriller readers but if you are just getting into thrillers this may be a good steppingstone into them.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book early. This book comes out on April 10, 2025!

Just a wonderful a read as the book one. The world building and story telling was expertly done. I felt immersed in the story.

In the first chapter of this Australian thriller, a climber falls to their death. The police believe that there was foul play and two friends are called in separately. Finn, our protagonist begins to relay what has transpired and lead us to this point and why her best friend Daphne may very well have caused the accident. This is a double cross thriller, a cat and mouse chase, and a delectable story of when someone becomes obsessed. #flatiron #girlfalling #hayleyscrivenor

“Girl Falling” by Hayley Scrivenor is a captivating exploration of psychological tension that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative unfolds with intricate character development. Scrivenor masterfully weaves suspense throughout the plot, ensuring that your attention never wavers as you turn page after page in eager anticipation.

Each twist and turn draws you in, creating a compelling atmosphere that keeps you guessing. However, I must admit that the ending left me somewhat dissatisfied. The final twist, while ambitious, felt disjointed and did not align well with the narrative that preceded it. It seemed to shift the tone in a way that didn't resonate with the buildup of tension that had been so skillfully established.

Overall, “Girl Falling” is a gripping read that showcases Hayley Scrivenor's talent for storytelling, even if the conclusion doesn't fully deliver on the promise of the rest of the book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC ebook! If you enjoy psychological thrillers, this book may still be worth your time.

Told in alternating Then and Now style, this suspenseful novel had me hooked from the start with the first line: Why would my best friend want to destroy my life? and kept me guessing all the way through as the story unwound. The story is told in the first person by Finn, a park guide and professional climber in Australia. She and Daphne are long time best friends, but when Finn’s girlfriend accidently falls to her death during a climb with the three of them, Finn begins to question what Daphne’s friendship really means to her.
Highly recommended contemporary mystery/suspense.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book to review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book made no sense and I did not find it very thrilling at all. The plot felt all over the place and I didn't care about any of the characters.

As a rock climber myself I found the premise of this book highly interesting. I felt like I was in a murder mystery love story. I knew how the love story would end but not the murder mystery. It was pretty addicting. I enjoyed playing detective and the many moments when you think you understand only to have a curve ball thrown at you making you realize you don’t understand at all. Thank you #netgalley for this ARC copy of Girl Falling.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

I think the bare bones of this mystery are very interesting, but unfortunately due the nature of the mystery it's not a very fun read.

The story begins with Finn, her girlfriend Magdu, and Finn's friend Daphne going rock climbing. This is Magdu's first climb ever, but unfortunately things go very wrong and Magdu plummets to her death. Police sweep in to investigate if this was a tragic accident or if foul play was involved.

It's difficult to explain the issues with the book without spoiling it, and I don't do that with advanced copies. You'll have to forgive me if it seems like I'm trying to talk around certain topics and plot points.

We get to see the present tense, and we get chapters in the past to see the beginning and evolution of Finn and Magdu's relationship. I like them as a couple, and I buy their chemistry. They also face quiet a bit of conflict because Magdu's family wouldn't be okay with her dating a woman. This is a pretty stereotypical conflict for a lesbian couple to face, but it's not uncommon or unrealistic.

The other primary conflict they have is Daphne. She and Finn have been close for years, and Magdu often feels like she's on the outside of their relationship. Daphne is also kind of strange... She's manipulative and possessive, so it provides are really interesting tension, especially in retrospect because Daphne was the one who suggested the climbing trip.

As I said, this central mystery is really interesting, and as the story progresses we get hints as to what could've happened to Magdu, the people around them who could've had it out for them, and both Finn and Daphne's pasts. However, a TON of the page count is filled with things that are frankly completely irrelevant. Finn gets her period, and it's totally not plot relevant. Finn is constantly speaking in her internal monologue about a sore tooth she has. It opens a little lead into the mystery but is ultimately irrelevant. Finn begs to see Magdu's body for so many pages, and it leads to nothing really. Obviously, it's emotionally driven for Finn, but it's not like it leads to any clues or hints about the mystery.

There is a REASON why Finn can't really investigate or tell the audience about any clues she's found. There is a reason we don't see Finn hunting down suspects and informing the police about what she's found. There is a reason the story stagnates SO hard, but that literally relates to who is ultimately found responsible. I can't spoil the twist. I can tell you I saw it coming, and that I thought it was a little interesting and shocking. However, that doesn't mean the rest of the story was good in retrospect.

The issue is that Finn was our POV character, and seeing things through her eyes just doesn't work. I realize Scrivenor was trying to do something unique and I applaud that. I just don't think it worked.

If you look at it as more of a literary exploration of co-dependency, or a deep dive into Finn as a character, you might enjoy this book a lot more than I did. If you're looking for a mystery, I think you might end up disappointed.

Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor releases on March 11th, 2025

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ thank you netgalley and flatiron books for this arc!

i’m a bit annoyed that i finished this if im being honest. if you’re looking for a quick sapphic read, you might have fun with this! but i found the contents a bit boring, the characters didn’t talk or behave like real people and the plot was overall pretty unbelievable. i’m fine with suspending my disbelief but that’s not really what this book was going for so it just left me frustrated. if this wasn’t a gay i probably would have DNF’d.