Tuesday, June 13, 2023

The Island of Lost Girls - Alex Marwood

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. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Island of Lost Girls. 

Gentle readers please note there are a number of triggers in this book and may not a book for you.

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