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The Broken Girls

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The Broken Girls

Written by: Simone St. James
Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
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About this listen

The "clever and wonderfully chilling" (Fiona Barton) suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare....

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants - the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming - until one of them mysteriously disappears....

Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past - and a voice that won't be silenced....

©2018 Simone St. James (P)2018 Penguin Audio Horror Psychological Supernatural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction Scary Paranormal Fiction Haunted Mystery Ghost Fantasy Crime Psychological Suspense

What the critics say

“[The Broken Girls] mixes a creepy supernatural tale with a gripping mystery. It also works well as a story about unshakeable friendship, parenting issues, obsession and sexism folded into a satisfying plot that straddles two eras of time.” (Associated Press)

“An intense, genuinely creepy novel that links the ghostly, gothic strands of a 60-year-old murder with secrets about to be unearthed in the present day.... With a ghostly setting and an addictive plot, St. James’ story is as haunting as it gets - poignant, evocative and difficult to forget.” (BookPage)

“The Broken Girls is equal parts captivating and disturbing.” (HelloGiggles)
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I overall enjoyed the Broken Girls, it started off really strong, had some spooky bits, and I enjoyed the alternating points of view. The narrator did an excellent job. However, I found myself losing interest near the end and didn’t really care about the characters anymore. The ending felt expository rather than climactic.

Starts off strong; spooky in parts; peters off a bit at the end.

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I have to say that I really enjoyed this story. The characters were easy to follow. I liked the reader as she made each character come alive with her various voice changes. The story plot itself was awesome. I have had difficulty with other books flipping back and forth from one year to another, I had no problems following the story line here. I actually listened to this book twice. Loved it!! Going to enjoy discussing it at my book club!

It just kept me wanting to know more!

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if it wasn't for my favorite narrator, (Rebecca Lowman,) I wouldn't have bought this audio book. I am happy I did, very good story and as always, Rebecca Lowman did an amazing job!!! I will definitely be purchasing more books by Simone St. James.

I really enjoyed this story.

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This is a fantastic book. It had great twists and a well thoughtout storyline. I loved it and you will too

An exceptional story. Haunting & endearing!

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If you like crime stories with a tinge of ghost this is for you! Well narrated, it grips you from the start.

Great ghost/crime story

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I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure about the girls' school setting (having gone to one, maybe I'm a little overly critical), but it was refreshingly uncliched. The characters were well written and interesting, and both central mysteries were very engaging, with unexpected and tidy conclusions. Even the ghost subplot was good- not over-done or hokey. (Unfortunately, the police corruption subplot definitely was overdone and unbelievable, though. It was the only disappointing part of an otherwise satisfying listen.)

engaging

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At first I wasn’t too interested in the book and purchased it without knowing it contained a ghost story. However, as I read I was pulled in and finished the book in two days. It was well worth the binge!

Stick with it...

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Started out really strong and then it began to lagged near the middle/end. I still liked it but the ending was kind of eh. Enjoyed the ghost story. Overall was worth the read.

#Audible1

started out strong

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The story is a good mix of past and present with a great ghost story interwoven. The characters are mostly well formed, though the author does leave some questions unanswered. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. I have found a new favourite author to add to the list.

I couldn’t put it down!

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Both the author and the narrator kept me listening all the way to the unpredictable end.

Great story.

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