Write your own review!
Joan N. (Evanston, IL)
Murder of "The Mademoiselle Next Door"
Intelligent 30-something Oxford graduates vacation together in France after graduation. A woman of about their age, the "mademoiselle next door," is murdered about the time they leave. Ten years later, they again come under scrutiny when the woman's body is found on the property. I enjoyed this a lot, it kept me guessing, so I couldn't put it down. The characters were likeable and well developed throughout the novel.
Carolyn L. (Summerville, SC)
The French Girl
I found The French Girl to be interesting and suspenseful. The characters were well-written, and Kate Channing was a likable and sympathetic heroine. The story was plausible and held my attention. It's not great literature, but not a bad way to spend a few hours.
Barbara L. (Novato, CA)
Secrets abound!
This is a smart, fast read! Ten years after a young woman's disappearance , her body has been found. This sets in motion a renewed investigation involving a group of friends who were the last to see her alive. Long held secrets are revealed while long held friendships are tested. You will stay up at night reading this one!
Christine B. (Lilydale, MN)
Conflicting Views
I enjoyed the universal message and question this book conveys- Do we see others as we want to seem them or as we think they see us? The protagonist Kate struggles with this question throughout all the relationships she has or, as in the case of Severine, had. Not only Kate but also Caro, Tom and Lara wrestle with their feelings for family and each other. I thought as far a a mystery goes it was pretty low key and somewhat in the background of the story but it did keep my interest.
Jean G. (Rockford, IL)
A Mystery Plus
Although basically a mystery, that sometimes felt of secondary importance. The novel was also a detailed story of contemporary women successful by their own means. Told in the first person, the female protagonist gives an in-depth picture of her intense emotional thoughts and feelings along with the developing story of her past and present life. We also get a portrait of the personality and feelings of the other women in her life.
The prose is intelligent and does require some thinking. One almost cares more for the characters and what happens in their lives than solving the mystery. All of this knowledge and
…more involvement increases as we learn of the friends connection to the mystery still unsolved.
Seb and Caro are two characters' name choices that I never did get used to reading. That and also not enjoying the way the author chose to solve the mystery in the end might be topics for a good book club discussion. (less)This is not great literature or beautiful, lyrical writing, but it is a terrific mystery and page turner. I couldn't put it down. Old college friends are haunted by their pasts and re-examine their friendships; long-held secrets are uncovered. Is a good friend capable of murder? What would you do to protect your friends? Would you betray a friend to save yourself? Would one of your friends betray you? Many people can relate to having a close group of friends in college (or in life), and no doubt some had potentially dangerous secrets. One nitpicking criticism of the writing was too many uses of "twin spots of
…more color" (or similar words) on someone's face to show emotion. I cared about the characters, even the minor ones, and they drew me in. I did enjoy the ghost hanging around. This is quite the debut novel and would be good for book clubs as there are several themes to discuss. I will look for her next one. I think this would be such a good movie. (less)The re-opening of a cold case by French authorities plunges six college friends into turmoil in this fast-paced mystery. Nineteen-year-old Severine was the "mademoiselle next door" to the family holiday home of one of the group. Missing for years, her body has recently been discovered in a well on the property. Though Theo, her neighbor, has since been killed in Afghanistan, everyone else who stayed with him during that fateful summer faces questioning by the French investigator. Kate, Tom, Lara, Seb and Caro find themselves reliving the past, with its tangled relationships, jealousies, and conflicting memories.
…more Before long, it becomes obvious that one of them must have killed Severine. The tension increases with the mounting pressure on their lives and the revelation of the true feelings of each one of the group. I loved the characters, and the suspense built nicely throughout. I read it in two sittings over a couple of days, and I look forward to more from this author! (less)I wasn't sure at the beginning that I would really like this book, but quickly got sucked into the story and trying to figure out all the relationships and their background. I enjoyed the mystery, and liked that I wasn't sure until nearly the end of who it was that actually committed the murder.
