Review: The Lost Girls by Heather Young

My Review (5 Stars: Loved it!)

The Lost Girls by Heather Young

Narrators: Alice Rosengard and Laurel Schroeder 

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 12 hours and 35 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Audible.com Release Date: July 26, 2016

The Lost Girls is told in a steady, very somber/dark tone.  It is multi layered with many surprising twists.

There are two narrators for this novel.  One narrative is about three young sisters and their relationship while spending the summer at the family’s lake house,.  It is told by one narrator in the voice of the middle sister, Lucy.

The second narration is about Lucy’s grand-neice, Justine, who inherits the house.  Justine has two daughters.

Having two different narrators was very effective.  Lucy is writing about that summer for Justine to read and know about what happened.  The author, Heather Young’s talents are clearly on display.

The Lost Girls gives you pause for thought about families, the relationships that exist behind closed doors and the evil that may be lurking there.

If the author’s second novel, Lovelock, is as good as her first, The Lost Girls, it will be a doozy.

This novel is reminiscent of another 5-star rated novel,  A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (my review ~ 2014).

What Other’s Are Saying

“I enjoyed THE LOST GIRLS despite the gloomy feeling that seemed to overshadow everyone. Ms. Young has a marvelous, descriptive writing style that helped you understand and connect with each character and each situation.​ Her writing just pulled you into the story. ” – Elizabeth of Silver’s Reviews

“Impressive debut!” – Diana ☕ Book of Secrets

“I am thrilled to announce that The Lost Girls has been nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel. – Heather Young 

“Young’s intricately wrought family drama tarries over details of time, place, and emotion as it gradually reveals her debut’s tragic core.” – Kirkus Review

About The Author (from the author’s website)

After a decade practicing law and another raising kids, Heather decided to finally write the novel she’d always talked about writing. She holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars, and is an alumnus of the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop and the Tin House Writers Workshop, all of which helped her stop writing like a lawyer. She lives in Mill Valley, California, with her husband and two teenaged children. When she’s not writing she’s biking, hiking, neglecting potted plants, and reading books by other people that she wishes she’d written.

She is currently working on her second novel, Lovelock.