Reckless Girls: A Novel by Rachel HawkinsPublication Date: January 4, 2022
Pages: 320
Add on: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers
Publisher: St. Martin's Press / Macmillan
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes Reckless Girls, a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.
ONE ISLAND
Beautiful, wild, and strange—Meroe Island is a desolate spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. It’s the perfect destination for the most adventurous traveler to escape everything... except the truth.
SIX VISITORS
Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey—one filled with sun-drenched days and intoxicating nights. But as it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in, sending them on a dangerous spiral of discovery.
COUNTLESS SECRETS
When one person goes missing and another turns up dead, the remaining friends wonder what dark currents lie beneath this impenetrable paradise—and who else will be swept under its secluded chaos. With its island gothic sensibility, sexy suspense, and spine-tingling reimagining of an Agatha Christie classic, Reckless Girls will wreck you.
REVIEW
You know that feeling when something’s just a little… off? That’s what reading Rachel Hawkins’ Reckless Girls feels like. On the surface, it’s a sun-soaked escape to a remote Pacific paradise. But underneath? Let’s just say you might want to rethink that tropical vacation.
The story follows Lux McAllister, who’s running from her demons when she agrees to sail to Meroe Island with her boyfriend, Nico and two wealthy women. Paradise found, right? Well, until two more travellers show up on their “deserted” island. That’s when things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean deliciously dark.
Hawkins knows how to set a scene. One minute you’re basking in descriptions of crystal-clear waters and pristine beaches, the next you’re checking over your shoulder. It’s like Lost meets The White Lotus, with a dash of Agatha Christie thrown in for good measure. Each character comes with their secret carry-on baggage, and trust me, it’s way over the weight limit.
The writing pulls you in like a riptide, smooth and inviting at first, then suddenly you’re in way too deep. Sure, some of the plot twists require a healthy suspension of disbelief (let’s just say these characters would never survive a horror movie), but that’s half the fun.
Is it perfect? No. But neither are the beautiful, broken people populating this island. And that’s exactly the point. Reckless Girls is the kind of book that makes you glad you’re reading it from the safety of your couch rather than a beach chair in the middle of nowhere
3.5/5 for this tropical thriller that proves paradise isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Just don’t read it before your next island getaway, or do, if you like a side of paranoia with your piña colada.
Perfect beach read? Absolutely. Just keep one eye on your fellow sunbathers
