First Line Friday #89
Today’s First Line Friday is one I read a few months ago. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and I enjoyed it! My review for it is here.
They locked her in the infirmary, and took away her phone, and anything else she might use to harm herself—or someone else.
When twin sisters Rose and Bel Enright enroll in The Odell School, a prestigious New Hampshire boarding school, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. But the sisters could not be more different. The school brings out a rivalry between them that few ever knew existed. And the school itself has a dark underbelly: of privileged kids running unchecked and uninhibited; of rituals and traditions that are more sinister than they seem; of wealth and entitlement that can only lead to disaster.
For Sarah Donovan, wife of an ambitious teacher who is determined to rise through the ranks, Odell also seems like the best thing that could happen to their small family. But how well does she really know her husband? What lengths will he go to to achieve his goals? And when one dark night ends in murder, who is guilty, who knows the truth, and who has been in on it all along? SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE. Because murderers are almost never who you expect.
Release Day Review: She was the Quiet One
Author: Michele Campbell
Published: Today, July 31, 2018
352 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 22-29, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
When twin sisters Rose and Bel Enright enroll in The Odell School, a prestigious New Hampshire boarding school, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. But the sisters could not be more different. The school brings out a rivalry between them that few ever knew existed. And the school itself has a dark underbelly: of privileged kids running unchecked and uninhibited; of rituals and traditions that are more sinister than they seem; of wealth and entitlement that can only lead to disaster.
For Sarah Donovan, wife of an ambitious teacher who is determined to rise through the ranks, Odell also seems like the best thing that could happen to their small family. But how well does she really know her husband? What lengths will he go to to achieve his goals? And when one dark night ends in murder, who is guilty, who knows the truth, and who has been in on it all along? SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE. Because murderers are almost never who you expect.
Jessica’s Review:
She was the Quiet One is Michele Campbell’s second novel. I hope to read her debut It’s Always the Husband. I enjoyed this novel and read it in a week, which is good for me: I tend to get books read in 10-14 days. The chapters were short and the mystery kept me reading wanting to know how the novel was going to end. From page one you know that one of the twin girls is dead due to murder; we just don’t know which one. This was the way to pull you in!
Boarding schools make for great settings: There is always a lack of supervision and the kids always seem to get away with so much and trouble is always lurking somewhere. There was one thing I could not get over throughout the novel: No locks on the bedroom doors at all?!?!? I found that highly unbelievable as that is just asking for trouble (which happens).
Bel and her sister Rose are fraternal twins and very different girls. I liked both of them, and they really are Yin and Yang: Total opposites but still care for each other as they are all they have left…. Until they get to Odell Academy. As I read I was wondering what was going to happen to break that seemingly unbreakable ‘twin bond’.
“I was constantly wondering which twin was going to be murdered; I kept going back and forth between Bel and Rose.” I really had no idea which one it was going to be, as both could have been described as ‘the quiet one’ in their own individual way.
There are many secrets held by many characters throughout the novel. You also see how cruel kids can be to each other.
The mystery of the killer’s identity was a predictable one for me. I was hoping for a twist surprise but it became obvious that was not the direction the novel was going to go. As it was predictable for me, the last act of the novel was anti-climactic. BUT then we have that epilogue…… It brings everything together and everything makes sense.
I enjoyed She was the Quiet One and look forward to reading more by Campbell. Special thanks to St Martin’s Press who sent me an arc copy along with a tote bag for It’s Always the Husband via a Goodreads giveaway.
She was the Quiet One is recommended.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
