The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel.
Beautiful.
Rich.
Mysterious.
The Roanoke girls seem to have it all. But there's a dark truth about them which is never spoken. Every girl either runs away, or dies.Lane is one of the lucky ones. When she was fifteen, over one long, hot summer at her grandparents' estate in rural Kansas, she found out what it really means to be a Roanoke girl. Lane ran, far and fast. Until eleven years later, when her cousin Allegra goes missing - and Lane has no choice but to go back.She is a Roanoke girl.
Is she strong enough to escape a second time?
A very good read with good characters. 4*. Netgalley and hodder and Stoughton.

A dark, twisted thriller that you won't be able to put down. I loved it!

This is one head messer of a book. I am not sure if I would have chosen if I knew the subject matter but so glad I didn't and read this. The writing is stunning. So atmospheric, you can feel the heavy humidity of small town Kansas and picture the eery house and town that the Roanoke family live in. The house has been home to generations of Roanoke's. The story follows the life and history of the two last Roanoke girls. The saga takes you from 'Then' when Lane is sent to Roanoke to join her Grandparents after the death of her mother. She is united with her cousin Allegra who has been bought up by the Grandparents after the loss of her mother. 'Now' is when Lane returns following a call from her Grandfather to say Allegra is missing. Lane has never wanted to go back - she escaped but she does return. Its a gripping read and I enjoyed this immensely.

This was such an unusual book. I loved following the history of the Roanoke girls, particularly Lane & Allegra. I enjoyed the way we went back and forth in time, which revealed the dreadful secret of the girls.
My only problem was - from the point of view of a UK reader - that we had an amazing comedian/magician called Tommy Cooper here. And calling the two young men Tommy & Cooper took a bit of getting used to! But it didn't detract from the story at all.

Both gripping and disturbing but most definitely worth a read.

This was one of the best books I've read in a long time.Gripping all the way through,sinister take of family love and the effects it has on the whole circle. Moving,sad,but beautiful in a way

Phew, this is one emotionally exhausting all consuming book. It's harrowing yet gentle, sad yet uplifting, its a contradiction in terms and I loved reading it.

It takes the deeply taboo and makes it feel like the norm. It immerses you in a world where nothing is as it should be, surrounds you with folk who live by unacceptable rules and makes you feel at home among them.

This is the story of the beautiful, rich and spoilt, daughters and granddaughters of the prosperous Roanoke family, whose wealthy lives out in the boondocks are privileged yet never to be envied.

Meet Lane, she's a Roanoke beauty, who's broken away from the luxurious family mansion to make her own way in the world. When she hears of the death of her childhood companion, her beloved cousin Allegra this means she feels obligated to return to Roanoke, the home of her rich grandparents to help her grandfather cope with his loss, for he adored her beloved Allegra too.

Lane wasn't born at the family mansion, her Mother struck out alone and Lane was raised up in a world of seedy apartments, of shifting moods, tears and depression, poverty and a distinct lack of affection. But all this ends at the age of fifteen after her mother commits suicide and Lane is offered a home where for a change she is welcome and wanted and loved. She has landed on her feet here, we think, the Roanoke girls want for nothing.

Moving fluidly back and forth in time the drowsy mesmeric quality of life one long hot summer erupts amidst secrets and lies. This is a coming of age with a difference.

The mystery which must be solved is what has happened to the missing woman Allegra? The question which are raised are what happened to

As Lane revisits her old haunts, rekindles an old flame and reluctantly becomes embroiled in the secretive and tenebrous world of Roanoke, the secrets buried beneath the veneer of respectability threaten to emerge and blow apart everything.

This is a hauntingly heartbreaking book of barely concealed deception, secretive lives and a few pretty despicable characters by whom I should have been angered but mainly pitied.

A truly compelling story, unsettling at times as dark family secrets unfold.

I found this book to be extremely dark and disturbing. The author portrayed small town Kansas beautifully, with descriptive language pulling the reader into the sultry, sweaty atmosphere. The tangled twisted plot attracted me from the first page and I was compelled to read on, turning the pages at speed to unravel the secrets of the Roanoke girls. Dark, disturbing and emotionally captivating.

I have to admit that I requested this book for one reason, and one reason only, and that is because it has the word ‘Roanoke’ in the title. It reminded me of American Horror Story (AHS) of which I am a huge fan. I am sure that Amy Engel started writing and planning this novel waaaay before the ‘AHS My Roanoke Nightmare’ television series was released but hey, you’ve got to go with what your head says sometimes; and mine was telling me to ‘read this book’.

The story begins with a girl called Lane whose mother has just committed suicide. As a result Lane goes to live with a side of her family that she didn’t even know existed. They are desperate (emphasis on the word desperate here) to welcome her into their home… pretty creepy so far, right?!

Lane has a cousin called Allegra who she befriends easily. Allegra comes across as quite mischievous so I am straight away thinking of what sort of troubles lie ahead for this duo. I am also questioning as to why Lane’s mother didn’t tell her about the ‘Roanoke Family’ and why did she flee from them all those years ago?! I couldn’t wait to find out the answers.

We fast forward a decade later and Lane, at the request of her grandfather, needs to return to Roanoke to help them as Allegra has gone missing. Lane really doesn’t want to go back, especially as she hasn’t seen or heard from any of them in years. It is almost as if she has ran away from there herself. Lane is unsure on how her grandfather even found her, but what is she hiding from?!

I loved the whole ‘then’ and ‘now’ aspect of it. Each chapter is told from either the past or the present. It keeps you on your toes and I was desperate to find out what happened in both cases – why did Lane only spend one summer at Roanoke all those years ago? And why is Allegra missing now?!

You are in for a real treat with this sinister story-telling. It is out already in hardback and e-book, but for those that prefer paperbacks it is being released this Thursday.

Amy Engel has created something different, something exotic and unique, something so well written that she has captured my attention perfectly.

Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley were kind enough to provide me with an e-copy of this book for review purposes so a huge thank you to them for keeping this little bookworm going!

My final word: Creepy.

A story which intrigues with a mixture of underlying menace and a building tension allied with a missing person mystery. It’s well written and enthralls from the get-go. The Kansas backdrop makes the reader perspire along with the characters. Whilst I have heard on the news of similar tales of incest, never has it been so endemic as with this story. Is it plausible? I guess if you turned over every stone of human depravity you might find something similar. Was there a real love for his girls or was it some sort of self justifying ploy he used gain their affection? Without lifting the lid on his thought processes we’ll never know.

I was glued to the pages of The Roanoke Girls, much like the shirts on the backs of the residents of Osage Flats. The whole premise, hidden secrets, and Kansas backdrop, made for compelling, page-turning, reading. It's so easy to fall into Lane's story and watch the secrets unfold as the story progresses. If ever it could be said for a right way to deliver a story of sexual abuse, then this is pretty much it. As harrowing and uncomfortable as it gets, the wordsmithing is a joy to read. We learn about the Roanoke Girls and what was endured and that sexual abuse isn't just physical endurance, and often not endurance at all, the power people can have over us can lead to very awful, really tricky, situations.

Lane, Allegra, Tommy and Connor, who I class as the four main characters, unravel this story before your eyes as the truth becomes known. Interspersed with glimpses into the past and the rest of the Roanoke Girls (which I think was brilliantly done). Not forgetting Charlie and Sharon and other secondary characters who play important roles. All very decently brought to life, and from start to finish, immerse you into the Kansas unforgiving heat, and holding you there because the draw and fascination of what is unfolding before your very eyes is addictive. I rarely like books that swing from past to present, but there is not better way that this novel could have been done. And it was executed perfectly.

I wasn't sure what to expect with The Roanoke Girls, I didn't bargain for getting such a captivating read, brilliantly written and a great prose that will have this book staying with me for a very long time.

I received a copy of The Roanoke Girls from Netgalley, my reviews are my own and depict my enjoyment of a first class read.

When Lane's mother commits suicide, she is sent to live with her grandparents on a sprawling farm in a tiny community called Osage Flats, in the middle of Kansas. She knows nothing about her family, only that they are wealthy and own a farm. Her cousin Allegra, whose mother took off shortly after she was born, also lives with with them. Lane discovers more about the rest of her family, "The Roanoke girls", and that the only two remaining are her and Allegra - the others are either dead or simply ran off. The two girls spend a hot Kansas summer finding whatever fun they can in a small town; namely hanging around with two local boys, Tommy and Cooper, and Lane and Cooper begin a summer romance. After making a disturbing and shocking discovery about her family that shocks her to the core, Lane immediately leaves Kansas and heads to California.

Over a decade later, Lane is living in Los Angeles and receives a phone call late one night from her Grandfather, Yates. Allegra has gone missing and so Lane has to return to attempt to discover what has happened to her cousin. She doesn't want to, but her bond with Allegra forces her, and as soon as she arrives back she feels the pull of the place and knows she shouldn't stay long. Yet Lane know she can't leave without finding out what happened to Allegra - did she run or did something much more sordid happen to her? Back in Kansas she reconnects with Tommy, who is now married and a local police officer, and Cooper who now runs his fathers garage. They are both also desperate to know what happened to Allegra, or if she will be confined to the mystery books.

The book is told in the context of "then" and "now", with the stories of each of the Roanoke girls interspersed throughout. When the layers of the Roanoke's history peel back slowly, the true horror of the family's secrets crawls over your skin like ice. The "secret" is known relatively early on, but as the dark and shocking stories of the past and present spill across the pages, they expose more twisted and abnormal tales leaving you in a state of disbelief.

Amy Engels writing draws you in despite the grim subject matter, which is handled with just enough detail, yet not too much to be off putting. The atmosphere throughout the book feels suffocating with the stifling and oppressive heat of Kansas. This has the effect of making the reader feel cocooned and almost smothered or trapped, with how thick and close the air is.

Normally many gothic books achieve a menacing and oppressive atmosphere through the cold, dark, grey, foggy, misty, emptiness. This book achieves that feeling through the descriptions of the isolation that comes with living in a middle of nowhere small town, combined with the stifling heat and humidity. Unless you've lived through summers where anything over 40/ 104 is the norm, it's probably hard to imagine the intensity extreme heat and/or humidity can create. Amy Engel describes it to a t. It can be delibihating and suck the energy and life right out of you. Making the air feel thick and heavy like it's getting right into your lungs. The descriptions of a boiling Kansas summer creates an eerie ambience - one which is dark, gritty, uncomfortable and extremely unsettling. Yet the writing is still beautifully compelling and powerful.

The storyline of Lane and Cooper is a little relief to some of the other stomach churning tales, which won't be comfortable reading, particularly for some readers who may be affected by some of the books subjects. However, Amy Engel is a talented and clever writer who has taken on a dark and sickening subject. Yet somehow she manages to entice you in as a reader to uncover the Roanoke's most darkest, shocking and weird secrets. I devoured the book over two days, it is easy just to greedily gobble up the pages to see how far down the rabbit hole the tragic tale takes you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Sometimes you get a book that you really think you will love, it has mixed reviews, the title and synopsis do their job by providing enough to pull you in. Then you read the book. This one left me a little deflated, it was not because I didn’t enjoy it because on the whole I did enjoy it. But my confusion with this book is, the subject matter of the story is definitely aimed at adults, but the style of writing, I felt was more YA.

The plot of the story was very basic and disturbing, but due to the simplicity of the writing made it a quick read. The main characters were memorable and well written to a point, but the dialogue again had more of a YA feel, sweeping generalised statements rather than more in-depth that I expected. The descriptions for the Osage Flats did give a good general feel for the area, and I really liked the picture the author built up for me in my head.

The reason for feeling a little deflated were I think, due to the lack of detailed explanations for various questions that arose during and after reading the book, I feel more exploration of family Friends dynamics could have been expanded more, rather that generalised statements. The main idea or plot was given very early on and I did find myself working out the main culprit and reasons behind it quite quickly.

But all that being said, I did read the book very quickly, and did find it quite addictive. I think because of the simplicity of the writing it held my attention, as I did not have to think about what I was reading too much. If you take the adult theme out of the book, it would be ideal for YA readers. I am sure this will appeal to many readers who want a quick, shock read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

I had heard a great deal on social media about the Roanoke Girls so was interested to delve in to this novel.

Whilst it was exceptionally well written and compelling I actually found the story to be claustrophobic in its atmosphere and very disturbing. In its content. Did I enjoy it? Not sure but it is a story that will stay with me a long time.

Will be on the best sellers list I am sure.

This book is darkly disturbing and full of forbidden love and twisted secrets that you wouldn't want to share even to the last person on earth. It is the story of Lane, a Roanoke girl, who ends up back at her ancestral home for one summer when she is 16. There she meets her Gran and Grandad and her cousin Allegra and learns just how dysfunctional her family really is. She leaves after that one summer but ends up back there after her Grandad calls about an incident and we see if she can survive Roanoke for a second time.

Amy Engel sets the tone of this book from the beginning. It was extremely atmospheric and I was completely gripped throughout. The whole book is written in first person and this to me felt like I was more immersed in the story. I felt I was experiencing everything alongside Lane rather than looking in. Her vivid descriptions of place and people helped and I was able to watch the story play out in my head. I also liked that the narrative was told across two timelines and how they both came together in a super climax at the end. I liked being able to see how the 'then' influenced the 'now' as we went along.

Amy also dropped a reveal on us quite early on in the story but I didn't mind this in the slightest. Things continued to build throughout the book and I always found myself saying just one more page. I needed to know how things played out. We got another reveal near the end of the book and I can honestly say I did not see either of them coming and as a reader of many thriller novels this is something I usually can't say.

We are introduced to the Roanoke family quite early on and then gradually receive more information throughout the story. The whole idea of Roanoke is toxic and it really does feel like the family has a curse hanging over them. Every character in this novel is flawed, they both have good and bad in them but this doesn't stop me from liking every character in this novel. As the story progresses you can see why many of the Roanoke girls want to leave the family home behind.

Although Lane only spent one summer at Roanoke you can see how the family legacy has affected her her whole life, through her relationships with others. I loved her relationship with Allegra it was a completely honest depiction of a close family relationship in my opinion with fights, arguments and reconciliations but with added extra dysfunctionality. There relationship felt very authentic.

This book have definite triggers for a variety of difficult issues I won't share them here because of spoilers but feel free to message me if you want to know. However, I felt the author handled the issues extremely well. The feelings of each of the different parties felt very realistic and in my opinion, they were handled sensitively and they were not sensationalised in any way.

Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a dark and gritty novel with a super gripping plot and unpredictable events.

4.5 stars.

When Lane's Mother dies she goes to live with her grand-parents in fairly isolated small town in Kansas. The family have a secret and everyone is damaged.

I have to start with a big positive about how well written this book is in terms of description. The vocabulary is great and the author really manages to conjure up pictures in the mind of the reader. I saw the run down, dusty town and the old rambling house, Roanoake) with no problems at all.

Unfortunately as thrillers go it was rather predictable and lacked suspense. There is a "big secret" which wasn't a secret to anyone reading the book. It all became very obvious quite early on meaning that there was no suspense leading up to a climax. The story panned out in a fairly logical manner to a reasonable conclusion.

I struggled with the characters in this book. Usually, even in the grimmest books, there is a character that you are rooting for. Someone whose corner you'd fight and who you'd like to see have a happy ending. I really struggled to find anyone with any redeeming features. Everyone is damaged - Lane had a loveless and difficult relationship with her mother leaving her not knowing what love is & how to appreciate people as opposed to hurting them. Her cousin Allegra who has lived with her grandparents since birth is attention seeking and more than a little damaged by "the big secret". There are workers in the house, young people in the town and Lane's grandparents who are all struggling with secrets and difficulties. I did feel slight compassion for Lane but not enough to really care about her. Plenty of people through the years have known about the wicked things taking place in Roakoake but no one lifted a finger to help them. Not even Lane when she left.

I have to say that I do wonder why there is quite so much hype about this book. I loved the description but the rest was mediocre and, to be perfectly honest, quite grim. There is nothing to smile about & no one I cared about.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley

I loved this book. It was quite different from my normal read and was quite dark and disturbing but thoroughly enjoyable. I certainly wasn't expecting it! I look forward to reading more by this author.

I seem to be reading a lot of books concerning manipulative relationships, incest and rape these days. Reading Roanoke Girls was a bit like dreaming - some moments were filled with clarity, others murky and watercolour pages of unclear meaning. The Roanoke Girls focuses on a dark family history filled with shadows - and a yearning for hope, escape and redemption. It was difficult to read at times, but overall I am glad I finished it. Was not too surprised at the ending and whodunit, but it was a bit disappointing in the sense that I felt it didn't give much closure. Definitely a book that one digests slowly long after the last page has been read.

Powerful, compelling and completely absorbing. I couldn't wait to turn each page and feel a bit lost now that the book is finished. I have tried a few times to describe the book but I cant do it justice and Id hate to give away too much. Just read it!
I loved the flawed characters, that still managed to be appealing. This is aided by the physiological insight into why the characters are the way they are, which is cleverly woven into the story, as opposed to the unsubtle bio many books resort to. The book should be disjointed as it constantly switches between now and then, but again it is handled deftly. And lastly, some beautiful poetic descriptions which complement the story so well that it doesn't seem pretentious. I have much respect for the skill and subtlety of this author.