When Addie is ten the 7/7 bombers bring destruction to London and her father comes home covered in blood. Her sister tells her not to worry but a murdered woman's purse is in their flat. Every year on Addie's birthday a woman disappears and Addie suspects her father. Soon the police suspect him and he flees, living Addie to live with her sister. Her sister however is working for the husband of a victim and, as Addie grows older, she realises that there is more to the tale.
In many respects this is a great summer read. It races along at a great pace and there is the innocence of Addie to contrast with the terror of life in the big city. However it asks a lot of the reader in terms of great gaps in the plot which is frustrating as I think Locke is potentially a good writer of this sort of novel.

It's very rare to find a book that ticks all the boxes, but The July Girls is one of them. Suspenseful and absorbing with a perfect pace, I absolutely devoured this book.

Bonus points for Locke being able to firmly centre the story in its setting without making the book entirely about one event or another - something I've always enjoyed and try to do in my own books - by including the 7/7 bombings and the 2011 riots.

Gosh, what a fantastic book! This coming of age story drew me in from the very beginning and kept my interest throughout.

Addie lives with her father and sister Jessie and she is the narrative voice in this novel. The story begins when Addie is ten years old and spans the next decade. Set in Brixton, London, it tells the story of the two sisters, raising themselves more or less alone and their lives become unwittingly entangled with that of a seemingly untouchable serial killer. Every year, on the same day in July, the killer, dubbed the ‘Magpie’, takes another girl’s life and then sends back an item of her jewellery to taunt the detectives trying to catch the said killer.

For most novels, this would be plenty to be getting on with. Yet here, this is merely the backdrop against which a far more moving and engaging story also unfolds. With multiple timelines, this was a very well constructed story with brilliant characterisation. I think the fact that Addie was narrating the story made it more believable. The book maintained a high suspense level throughout and there were twists and turns towards the end that I didn't envisage. The plot itself was intricate and kept me ineffectively guessing.

'The July Girls' is exactly what I yearn for in a crime novel. A fast-paced story that’s so immersive and finely crafted I forget I’m reading and end up feeling as though I’ve just lived through it.

Phoebe Locke is a new-to-me author and I fully intend to read 'The Tall Man'.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Headline via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion

The July Girls is wonderfully narrated by Addie the youngest for two sisters living with their father. Growing up with an absent mother and a short tempered father, Addie is mostly raised by her older sister. The story centres around Addie and the fact that on her birthday in July every year a girl appears to be being murdered by a serial killer. But what is the connection to these murders for Abbie and her family ?

Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next in The July Girls I was wrong. If you’re a fan of Belinda Bauers Snap then give this book a go and find out the connection between Addie and the murdered girls.

I read The Tall Man by Phoebe Locke when it first came out and I absolutely loved it, so my expectations for The July Girls were high, and I’m pleased to say those expectations were met – and then some. The story follows Addie and her sister Jessie, whose mercurial and changeable father is keeping secrets. There is also a serial killer stalking London and killing a girl every July 7th. I really don’t want to give much away but lets just say things develop in a twisty and sinister way.

One of the things that Locke does so well is atmosphere. Right from the very beginning of The July Girls I could feel a creeping sense of unease. There is an unsettling atmosphere thats seeps off the pages and will get into the readers mind. Additionally, Addie is an intriguing character to follow. I loved the evidently strong bond between her and her sister, who has in reality been more of a mother figure. Their relationship is the heart of the book and I thought it felt authentic and complex. Another thing I loved about Addie was her love for reading. It made me instantly feel a connection to her and I’m sure most book lovers will feel the same. The development of Addie’s character as she grows up and begins to uncover some deeply sinister truths was consistently compelling.

The July Girls is constructed in a different way to most thrillers. This genre can occasionally feel predictable in some ways but this book doesn’t fall into that trap. I felt on edge the entire time I was reading and I genuinely couldn’t guess the direction the book would take. A couple of twists really took me by surprise and Locke did a great job weaving in the very real 7/7 London attacks which makes the story hit home just a little harder.

The July Girls is an unusual and well written psychological thriller which I think will resonate with many readers. I adore the way Locke creates real tension through her writing and I thoroughly recommend giving this book a go!

Oohh, this was really enjoyable, you really get into the girl's lives very swiftly and feel for them, Jessie is a great character and you do feel the weight on her.
I would recommend this book, it sped along, was intriging and human, and had a good air of mystery.

The story is told through the eyes of ten year old Addi. I feel that this was more of a young adult novel than a crime thriller.

However, that is not a criticism because I love young adult!

This story was full of twists and turns and I found it hard to put down.

I loved this.

The July Girls is a multi timeline story which revolves around an anniversary, 7th July which is Addie's birthday but as she later discovers this date has another sinister part to play. Due to her mother no longer being around Addie is often left home alone but on the night of her 10th birthday, the day of the London tube and bus bombings in 2005, she is frantically trying to contact her older sister Jessie who hasn't come home when her dad, a cabbie, arrives home earlier than expected covered in blood. A subsequent discovery makes her doubt his story and the actions of her sister bring them into contact with the family of a missing woman.

Addie as a narrator was older than her years, circumstances have forced her to be, but at the same time she had a childlike naivety about her and even when things started taking a particular turn she didn't want to believe that anyone she loved could be keeping things secret from her or be responsible for these horrific events. Jessie too had to grow up much quicker than she should have, as a teenager she should be out enjoying herself, but instead she had to step into the mother role to look after Addie since her mother disappeared.

This isn't a fast paced story by any means but yet you can't help be drawn into the drama as we follow Addie over the years as she grows into a strong, independent young woman who isn't afraid to speak out when the time comes even if it means putting herself into danger. It's an intriguing story featuring a fractured family at the heart of it with a menacing undertone, as I was reading I found myself wanting to know the answers to certain questions so much so that I ended up reading the book in two sittings. I was glad that I was proved right in my assumptions with regards to one strand of the storyline, but yet didn't figure it out wholly, but was totally caught off guard with another aspect which is testament to the writing skill of the author.

I can't really say much more about The July Girls without giving away any spoilers, but it's fair to say that I've now added another new author to my list so will now have to find the time to read her previous books at some point in the future.

This was a gripping, atmospheric read set in London. I was a big fan of Phoebe Locke's previous novel too. This one wasn't as creepy but I felt for the two girls on their own, managing without their father - and trying to figure out really happened all those years ago, and how they end up caught in a web of lies. The ending was very tense and I was practically yelling at the book "Nooooooooooo don't go in there!!!!" as if I was watching a horror film! A good solid read.

I preferred this book to the author's first. This is a really gripping read and kept me hooked. I really enjoyed it, can't wait for her next one.

On Addie’s 10th Birthday, her sister Jessie is supposed to take her for pizza, but she’s late…..so not sleeping, Addie here’s her dad come home, he smells meaty! He has blood on his clothes too….

She later finds out there has been a terrorist attack on the tube…..is this where the blood came from….?

Each year on 7 July a woman goes missing, the police finally link these disappearances, but they have no leads…..yet!

Jessie and Addie find a missing woman’s purse in their father’s room …scared what will happen to them if he leaves, they decide to keep it a secret….so many secrets!

The tale is told from Addie’s perspective, with a few small asides by the Magpie and snippets of real events over the years, the various terror attacks in London which build the atmosphere.

As the story continues, we see Addie grow from a 10 year old to a young adult, with the Magpie in the background all the time….there is an ever present feeling of menace, like something seen in the corner of your eye, building until the marvellously twisty and surprising ending. Original and compelling, definitely one of my favourites this year.

Thank you to The Author, The Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The July Girls and for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.

I absolutely loved The Tall Man so I was very excited to have a chance to read more from this author. The July Girls is another fantastic, atmospheric and gripping read that was almost impossible to put down.

Firstly I loved that the author set this at the start of the 21st Century and all the terrible things that happened in London around that time. These are events that I clearly remember and I felt this set the atmosphere nicely as it describes an unsettled London where you felt anything could happen.

Addie is a fantastic main character and a great narrator for the book. The fact that she’s only ten years old adds a slight edge to the story as we see everything through her eyes. I found I felt quite protective of her from the start and wanted to keep reading to make sure she was ok. The first part of the book could almost be described as ‘coming of age’ as Addie learns a few hard truths about the world and that not everyone will tell the truth. Her relationship with her sister was great to read about and I enjoyed reading about their close, caring relationship. Addie has had a bit of a neglected childhood by all accounts and so it was great to see her being cared for.

I thought this was a well paced, gripping book with lots happening to keep the reader’s interest. There are lots of twists to the story that kept me firmly on my toes as I tried to guess what was happening and whether Addie’s theories are right. This book is very well written and I felt I could felt I could feel Addie’s and London’s anxiety and fear which helped create a very atmospheric read. I flew through this book whilst on holiday and think it will be a great summer read to enjoy in the sun this summer.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.

I loved this book, it was super entertaining, and perfect summer read :)
It was a little slow to get into, but then the pace picked up and became very exciting. The story is over a time period of 10 years. The main character Addie is very likeable.
It was a really good thriller, full of secrets, twists and turns. It had really good characterisation as a bonus. So, I'd highly recommend it.
Thanks a lot Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once I picked this book up I just couldn't put it down and read it in just over a day. The story is set in London against a background of real life events at the time including 7/7 London bombings and the riots of 2011.

Addie is celebrating her 10th birthday on 7th July and it's the date the first woman goes missing. Her family presume she's been caught up in the tube bombings. Some time later Jessie and Addie go to the Emerson's house on some pretence and Jessie integrates herself into the lives of the missing woman's husband and child, for reasons that aren't clear at the time.

Addie saw something she wish she hadn't on her 10th birthday and can't get it out of her mind. Her sister, Jessie who works part-time at the wig shop with Laine looks after her like a mum, since their mum moved abroad and encourages her to forget it.

Another woman goes missing the next year on the 7th July and then the next... The police are looking closely to see if there are any connections. They find out Addie's been receiving something on her birthday from the man they believe can help with their enquiries.

I had of course accepted who the Magpie was for the story to head off on another curveball. A twisty read which I enjoyed (and I never saw that ending coming!)

I’m not going to beat about the bush here, I absolutely loved The July Girls by Phoebe Locke, this is the first book I’ve read by the author, although I have since bought The Tall Man her debut novel. If from the book description you thought this was a run of the mill ‘serial killer thriller’ you couldn’t be more wrong. This book has so much more to offer the crime thriller lover, it’s a book that’s superbly written, an extraordinary and highly original tale, told through the eyes of a brilliantly drawn character, ten-year-old Addie.

Set in London, The July Girls tells the story of two sisters, Jessie and Addie, whose lives become unintentionally entangled with a serial killer. Every year, on the 7th of July, a young girl is snatched from the streets of London by the killer, leaving behind no clues or forensic evidence. The story begins with The devastating event of 07/07 terrorist attacks, for many, lives will never be the same, and unfortunately for Jessica and Addie so begins their worse nightmare, as on the same night their dad comes home covered in blood and when they find items in their home belonging to a missing woman believed to one of the victims of the ‘Magpie’ killer. Addie’s sense of confusion, distress and loss are palatable throughout The July Girls, making for a disquieting read.

The reason I enjoyed this book is very much down to the innocent narrative of Addie, which compliments the sinister undertone that runs through the book's pages. The relationship between the two sisters is superbly depicted, by the author it’s impossible not to become involved in the lives of her characters.
Jessica is thrown into the position of surrogate mother, she adores Addie and will do anything to protect her, even if that means lying to hide the shocking truths hidden beneath the surface of their dysfunctional family. You can’t help but admire Addie from a young age through to her teens she retains Addies her integrity, her sense of ‘right from wrong’ even though this will cause her stress and upset. Addie is a troubled ten-year-old, there are things she has seen that she can’t forget, they keep her awake at night, they are things that niggle at her conscious and force her to question the very person who she should be able to trust, her own father. Is everything at it seems? or does Addie have a over active imagination like many a ten-year-old? I’m not saying as you really need to read the book to find out!

Phoebe Locke shows that you don’t need to write graphic crime scenes to capture the reader’s imagination, it’s a disturbing story but subtle, leaving the reader to summon up their own vivid scenarios! Although I wouldn’t consider this to be a fast paced read, the beauty of The July Girls is the author’s incredible ability to build on the tension and suspense, whilst giving the reader an incredible insight into the life of her characters. The author takes familiar subjects such as family dynamics, relationships and turns them into a compelling, extraordinary read, and one that’s impossible to put down even for a few minutes. I’m still not sure I have conveyed just how good this book is, but if you only buy one book this summer you should definitely consider The July Girls, it's a book I will be happily recommending to anyone and everyone

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

This is one of those novels that hit me so deep and I struggled to find words that would do the review justice so I’ve tried my best but the only way to truly experience this novel is to immerse yourself into the wonderful writing of Phoebe Locke.

The July Girls is a story beautifully told through the eyes of Addie from around her tenth birthday and into adulthood. The evening of her tenth birthday coincides with the London bombings of 7/7. Usually looked after by her big sister Jessie and her dad working at odd times of the day, Addie is frightened and confused by the events. When her father arrives home covered in blood, Addie cannot shake the feeling that he is involved in something bad. Coupled with a later discovery that every year on 7/7, a woman is taken and killed, she becomes determined to find out just what her father is up to.

Don’t let the fact that this story is narrated by a child/young adult fool you into thinking that the story is all nice and sweet. From the very very first page and every word that follows drips a sinister and malevolent vibe and Ms Locke does such a powerful job of creating the right balance between child’s perspective and dark and disturbing writing. She creates a tense and atmospheric setting that allows the reader to read between the lines of a naive but observant point of view. The mixture of innocent and sinister in the story telling weaves a haunting tale of betrayal, love, protection and murder.

For me this novel gives out a similar vibe to films such as The Summer of Sam where the murders and the bombings almost become a backdrop for the telling of a more character driven story and how these events affect those characters – even if not directly involved. Love and protection are key themes and are portrayed beautifully through the various relationships in the novel e.g. Addie and Jessie, Elliot and Jessie and Addie, Dad and the girls and Jessie’s need to try and put things right and getting a little lost on the way.

I don’t want to go too much into the plot and the story as it’s a book you really need to get lost in yourself to fully appreciate but I will say it’s a beautifully and poignantly written story with a chilling undercurrent of emotion.

I loved this book. It drew me in from the very first page and kept my interest throughout.

Addie lives with her father and sister Jessie and she is the narrative voice in this story. The story starts when Addie is 10 years old and spans over the next decade.

Every day on the same night in July, a woman is taken from the streets of London, snatched by a killer. On one fateful night in July, after her father comes home covered in blood, and a woman's purse is found in his bedroom, Addie begins to have suspicions about her father.

This is a very well constructed story from Phoebe Locke with great characterisation. I think the fact that Addie is narrating the story, makes it more believable and really draws you in. The book maintains the suspense throughout and there are twists and turns towards the end which I didn't see coming. All in all an excellent read.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley & Headline for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and think it is a perfect summer read.
A bit of a slow-burner at first, but gradually picking up pace as you read making it a page-turner towards the end.
Excellent characters that you follow over a story spanning over 10 years. I especially loved Addie, the main character, who we meet just before her tenth birthday. Unfortunately for Addie, her birthday coincides with the horrific 7/7 bombings in London and she has an especially worrying evening when she makes a grim discovery after her Dad returns home.
We then follow Addie's narrative through the years while she tries to come to terms with what she found that night and uncovers even more family lies and secrets.
A very well thought out and plotted thriller that kept me guessing right to the end.

The July Girls by Phoebe Locke is an immersive and atmospheric read featuring a strong narrative voice in the form of protagonist Addie. She lives in Brixton, London with her dad and older sister Jessie and times are tough. Her dad works all hours as an illegal taxi driver and Jessie does her best to give Addie a good life, ensuring she is clothed and fed and that her homework is done on time.

The titular July Girls are the women who every 7th July are murdered by an unknown serial killer who keeps a momento from them earning him the moniker Magpie Killer. We learn about these women in chapters dotted throughout the book, chapters which are almost short stories providing deep insight into the characters. These are not faceless women dropped into a book to prop up a plot. They each become living, breathing women with families, careers and friends and their loss feels like a blow to the reader. I really admired this and the respect with which they were written about.

Addie’s 10th birthday falls on 7th July 2005, a day where London was subject to a terror attack and a night where Addie’s dad comes home late covered in blood. When Addie and Jessie find the purse of a woman in their father’s bedroom they track down her husband. He believes his wife has been killed in the bombings and, struggling with his grief and a small baby he allows Jessie to ingratiate herself into his life employing her as his nanny.

This is an exceptional book. Addie is a wonderful character who is written brilliantly. We follow her as she grows from a young girl who is an avid reader and looks at things from a childlike perspective to a young woman whose upbringing has had long lasting effects. I fell in love with her and cannot under emphasise how beautiful the depiction of a girl living in a dysfunctional family is. Set against the backdrop of London’s terror attacks and riots the book feels very real and there is tangible fear in the pages and a pervading sense of menace. I really enjoyed reading a book set against real-life events and it was handled so delicately that it sent chills down my spine.

Contrasted with this are some beautiful explorations of family and family relationships. Addie and Jessie’s relationship with their dad is a difficult one and Jessie bears the brunt of protecting Addie from his temper. Jessie’s boyfriend, Dellar, initially a source of jealousy for Addie becomes a surrogate brother who brings her books, watches films with her and provides a sorely need source of love. But then, their father will return and the mood will change because he is a volatile man and tempers can be easily lost.

This is the sort of crime book that I love. An enthralling plot which took me in directions that I didn’t see coming, well-drawn characters and tender and insightful moments. It is a strong, literary novel which I couldn’t put down. It reminded me a little of Tana French, particularly in the way it explores humanity and relationships and its observation that it is the small things that matter the most. Overall, I highly recommend this. It is an engrossing, entertaining page turner of a book which had me transfixed.

Here’s a mystery about a killer, nicknamed “Magpie”, who every year, on July 7th, abducts and kills a woman. In this case, though, it’s not the police’s investigation we follow, but this story seen through the eyes of Abigail, a young girl born on July 7th as well: because on her 10th birthday, her father comes home covered in blood, and that’s when she starts questioning more and more what other secrets her family is hiding.

Just as much as a crime story—there is an investigation as well, after all—“The July Girls” is the story of a small family, specifically Addie and her big sister Jessie, who’s more a mother to her, since their mum has vanished abroad and never comes home. Their father is seldom around either, trying to make ends meet as an unlicensed cab driver, and it is clear from the beginning that Jessie loves Addie so much that she tries to shield her from basically everything, including their relatively bleak prospects in South London. And when things take a turn for the worst, we also get to see how the sisters’ life goes on, how Addie gets bullied at school because of her father, and how she tries to make sense of the events that unfolded until that point.

The novel spans about ten years in Addie’s life, which is good: it allows the readers to ‘see’ her voice mature, and her thoughts processes go from a girl’s to an adult’s. It’s also good in that it makes the killer’s arc into a slow-going investigation, as is definitely needed here, with the murders happening only once a year: if it had been solved in two years, it wouldn’t have been as suspenseful, for sure.

I kept guessing and guessing regarding who the killer might be, as there were a few valid options here. There were several twists and turns, and while a couple of them were slightly erring on the far-fetched side, I still found the novel as a whole a pretty good one, that kept me reading and interested until the end.