This was great another page turner from Lucy Clarke! 6 friends all in Greece for a hen party in secluded house on the side of a cliff. This group of friends is linked in more than just all being friends with the bride. This story slowly unravels and reveals more and more about these girls past present and futures….

I really wanted to like this but sadly I just felt like I’d read it before. The disparate group of friends, the glamorous setting, the hen weekend… Lucy Clarke is a good enough author that I at least managed to finish this, but it just felt very unoriginal. I’ve loved her previous books so fingers crossed the next one is a return to form!

Rating: 3.3/5

From the accompanying blurb you could be forgiven for expecting "One of the Girls" to be a locked room style murder mystery - but it really isn't. This is far more of a suspense mystery with significant elements of women's fiction thrown into the mix.

The premise is an appealing one - if not particularly original. Six women find themselves on the fictional Greek island of Aegos - the chosen destination for the hen weekend ahead of Lexi's forthcoming wedding. Some of the group have known each other for years, while others are more recent acquaintances, but (as you might imagine) each one has secretive aspects of their personal history that will become significant as the weekend unfolds.

Events are recounted from the viewpoints of six different protagonists. So many points of view can become problematical if the author doesn't have a careful and skilled approach, as it can become confusing for the reader. I have to say that, on the whole, Lucy Clarke does a fine job of giving each character a distinct and credible voice, so it doesn't take long for the six individuals to be clearly established in the reader's mind. In addition to the accounts of these six central characters there is also an anonymous contribution, written in italics, that is interspersed at various points in the narrative.

The characterisation is impressive throughout, which is a quality I have previously identified in Lucy Clarke's writing. Against that clearly positive aspect, there were also some elements that didn't work quite as well. There are times when very little appears to be happening that contributes meaningfully to the storyline. I never felt overly frustrated by this, nor did I find myself not enjoying the reading experience - Lucy Clarke's engaging writing style ensures that doesn't happen - but I would also have to say that I didn't really have a sense of gradually developing tension either, which is to the detriment of the overall impact of the book.

It is only in the final quarter of the novel that there is a marked injection of pace into the proceedings, where a number of "big reveals" emerge. Without wanting to give too much away, I found the revelations to be great fun, but I would also have to say that they are at the "little bit difficult to swallow" end of the credibility scale.

On the whole, "One of the Girls" is another thoroughly enjoyable read from Lucy Clarke and, while I don't think it is her best or most appealing work, it is certainly worth adding to to your reading list.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

I think this is perfect for holiday reading, as its packed with intrigue, suspense and drama. Set on a remote Greek island, the women gather together for a hen party. The tension slowly builds and nothing is what it seems. Everyone has their secrets. I loved how the characters all interacted with each other and I could never have predicted the outcome.

I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints in this novel. They gave much more depth to each of the characters.

There is a character who is a big part of the ending who I felt I needed to know more about to make the decision made more plausible.

The bringing together of friends pasr and present works well to show their tangled histories and how they relate now.

I loved the highly descriptive settings and descriptions of food. It really conjures a Greek island feeling.

"The six of us arrived on that beautiful Greek island dreaming of sun-drenched beaches and blood-orange sunsets, ready to lose ourselves in the wild freedom of a weekend away with friends"

It was supposed to be a girls trip to celebrate Lexi's upcoming marriage but it turned into a weekend that nobody will forget. 6 women arrive on a beautiful Greek Island - the ideal setting for what should have been the perfect weekend! However as we get to know the characters we discover that they all have a secret to hide - the weekend isn't going to be so perfect after all!

I really enjoy books where the narrative switches viewpoints between the main characters as I feel you really get to know them. The twists and turns had me racing through this book and loved the fact that the ending caught me by surprise.

This is the first Lucy Clarke book that I have read and all that was missing was a pool, sun lounger and a cocktail! An ideal holiday read - If you are going away this year then take this book with you - it's easy to dip in and out of and will keep you thoroughly entertained.

My book of the year.
When Lexi invites five friends to her hen party at a Greek villa, she cannot imagine anything could go wrong, but the book starts with a dead body being taken away. With an unravelling of relationships and secrets rising through lies of old, the question in the reader's mind throughout is who dies and was it an accident?
This is an excellent book which had me hooked from the first sentence. An easy 5 star read.

A game of two halves. I really liked the ending which was a total surprise and revelation after revelation. The start plants a seed which I then ran with unquestioningly so the climax was even more unexpected. But, with all the revelations coming at the end, the main is more of a slow burn or gradual ratcheting up of tension. It's also pretty bitchy as may be expected from a group of five girls not all friends but thrown together on a hen. Overall a good easy read especially with the short chapters and switching POVs.

A weekend on a sun drenched Greek island to celebrate a friend’s hen party sounds perfect, what could possibly go wrong? As the secrets and reasons of why each of the six women came to the island emerges we see tension, jealousy and twists galore. The chapters are split between each women so you really get to know each character well, with Eleanor being one of my favourites. A well written 4.5

I enjoyed this book, I liked the way the plot unfolded and I found the characters relatable. Plenty of suspense to keep me enthralled Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book..

Six women gather on a Greek Island to celebrate Lexi's Hen Party. They make a pact that what happens on the hen weekend stays on the hen weekend. But unbeknown to each other all of them have secrets and these secrets threaten everyone's happiness.
A great beach read with vivid descriptions of the Greek coastline and villages and Greek food. I could almost smell the tzatziki and tarasmasalta. Grab your sunbed and cocktail and settle down for a read during siesta

A hen party in a beautiful villa on an idyllic island, what could possibly go wrong?

Lexi's hen do is a wild ride for everyone present, secrets revealed and pasts uncovered. I found this an excellent read. There were certain reveals where I believed the next step would be typical but Lucy Clarke has written an unpredictable novel that has heart. Incredible.

I have read all of Lucy Clarke's books, so was delighted to read this latest one. I absolutely loved it! Bella has organised for a group of 6 women to spend a few days on a remote Greek island to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Lexi. A hen party in beautiful surroundings. A perfect premise for a story. We are told right at the start that by the end of the stay there will be a body on the rocks below their villa, but whose will it be? This is a story of friendships old and new, revenge and many secrets and will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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I really enjoyed reading this book, I couldn’t put it down. It’s full of twists and turns, with an ending that you don’t expect. The characters were great, the setting was interesting, the style of writing was perfect and the story itself was excellent. There is nothing that I disliked about this book. I have read most of this author’s books and not one of them was disappointing. Can’t wait for the next one. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading this genre.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Loved how this books from character to character. The start of the book keeps you engaged with reading right the way through the night. Great story and a satisfying end that I didn’t guess ! Absolutely engaging. Couldn’t put it down. Can feel the sun on my back as I feel like I’m there.

I’ve been a fan of all of Lucy Clarke’s books and this one was my favourite so far. Great premise and setting, lots of reveals and twists, an interesting cast of characters. I was totally gripped and loved the switching viewpoints.

When starting One of the Girls, I was concerned just how many characters we read from the POV of, however each voice was distinctive enough that it was easy to keep track of. I really liked that the book followed a long hen weekend set abroad, especially as the group was a mixture of old friendships and newer ones, adding a sense of mystery and not quite knowing who to trust. The twists and turns throughout the book really kept me on my toes, although a couple of the coincidences felt a bit far fetched, especially when we're supposed to believe certain characters weren't aware of certain revelations (which they definitely would have been!). I also found Fen's past experience a bit unnecessary to the story. While the plot dragged at times, overall, this was a really easy, entertaining read.

This was a fun thriller with a few good twists and turns, and the usual cast of characters you have come to expect with this type of book - the rebellious girl, the mysterious girl, the quiet girl, etc etc. It can be a little hard to work out who is who at first, but I did get there eventually and I was able to picture all the characters by the end. A good read for fans of the thriller genre.

What begins as a lambda girls away thriller turns into a delightfully surprising gem. The twists and turns almost gave me whiplash and I can definitely say I did not expect most of the denouements. The author’s ability to send you off trail is remarkable and really differentiates this novel from all the typical girly holidays gone wrong ones.

A hen do in a private villa on a gorgeous Greek island, what could go wrong?

Bella has organised her best friend Lexi's hen do, before he whirlwind wedding to Ed. She's invited a cast of friends and family, but do they all have Lexi's (and indeed Bella's) best interests at heart?

One of the Girls slowly unravels, from a seemingly idyllic island break to a nightmare that no-one will forget. The narrative switches viewpoints between the main characters, with breadcrumbs dropped along the way to keep you begging for more. The storylines are beautifully interwoven, with the finale hitting like a sucker punch when the action finally reaches its crescendo. Glamourous sun-drenched action this is not!

One of the Girls is a great read, it's got great substance and it'll certainly make you question those closest to you. Do you really know what's behind the facade?!