Oh how disappointing! I had loved Goodwin’s previous novel and went into this book with such high expectations. But for a second novel, I was really let down by the plot and its development, finding it slow, repetitive and, worst of all, rather far-fetched in the second half.

Lucy believes her tragic past is safely hidden until her secret is splashed across the newspapers. Being married into an affluent family means her husband and father-in-law will not tolerate a stain on their name. Bundling her off to a remote cottage in Wales, Lucy soon realises that she is camped out not far from the mansion of horrors. Leaving her friend, Ellie, at her work conferences, Lucy starts to investigate the dilapidated ruins in the hope that some of her repressed memories resurface. Detached from the outside world, Lucy has little knowledge of how the scandal of her past is being investigated and is keen to keep exploring the mansion. However, an unfortunate accident turns her already shattered world upside down, leaving her fighting for her life.

The first part of the novel helps to establish Lucy’s character. There are some flashbacks to life in the mansion, told from the perspective of another child. In this way, we see a different interpretation of Lucy’s character, which I thought was quite interesting as it meant you could watch events unfold and not from her perspective. At the same time, it illustrates exactly what Lucy went through as a child, which was also when I started to feel that the novel was pushing too hard on the realism of the story.

Alas, the second part of the novel is where I felt it truly fell apart. For a lot of time, not much happens, with Lucy merely debating her existence from her life in the cult, to her marriage and the scandal. Yet, her treatment beggared belief and I felt like this was more of a fantasy read than a suspenseful thriller. Indeed, when Lucy does take some action, I did not feel my heart was in my mouth, merely desperate for her to escape so that it meant the novel was closer to its conclusion.

I find it difficult to compare Goodwin’s two novels as they feel as if they have come from two separate writers. This story was lacking in any atmosphere and I quickly grew to dislike the protagonist. Whilst I was keen to see how the novel would end, I felt frustrated by scenes that felt too unbelievable and as if the writer had not carried out her research. The only redeeming element to the story was seeing how Lucy changed her attitude towards life, showing an inner strength at the end that was desperately needed throughout.

All in all, I thought the shaky cover was reflected by the dissatisfying narrative. It started off in a mediocre fashion but never really redeemed itself. If you have yet to read a novel by this author, then I would highly recommend her debut as this does not seem to be her most appealing work. I hope the next novel is far more of a page-turner.

With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first read by Sarah Goodwin and I did enjoy this book, not as much as some other novels that I have read recently.

The blurb reads

"A little girl in a white nightdress stands out in the snow, watching the large brick house burn before her eyes…

My name is Lucy Townsend.

I was born on Friday the thirteenth, and I was the thirteenth girl living in the big house. Unlucky for some.

But I was the fortunate one. I escaped. The only one who made it out alive.

And now, twenty years after that fateful night, the secrets of the past and what happened in that house are pulling me back.

I might not be so lucky this time"

When I first read this I was literally hooked straight away as it sounds like such a mysterious read. I was slightly disappointed upon reading this novel as for me.

We meet main character Lucy who is pregnant and has a very interesting past. For me personally I did not really like Lucy and felt that she was quite a cold and harsh woman who had not dealt with her past at all.

For me I just felt there could have been something extra in this novel, no idea what really, but just felt like something was missing.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Goodwin and the authors for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/4 stars

I found The 13th Girl slow to start, it didn't really get going (for me anyway) until around 35%. The book is mainly written in the first person, the main character Lucy. There are some chapters from the past but it's not clear who this point of view is from. I could make a guess but nothing to clarify.

Not too sure about the ending either if I'm honest. It just finishes like the author is quickly tying up loose ends. Think it could have been finished better.

3.5
This is the first time reading a cult thriller and I really enjoyed it.
Loved the past timelines where we learned abt the cult and the plot twist was crazyy.
Only think is I wish the book was shorter coz I felt i dragging for way too long.(It took me 2 weeks to read it,when at other times I take 3 days to finish a book at most) If it were shorter this would have definitely been between 4 to 5 stars.
Read this if you love;
-Cult thrillers
-Multiple povs
-Past and present timelines
-Spooky atmosphere
-Crazy twists

Thank you to netgalley, the publishers and the author for the e-arc:)

A real edge of your seat thriller this one. I could hardly put it down and consequently I read it in two days flat. Absolutely brilliant.

Her second novel and recently published, The Thirteenth Girl by Sarah Goodwin is another standalone thriller. Lucy Townsend grew up in foster care, having been rescued from a cult. Now happily married, she discovers she’s pregnant and a whole series of unfortunate events occur, spiralling outside her control. Struggling with flashbacks and her new infamy, Lucy’s secrets are revealed, placing her in grave danger. Despite a flowing narrative, escalating tension and twists aplenty, it wasn’t an imaginatively gripping tale. So overall, an average domestic noir with a three star read rating as it lacked some resonance. With thanks to Avon Books UK and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

The premise of this one caught my attention immediately. How did Lucy come to be living at a house with 12 other girls? What started the fire and why was she outside when it happened?

Sadly, once I started reading it there was a lot left to be desired. To begin with, when we meet Lucy she is an adult. She is married and has just found out she's expecting her first child. Right off the bat, I found it hard to connect with her because she just doesn't care. About anything. Well, other than pleasing her husband who immediately comes across as an emotional abuser, but that's neither here nor there at this point. She hates that she's pregnant (kind of understandable later on), but doesn't consider terminating the pregnancy. Doesn't go out of her way to hide it (I mean she tries, but if she seriously didn't want him to know she would have made sure ALL evidence was gone and not have left something so obvious laying around).

Then we meet Marshall and his parents (one of whom is a prominent government figure), and it's easy to see that Lucy is cowed by the lot of them. She's struggling to change herself to meet their ideals and is miserable about it. It immediately comes across as one of the spoiled, rich boys marries a girl from the wrong side of the tracks troupe. And to top it off she's apparently not been entirely honest with him about her past. But obviously, they at least like her a little bit right?

WRONG.

Suddenly, Lucy finds out that details of her childhood have been made public. Details that she herself struggles to remember - like the fact she was a part of a cult. Like the fact that her mother was accused of kidnapping (among other things). That she was the sole survivor of a massive fire at the house they were all living in. As soon as these details are made public, Lucy is the one shamed. Lucy is the one accused. What? She was SEVEN when she was found dressed only in her nightgown, outside in the snow on the night of the fire. How could she remember any of that, much less have been a party to anything that took place?

But of course, that provides just the reason for Marshall and his family to pack her up and ship her off to a cottage in parts unknown until the scandal dies down. Parts unknown CONVENIENTLY being right where the ruins of the old cult home are. Close enough that she can make multiple trips out there to "see what she can discover" although just what she thinks she's going to find years later (and after a police investigation would have removed anything relevant that the fire didn't destroy is beyond me). But she goes. She gets hurt, she ends up in hospital. Or so she thinks.

And that is when the book completely fell apart for me.

Up until then, I was somewhat invested (I say somewhat because I still wasn't connected to any of the characters in a way that made me care about them, but I was interested to see where the story was going). But once I got to the second half of the book it seemed like the author forgot what she was doing. Instead of it being this "ghost in the shadows" kind of novel we find out that not only did some cult members survive, but they are now deluded enough to kidnap a pregnant woman believing her child (who has nothing to do with the cult or the singular male member) to be some sort of messiah.

Now obviously, I don't understand how cults work, but to me, to go from one that worships the moon and is entirely made up of females who want to shirk the rules "the patriarchy" has placed on them, it is both utterly ridiculous and utterly inconceivable that a MAN would be able to infiltrate them so thoroughly that he then takes over and does whatever he wants (including forcing them into prostitution and declaring they now worship the sun god instead). I mean seriously?

But going back to the story, there was just too much ridiculousness happening for me to take any of what came next seriously (even though the author went above and beyond on the details, a little too above and beyond in my opinion as I felt the second half more or less dragged on in a lot of places, especially where it came to the mistreatment of Lucy - honestly I'm pretty sure the author hated her and enjoyed torturing her). I am expected to believe that members of this cult have not only existed all this time, but somehow managed to stay under the radar and live.... underground? I mean sure their new age "health and beauty" product line was believable, but everything else was not.

And then the ending. While I admit I can UNDERSTAND why she did what she did. And while I APPLAUD her for standing up to Marshall, I HATE the other choices she made. Even if for the character they made a bit of sense.

In the end, I do think there will be a lot of people who enjoy this one more than I did. And I would definitely give this author another shot down the road because I see what they are capable of and I think they have the potential to be AMAZING.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

DNF at 48%. Could not connect with the characters, writing style, or story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Thirteenth Girl’ by Sarah Goodwin in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

During her childhood Lucy lived in a cult and when she was seven years old the house they lived in was demolished in a fire with her the sole survivor. Now many years later Lucy feels settled, she’s married to Marshal Townsend and there’s a baby on the way, but a newspaper publishes her history for all to read and although she’s tried to forget what little she remembers of the past, even keeping it a secret from Marshal, her life is about to turn upside down.

When I read the initial description of ‘The Thirteenth Girl’ it sounded like the type of book I would enjoy but I should have realised that when ‘thirteen’ comes up regularly it might not be what I was expecting. I don’t enjoy reading about sects, even less of people who think they can control others’ thoughts and actions, so I’ve struggled to get into the story. I’ve found the pace too slow and kept waiting for some action, and Lucy’s self-doubt and kowtowing to Marshal and his parents’ wishes made it difficult for me to read. This is purely my own opinion and there’s no doubt it’s been well-written and thought-out, but I’m afraid it’s not my sort of book and isn’t something I feel comfortable reading.

Lucy Townsend is The Thirteenth Girl who grew up in a cult but has no memory of what really happened. When she was 7 years old, the manor house where a bunch of them lived nearly burned down and she was the only one who survived. Now married and just pregnant, Lucy's past comes back to haunt her. Can she piece together her fragmented memories and leave things to rest?

The premise was interesting and I had high expectations from this book especially after reading rave reviews for the author's debut novel 'Stranded'(which I will be reading soon). The first few chapters were engaging but it just felt dull and everything slowed down in the middle. Most of the parts, especially the ones centered around the cult were unbelievable, messy and chaotic. The unexpected and a bit thrilling ending was the only saving factor for this thriller which had great potential but fell a bit short for me. Overall an average read.

Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooksuk for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s the year of “cult thrillers” and this one is pretty good! The first half of the book is gripping and unsettling but in the second half the pace slowed down which affected the intensity of the suspense. This story is about a young woman who is haunted by her past and goes in search of answers in order to heal from the guilt she carries being the lone survivor of a fire that kills everyone but her. The ending is unexpected and thought provoking, I’m still thinking about it trying to decide how I feel. This book is available for purchase on June 23, 2022. Thank you Netgalley, Avon Book UK and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sorry just found this too hard to read. Lucy is being controlled by Marshall and is unaware of it and I am finding it difficult. It may get better but it's too slow to persevere.

Lucy is young and married so when she finds she is pregnant it is not the end of the world but when she finds herself as part of a media frenzy due to her mysterious past it is decided that she needs to get away from the spotlight. What happens next leaves her fighting for both her and her unborn baby’s life.

The thirteenth girl was not what I quite expected but I really, really enjoyed it..

A little girl in a white nightdress stands out in the snow, watching the large brick house burn before her eyes....

My name is Lucy Townsend. I was born on Friday 13th, and I was the thirteenth girl living in the big house. Unlucky for some. But I was the fortunate one. I escaped. The only one who made it out alive. And now, twenty years after that fateful night. the secrets of the past and what happened in that house are pulling me back. I might not be so lucky this time....

Lucy had been brought up in a cult until she was seven, then into a care home. She had tried to forget all about her past. But now, twenty years later, she is married and has a baby on the way. She has little memory of her past, but now it's coming back to haunt her.

The premise showed so much potential, but unfortunately, it fell a bit short. The pace is slow and there were parts that dragged out and were unbelievable. There's also a lot of unnecessary detail. The first half of the book was the best part. The part describing the cult was a bit extreme. I did enjoy the book, the ending was satisfactory, I just didn't love it.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #SarahGoodwin for my ARC of #TheThirteenthGirl in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book as soon as I saw it was written by Sarah Goodwin. Her previous book, Stranded, was one of my most favorite books of 2022 so I was very excited to be approved for an arc. Unfortunately, I should have done my due diligence because had I of known this was a *cult* story I never would have requested it. I've yet to read a cult based book that I've enjoyed and sadly this one isn't any different. Shame on me. I will do better research before I request a favorite authors book next time.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this compelling book

must admit i did struggle with this one in the beginning....but found the storyline compelling as i went into the book more and more

with the background storyline of lucy being at the forefront, lucy has married into a well to do family and marshall her husband tweeks little bits about her to fit in....

but its when she finds out she is pregnant that things start...first its the news about her past that catches up with her....

marshall is beside himself and wants her to disappear for a bit so that the news will settle down...its only for a little while right....

but strange things start to happen....and lucy past is catching up with her very quickly....

loved the ending, a different type of storyline than i am use to but will be interested in other books by this author

Lucy has a simple, structured life when it all blows up in her face after a report about her childhood becomes a national sensation. When she was 7-years-old, Lucy was the only survivor of a fire that killed the leadership and majority of followers of an infamous cult, which was plagued by rumors of prostitution, child trafficking and kidnapping. With Lucy's politician husband and father-in-law cracking under the pressure of the public scandal, Lucy tries to unravel the mystery of her past before it completely destroys her present.

We move back and forth through two timelines: the present day with Lucy; and the past when a young girl is narrating her time in the cult right before the fire that destroys the big manor house and kills the leadership.

The plot in this one is really interesting from the start and moves at a good pace, before basically exploding the in the last quarter of the book. It almost takes some twists and turns to the point of absurdity, honestly, but things were certainly kept interesting, that's for sure. The ending is one I really didn't see coming, with a couple of extra twists thrown in for good measure. If there's one thing I can say, it's that this book really keeps you on your toes.

But overall the star of the book was Lucy, because I was just rooting for her throughout the entire book. It was great to see her grow as the book goes on. She comes into her own and makes peace with herself and that was really nice to see. I can't really say too much more, but she was a great main character and very well developed by the author.

Overall tis was a wild ride of a thriller and I enjoyed it. It's a fast-paced book that would be great for a weekend read!

In The Thirteenth Girl, we meet Lucy - married to Marshal, she feels as though she should be the happiest girl in the world, but something doesn’t feel right in the way that he treats her and how his parents look down on her. Plodding along in her office job, suddenly her life is turned upside down when the secrets of her past are brought to life in the news.

As a young child, Lucy’s mother was a lead figure in a mysterious cult which seemingly disbanded when a fire broke out at their manor, leaving a 7-year-old Lucy the sole survivor and starting her life again under a new name.

With the revelations set to damage Marshal and his MP father’s reputations, and Lucy unexpectedly becoming pregnant, things turn even colder between Lucy and her husband and she is sent away to lie low with her close friend Ellie. But have they placed her in the safe hands they hoped?

The story is told mostly from Lucy’s point of view, interspersed with some memories from another child her age who lived in the manor. The suspense and tension really ramp up in the second half of the book, and I was really invested in knowing what was going on! However it did become a little on the ridiculous side in the second half - but saying that, I couldn’t help but want Lucy to be ok!

I am still musing over the ending - without wanting to give anything away, I honestly can’t decide whether I liked it or not! It was definitely a bit unexpected and not the obvious and easy way to wrap things up. But I found it quite emotional and very thought-provoking.

A good read, just maybe a little too ‘out there’ in parts for a 4 star!

Unexpected really! Those suspenses and twists.

When I saw the book title - 13th, I already guessed something are unlucky, traumatic and superstitious. With the intriguing book cover, red mainly, with yellow book title (like a warming sign) and a eye-catching blue eye looking at you.

Lucy now is happily married to a councillor and her in-laws are obsessed with clean and good image of lives. A perfect marriage with a loving and caring husband and she has a newly pregnant journey to go.

However one day there’s a journalist revealing her past growing up in the cult. A fire burnt down the manor where she used to live and she was one of the survivors. She was able to escape…

Now her memories are back. Can she be able to escape again?

This is a gripping and page turning book but I found it not easy to follow for the cult part in the middle..but still the twisted ending makes it worth. Love it!

The thirteenth girl is full of twists and leaves you completely gripped.
Each page slowly drip feeds you part of Lucy Townsend's story.
Lucy was found in a white dress outside of a burning mansion - she is the only one of its inhabitants that is alive.
Decades later, Lucy is living another life, pregnant, and is married to a prominent government official. All is well until Lucy is outed as a member of a cult and as the child who escaped the fire.

The story veers between the past and the present and hooks you from the beginning. Goodwin has created some believable characters which are so well described, that you can instantly picture them in your mind whilst you are turning the pages.

A definite recommended read.