The Wicked Girls

By: Alex Marwood

Narrated by: Anna Bentinck

Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Edgar Award Winner, Best Paperback Original, 2014

On a fateful summer morning in 1986, two 11-year-old girls meet for the first time. By the end of the day, they will both be charged with murder. Twenty-five years later, journalist Kirsty Lindsay is reporting on a series of sickening attacks on young female tourists in a seaside vacation town when her investigation leads her to interview carnival cleaner Amber Gordon.

For Kirsty and Amber, it's the first time they've seen each other since that dark day so many years ago. Now with new, vastly different lives - and unknowing families to protect - will they really be able to keep their wicked secret hidden? Gripping and fast-paced, with an ending that will stay with you long after you've listened to it, The Wicked Girls will appeal to fans of the Academy Award–nominated film Heavenly Creatures and the novels of Rosamund Lupton and Chevy Stevens.

©2012 Alex Marwood (P)2013 Tantor

Alright...

If you could sum up The Wicked Girls in three words, what would they be?

Engaging, Anticlimactic, Unexceptional

Any additional comments?

Although I enjoyed listening to the majority of this book, the ending was a total let down. The story builds and builds, and then simply teeters away at the end. If you can purchase the book on a discount or have extra credits you need to burn it is a good performance and a decent listen…just don't expect too much from the finale.

Please make this a movie!

What made the experience of listening to The Wicked Girls the most enjoyable?

Narration was awesome!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Amber! This could be any woman! She has so much heart!

Which character – as performed by Anna Bentinck – was your favorite?

Amber!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Life can be so ironic!

Any additional comments?

A definite summer read!

Wonderful Narration, but . . .

Any additional comments?

It is hard not to agree with the previous reviewers who found this book memorable, suspenseful, haunting, sad. The narrator was wonderful.

However, while I understand why the book was entitled, "Wicked Girls" I didn't find them wicked at all. As a matter of fact, I liked both Belle and Jade from the beginning, even after the accident that labeled them "kidnappers and murders". Being familiar with Jade's personality as a child (from the flashbacks pertaining to the day of the accident), I can't imagine she would not have vehemently protested to the way she and Belle were being portrayed in the town and in the courts while letting the world know how and why she and Belle were with Chloe at the time. Surely there would have been an investigation and a different outcome for these two 11 year old girls.

This book was worth the read, fast paced and engaging.

Quite the ride!

Although it took me quite awhile to get into it, there was a point when everything got interesting all at once, and from then on I couldn't quit listening.

Very good. Very heartbreaking.

Loved the performance, the storyline, itself, was a bit slow to jump to a start; but captivates you, and draws you into the girls stories. I wanted desperately, for both girls to have a peaceful, "dull", existence; but this isn't a fairytale.

A bit confusing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, because it was a bit too convoluted and confusing for me to follow. The storyline didn't quite make sense to me.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It wasn't really all that interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

None

Did The Wicked Girls inspire you to do anything?

No

Damn.

Great storytelling. Great narrator.
Uncle Stevie did it again. All of his recommendations top notch. Get yourself a cupper and start on.

Captivating read full of twist and emotional pulls

Captivating story that kept me interested completely through. The writer did an amazing job of blurring the lines between good and evil leaving you unsure how to feel about many of the characters involved. The narrator did a good job of changing tones for each character which made the listening more enjoyable and easy to follow.

High hopes

I so wanted to love this book, but as the hours went by I found myself unsure of who was who. It was definitely not an easy listen. I kept rewinding it thinking that I’d missed something, but I finally gave up and just listened all the way through. The narrator was great, except for the voice of Martin. It was beyond awful. I’m bummed that this one fell flat for me.

Really my rating is 4 1/2 stars.

Where does The Wicked Girls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 5

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. The main characters are complex and original. They are exciting and unpredictable. However, there are a few predictable scenes, but just enough to make the plot understandable.

Which scene was your favorite?

Most of the novels I like fall flat at the end, but I though this one had a perfect falling action and ending.

Who was the most memorable character of The Wicked Girls and why?

Leading Character: Amber, because she is one of kind, but in a believable way. Supporting Character: Jackie, because we all have known a "Jackie" in our life

Any additional comments?

I don't usually write reviews, but I wanted to take the time to review this book, because I was unsure about buying it at first.....not a well known author....not a ton of great reviews...but I was so pleasantly surprised that it was one of those books that I could not stop listening to...so I have to spread the word!