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

Fantastic performance!

This audiobook featured a ompelling story and a fantastic performance by the narrator! I consider this a credit well spent and will be looking for more audiobooks with this performer and by this author.

Haunting, memorable,wonderfully read.

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

Among the top 20 for sure.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, I really broke down and cried at one point but to describe it would be a major spoiler.

Any additional comments?

The writer seems to have drawn on certain elements of the Venables/Thompson case (mainly the post-trial lives of the two perpetrators) as a template for her protagonist's lives. These two characters, who really seem to have been far less malicious than their non-fictional counterparts, clearly have had their lives destroyed by a horrible accident/mistake/moment of terrible childish poor judgement, call it what you will, and are far more sympathetic than those two real-life child sociopaths.

Nevertheless, redemption doesn't come easily to either of these women, and it is surprisingly easy to get caught up in their struggle to attain it, to find a space in the world where they can be accepted, and a space within themselves where they can find self acceptance and inner forgiveness for what they've done.

This is a very layered, multi-leveled character study that is also a great, edge of the seat suspense story, expertly told.

Poignant. Real. Unusually insightful.

Would you listen to The Wicked Girls again? Why?

Yes. A superb narrator and a fresh approach to some familiar content make this book a stand-out. I always love a British setting and I didn't feel spoon-fed here. Quite a lot was left to the listener to figure out. Authors that can trust the reader in this way have a maturity others don't seem to "get" -- James Patterson, Johnathan Kellerman et al -- this means you! The structure of the book is fairly complex, jumping back and forward, not always chronologically -- that is so hard to pull off without frustrating the listener but Marwood manages it masterfully.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Blessing, a minor character who is beautifully realized. Amber is very well written, too.

What about Anna Bentinck’s performance did you like?

She speaks beautifully; her accents are delightful and each character comes to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! I listened to the whole thing over one weekend. Compulsive listening!

Any additional comments?

For fans of the likes of Ruth Rendell and the Nicci French duo -- I think I can safely say you'll enjoy this one!

Don't Pass This One Up!

I purchased this hoping for a decent book to fill my time and I ended up loving it! The story is original, great suspense, character development, has depth without being confusing...overall EXCELLENT! Another bonus is the narration is perfect! I highly recommend it!

Creepy!

This novel was very sad and listening instead of reading I had a little trouble keeping the names and characters straight at first. Sad but engrossing story that could've been pared down a bit. I could listen to Anna Bentinck forever. She was wonderful!

Engrossing Downer

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

I hate to say this but this is one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I kept waiting for the sun to come out. I would have let these girls have one good day.

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

Amber Gordon was riveting as performed by Anna Bentinck.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book depressed me. It felt very real but not in a good way.

Any additional comments?

I wanted to give this book a negative review because it was heartbreaking. This was not a book that I looked forward to listening to. However, when it was over, I realized that I listened to the entire thing in less than a week. That is fast for me. If you like atmosphere this is the book for you.

This is a horror story.

The suspense is excruciating, and if the listener is at all empathic he/she will be thinking "Oh no!" at regular intervals throughout the book.
It made me think of a runaway horse making a bee-line for the edge of a cliff; you can't look away in the hope that something will stop the inevitable tragedy.

Now I feel an overwhelming urge to listen to something by Georgette Heyer.

Becarful what you do.....

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

Kristy & Lindsay were just so fascinating and different. I never expected the two girls of committing such a horrible crime at the age of 11 years old.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Nothing really could have been done, maybe the end could have been very different. There was no reason to make one of the characters suffer. They both had been through enough and I like to have seen them both walk away scott free.

What does Anna Bentinck bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her narration made it worth listening too.

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

Wrong place at the wrong time can be deadly.

Any additional comments?

I would say it was somewhat worth the purchase.

Tragic!

This book was tragic. The circumstances of how the women got into the situation the book is really about is told in short chapters throughout the book, so even though you think you know what that is, the horrifying events unfold slowly. I felt this book on a lot of levels and do not think I will forget how it made me feel. The book has something to say about raising children or the lack thereof and those same children in charge of children; paying for bad decisions and continuing to pay again, again and again; accepting consequences or finding the best possible outcome from a horrible situation; but mostly it's about being forced to live with lies and secrets. I recommend this book with reservations. The author put me with his characters, chapter after chapter. I think I knew where this book was going early on but it was like being unable to look away from a train wreck.

Great book - but looking for a sequel!

What did you love best about The Wicked Girls?

this book was a great read (listen). the storyteller used some voices for certain characters that were a little annoying, but it was tolerable. the story line weaves together very nciely - and there were only a few things that i felt were left unexplained.
my emotions were torn about the end of the book. i felt like it was a good ending....but not necessarily the "happy ending" for the characters that you grow close to.