Lexie Elliott has penned a psychological thriller that encompasses some ghostly action within a murder mystery. The French Girl begins with a ‘have I read this before?’ feeling and tells the tale of a summer spent by six Oxford University friends some ten years prior. That holiday ended with the girl next door disappearing and the book opens with the discovery of her body in present day, moving forward as the investigation is reinitialised.
This is not a breathtaking, suspenseful book and it moves quite slowly, but somehow it draws you in. Elliott, whilst writing of the past, tells the tale in the present tense which gives substance to the main character’s viewpoint. The main character, Kate Channing, is forced to evaluate the relationships between her circle of friends and her interpretation or memory of matters past.
The characters are an interesting bunch who you get to know slowly, piece by piece, as you gain insight into the jealousies, gossip, changing allegiances and the secrets that entwine the group. Elliott has very successfully managed to make all of her characters very three dimensional, showing flaws and idiosyncrasies in a way that has you almost believing this could be a true story. Kate’s lens on the events also makes for an interesting impact. There are no other points of view offered, no big surprises, nor reveals. It is just a tale unfolding before your eyes, slowly, yet somehow in a manner that has you not wanting to miss a word.
As you read, it becomes obvious that Kate is being set up. She has managed to set most of her college mistakes behind her and is a young professional working hard to make a place in a competitive world, developing a self confidence that is starting to be respected. This upsetting turn of events has the potential to blur the lines of her self-confidence and sees her challenging what she thought were her truths.
It would be very easy to give the story away in reviewing this book so I will conclude by saying I have enjoyed this journey and whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone with a few hours to while away.
Reviewed by Leanne Caune
Rating out of 10: 8
Distributed by: Allen and Unwin
Released: April, 2018
RRP: $29.99
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