Mysterious Haunting and Beautifully Woven Thriller

GRIPPING STORYTELLING IN THIS CLEVER. SUSPENSEFUL AND HAUNTING THRILLER - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I loved "How to Kill Your Best Friend" also by the very talented Lexie Elliot released September '21 and so when I was looking for a new book I looked up her earlier released books.
"The French Girl" only had one review on audible and it was so lacking in enthusiasm I decided not to risk it many times.
The headline was "Poorly developed characters" which I found really to be the opposite. I often jump into thrillers and I am many chapters in before I even manage to distinguish between them but just following the story, when they do come into focus, everything moves to another level.
In this book, although the same narrator voices all the characters, I found I had no problem and the 6 friends were beautifully characterised and had real depth, apart from the one who was killed before the start of the book - in fact after just finishing I not only can see them clearly, but I also feel like I know them. The same is true for the rest of the characters in the book - especially the titular "French Girl" who while very enigmatic and inscrutable is a very strong and alluring presence throughout the book.
Perhaps the other reviewer just rushed through it, while I really savoured it and found the mystery to be haunting, fascinating and so beautifully written. I loved the backstory of Oxford university Ball Crashing and how the characters all got to know each other and their backgrounds.

Travel starved as most of us are these days, I would have enjoyed much more descriptions of the sunny days and party nights of the group's week long holiday in France but that is the reason why I chose this book over the other on offer "The Missing Years" released in Audible in 2020 - set in the Scottish Highlands.
However much as I love a thriller set in sunny tropical locals to help me through this chilly winter, I am now so looking forward to starting "The Missing Years" tonight. I adored Lexie Elliot's other two books, possibly "The French Girl" even more the "How to Murder your Best Friend" so I have high hopes.

I gave the narration five stars, it did not enchant me like some narrators like Emilia Fox or Samantha Bond do, but I could not find any fault with it at all. I think it is a real gift when a narrator stands back lets a story tell itself so you enjoy it to the max and this is the case with this audiobook so full marks. Nothing grated or annoyed either - it all just flowed. Of course at times the French detective did remind me a little of Poirot, especially with his summing up and the pronunciation of mademoiselle was 100% English - but these were just teeny, nitpicking gripes on an otherwise flawless and flowing read.

I loved the way this great thriller was also so atmospheric and a tiny bit spooky rather than grim and gory. Rather like an Agatha Christie, it concentrated on the mystery rather than the murder itself and as an animal lover, I was delighted there were no lazy tropes of pets being in danger etc so no need for other animal lovers to worry! There was, I have to say just one critisism, that nobody thought to help the pigeon who flew into the cafe window - I know it seems silly to some people to worry about a fictional bird, but there was a happy ending so I was able to enjoy the book 100%!

I also enjoyed the insight into the legal world and indeed the legal recruitment business which I had really never even know existed and indeed the simmering romances which also added colour and interest to this gripping book.

Anyone who loves a mysterious thriller which keeps you wondering all through the book, with engaging characters who are great company, a well woven plot which keeps on delivering right up to a very satisfactory finale will love this superbly crafted book.

Thanks Lexie Elliot, so looking forward to your next one.

PS .............. Just found out Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliot is due out November 2022 ....... hoping there are plans for an Audible version of same with a fab narrator ... ooh can hardly wait :-)

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5 people found this helpful

Poorly developed characters

I never felt that I understood the characters, relationships, and especially the victim, for the story to have any power

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