Book review: The Flower Girls

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By Alice Clark-Platts
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing

 Synopsis: The Flower Girls. Laurel and Primrose.
One convicted of murder, the other given a new identity.
Now, nineteen years later, another child has gone missing.
And the Flower Girls are about to hit the headlines all over again…

How did this book end up in my hands? I read a 10-part serialisation of this book in January via The Pigeonhole.

Was it a page-turner? OMG, totally. I could have read it in one sitting given the opportunity and – having read the comments written by my fellow readers – I know I am not the only one to think that. This is one of those novels that make you suspect just about every character and change your theories every few chapters!

Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? I knew after reading the tagline - Three children went out to play. Only two came back. – that this was going to be an unsettling book but the reality definitely exceeded my expectations.

Did I like the ending? [no spoilers] I find it weird to say that I loved it because it was one of the most chilling endings I have recently come across in a book but I did, I loved it. What does that say about me?

Three words to describe it. Chilling. Gripping. Unpredictable.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it is the right kind of sinister – simple and elegant.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, and I like to rectify this soon.

Will I be recommending this book? Yes. As I mentioned before, it has a great plot with plenty of twists and suspicious characters. During the online serialisation, the novel sparked many interesting discussions around mental health, parenthood, obsession and more so you can choose to read it at face value – as the incredibly riveting novel it is – or you can delve deeper into its themes to enjoy it even more. Either way, I am fairly confident you won’t be disappointed.

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