LoveReading Says
Tense and timely, Katie Bishop’s The Girls of Summer debut explores power, consent, coercive control and trauma with unsettling verve.
“It is impossible to exist in the present when the power of the past is so strong”. So Rachel realises some way into her story journey. Now in her thirties and married to Tom, Rachel remains in thrall to the summer she spent on a sun-drenched Greek island when she was seventeen. After revisiting the island with Tom, Rachel finds herself compelled to reconnect with the man she fell in love with all those years ago. Back then, Alistair was pretty much the same age as she is now, a charismatic older man who worked for one of the wealthiest, most powerful men on the island.
As her marriage falters and feelings for Alistair resurface, Rachel slowly acknowledges that her memories of that summer might not represent the truth. As the scales slip from her eyes, she wonders whether she might have been the victim of coercion and abuse. With the narrative cleverly presented through dual “Then” and “Now” timelines, Bishop has a fabulous knack for shifting perspectives, almost mirroring the way Rachel gradually realises the truth.
Unquestionably a gripping mystery, with shocking revelations carefully planted and drawn out, The Girls of Summer is also a thought-provoking exploration of coercion, consent and the way trauma can lead to burying the truth as a form of self-preservation.
Joanne Owen
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The Girls of Summer Synopsis
'Dark, timely and thought-provoking' THE SUN
'Set to be a big summer hit' THE INDEPENDENT
'A gripping read that is visceral and raw. Buy it' GLAMOUR
The last time Rachel saw the girls, they were teenagers island-hopping in Greece: making friends, finding love. One golden summer.
Now in her thirties, she's never been able to forget the man she fell in love with back then. Even though he is almost twenty years older than her. Even though she hasn't seen him since and she's now married to someone else.
And when she crosses paths with one of the girls, she's confronted with a truth that's much darker than she ever realized.
What really happened to them all that summer?
What if everything she remembers is a lie?
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For fans of GIRL A, MY DARK VANESSA and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, The Girls of Summer is a bold compulsive exploration of sex, power and consent, and what happens when we revisit the past with rose-tinted glasses.
'Reminiscent of HBO's hit The White Lotus... The obvious read-alike is My Dark Vanessa' BOOKLIST
'Packs an incredible punch' THE TIMES
'Beautifully written, transportive, and thought-provoking' LUCY CLARKE, author of THE CASTAWAYS
'A mesmerising, unsettling and gripping debut' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of RUN TIME
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Readers are talking about THE GIRLS OF SUMMER:
* 'A superb debut that will linger with you for a long time after you have finished it. A powerful and resonating read.' * * * * *
* 'Beautifully written with a tense, emotive plot' * * * * *
* 'An excellent debut. Raw, real, and gut-wrenchingly familiar' * * * * *
* 'Wow wow wow! It's one of those stories that stays with you' * * * * *
* 'The writing is buttery smooth and brilliant' * * * * *
* 'I couldn't put this book down, it should be added to everyone's reading list' * * * * *
* 'Shocking, familiar, emotional, and raw. Just phenomenal' * * * * *
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781529177060 |
| Publication date: |
23rd May 2024 |
| Author: |
Katie Bishop |
| Publisher: |
Penguin Books an imprint of Transworld |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
352 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Crime and Mystery
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Katie Bishop Press Reviews
It's been a long time since I've read such a compelling debut. Beautifully written, transportive, and thought-provoking, THE GIRLS OF SUMMER sizzles with suspense. It's the book I'll be recommending that all my girlfriends pack for their holidays this summer - Lucy Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CASTAWAYS
A mesmerising, unsettling and gripping debut - Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of RUN TIME
Lures you in then shakes you up. A very timely read about consent and control. LOVED IT - Nikki May, author of WAHALA
Thought-provoking, timely and gripping, The Girls of Summer is the book of the summer - Sarah Turner, author of STEPPING UP
THE GIRLS OF SUMMER is visceral, deeply sensory and urgent. An unsettling and vital book - Hazel Barkworth, author of SUNSTROKE
