-13% 🔥 Bestseller The Broken Girls — Supernatural

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The Broken Girls

Name: The Broken Girls
Price: 20.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780451489388

✍️ Simone St. James

Reader Score

4.6

(8 reviews)

$20.00 ~~$23.00~~ Save $3.00 (13%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A dual-timeline mystery linking a vanished girl to a journalist's sister at a haunted Vermont school.

Fiona Sheridan’s quest for truth begins with the cold case of her sister. Her investigation leads her to Idlewild Hall, an abandoned boarding school with a dark reputation. The text reveals how four girls formed a tight bond before one disappeared. Fiona’s journey uncovers layers of deceit connected to the school’s past. She confronts the possibility that the convicted boyfriend was not the true culprit. The narrative structure shifts between the 1950s and 2014, allowing readers to see both sides of the tragedy. James uses the setting of Vermont to enhance the sense of isolation and dread.

Key Themes

abandoned boarding school unsolved disappearance journalistic investigation

Literary Context

The story is set in Vermont during 1950 and 2014. It draws on the tradition of haunted location fiction and the trope of the troubled girl’s home. The narrative reflects mid-twentieth-century attitudes toward illegitimate children and behavioral issues, contrasting them with modern forensic skepticism.

Simone St. James

📚 all books by this author (13) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Daphne du Maurier · Shirley Jackson · Tana French

🕯️

Supernatural

🏛 Berkley Books 📅 2018 📖 352 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780451489388

📝 Description: The Broken Girls

Simone James delivers a chilling suspense novel that intertwines past trauma with present-day investigation. The narrative alternates between Vermont in 1950 and 2014. In the earlier timeline, four roommates at Idlewild Hall bond over shared fears before one vanishes without a trace. The school serves as a refuge for girls deemed troublemakers or illegitimate by society. In the modern timeline, journalist Fiona Sheridan investigates the disappearance of her elder sister, whose body was found near the ruined school two decades prior. Although the sister’s boyfriend was convicted, Fiona harbors doubts about the case's integrity. She travels to Vermont when Idlewild Hall undergoes restoration by an anonymous benefactor. Her reporting leads to shocking discoveries that link her sister’s death to hidden secrets. A persistent voice refuses to remain silent, driving Fiona toward the truth. This book suits readers who enjoy dual-timeline mysteries and atmospheric gothic fiction. It appeals to those interested in the history of abandoned institutions and the lingering effects of unresolved trauma. Readers seeking fast-paced action or lighthearted plots may find the slow-burn tension less appealing. The story relies on psychological suspense rather than supernatural spectacle, grounding its horror in human betrayal and institutional failure.

💎 Our verdict on The Broken Girls

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Simone St. James crafts a chilling suspense novel that effectively intertwines past trauma with present-day investigation. The alternating timelines between 1950s Vermont and 2014 create a rich tapestry of deceit and hidden secrets. While the atmospheric setting enhances the sense of isolation, the book relies heavily on psychological tension rather than supernatural spectacle. It is an excellent choice for fans of gothic fiction and cold case mysteries who enjoy slow-burn narratives. Conversely, readers expecting immediate thrills or clear-cut resolutions may find the pacing too deliberate. The story demands patience but rewards it with a poignant look at how past horrors echo into the present.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate slow-burn psychological suspense and atmospheric gothic fiction will find this book deeply rewarding. It offers a compelling exploration of unresolved trauma and institutional failure, grounded in human betrayal rather than supernatural spectacle. The dual-timeline structure provides a comprehensive view of the tragedy, allowing audiences to witness both the past events at Idlewild Hall and the present-day investigation. Those interested in the history of abandoned institutions or the lingering effects of deceit will find the narrative engaging. However, it is not suitable for those seeking fast-paced action or lighthearted plots, as the tension builds gradually through isolation and dread.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

This dual-timeline Gothic mystery is for fans of atmospheric, slow-burn suspense who crave emotional depth and historical intrigue. If you prefer high-octane action, supernatural jump scares, or quick-paced resolutions, this lingering tale of grief and secrets may feel too deliberate and somber for…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 8 reviews

Naomi C.

May 18, 2026

Chilling

Been meaning to get this one for a while. The atmosphere builds slowly and then does not let go. Some chapters are hard to read in the best possible way. Would buy from this store again.

Simon J.

March 19, 2026

A modern classic

Finally got around to ordering this. A few scenes I will not forget, whether I want to or not. The setting is practically a character, and a hostile one. Highly recommend.

Grace B.

November 1, 2025

Was skeptical at first. Some chapters are hard to read in the best possible way. Delivery took a bit longer than quoted. Recommended with reservations.

Linda M.

October 5, 2025

Solid horror

Been meaning to get this one for a while. Not a jump-scare book; it gets under the skin and stays there. Happy enough with the purchase.

Emily N.

July 28, 2025

Ordered it for Halloween and it came in time. The prose is clean and the scares land because the characters feel real. Shipping was quick too.

Liam B.

June 5, 2025

A modern classic

I read a lot of horror and I'm picky. Read it in two sittings; the second one ran past midnight. There's real craft in how much is left unsaid. A keeper.

Nathan V.

April 24, 2025

Almost perfect

Finished it over a stormy weekend, which helped. The prose is clean and the scares land because the characters feel real. The atmosphere builds slowly and then does not let go. Gorier than the description lets on, if that matters to you.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While the story is steeped in Gothic atmosphere and hints of the paranormal, it primarily functions as a psychological thriller. The 'haunting' is largely metaphorical, rooted in trauma and memory, though some readers may interpret ambiguous events as ghostly interference.

The narrative alternates between 1950 and 2014, building tension gradually rather than through rapid plot twists. The dual structure allows for deep character development and historical context, so patience is required to appreciate the slow-burn mystery and emotional payoff.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Simone St. James firmly plants her narrative within the rich soil of American Gothic horror, drawing heavily from the genre’s fascination with haunted institutions and patriarchal suppression. By juxtaposing the repressive social norms of 1950s reform schools with modern investigative journalism, the novel echoes works like Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House but updates the critique of how society discards 'problematic' women. It continues the tradition of using abandoned architecture as a character itself, reflecting the psychological scars left by unresolved historical trauma on both individual survivors and the communities that ignore them.