Book Review – Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins – Intriguing Mystery written well!
Table of Contents
My Rating – 4 out of 5
Plot Summary (Storyline) – Reckless Girls
The first rocking novel of the year 2022! Though it’s not earth-shattering in its premise or execution, it’s still a rollicking read. Intriguing enough to hold your attention over a period of time and drag you till the exciting finale, though to be completely honest, that ending is quite expected from about the mid-point of the novel. The setting is picturesque, a deserted coral island off the coast of Maui, with a breathtaking landscape serving as the sinister backdrop to a mystery thriller. A poisoned paradise, if there ever was one! What starts off as a playfully promising holiday cum adventure, takes a macabre turn and hurtles towards a thrilling end!!
The story starts with the first-person narrative of the quirkily named Lux McAllister and her new boyfriend Nico. Lux worked housekeeping in a resort in Maui and loses her job when the guests, whose room she was cleaning, walk-in on her passing derogatory comments about them! Not much skin off her back as Nico has got a lucrative charter to take two girls to Meroe Island in his boat – Susannah. The girls want to spend two weeks on the island, far away from the hustle and bustle of civilization, in total seclusion. The money is good and Nico asks Lux to come along, adding that this will be a vacation for them too. The island is three days sailing away.
Lux meets the two girls – Brittany and Amma and though she has some reservations about Amma (she is a little wary and distant), she likes Brittany immediately and everything seems all set for them to earn some easy money for a total of three weeks of work. The weather is perfect, Nico gets the boat repaired with the girls’ money, and off they go in search of a blissful holiday on a secluded, picturesque island on the Pacific Ocean. After a brief scare from a sudden tropical storm, the quartet reaches the natural marina on the island only to find another glistening yacht – Azure Sky, already at the island. Their ideas of solitude are dashed at this unexpected intrusion!
There is a suave couple onboard the Azure Sky – Jake and Eliza, who are sailing the Pacific and have chanced upon the Meroe Island and couldn’t help dropping anchor to enjoy this picturesque slice of paradise in solitude. They seem like a nice, jovial couple, and though Nico is initially a bit hostile towards Jake, he soon comes to accept this addition to their touring party, charmed by their warmth and hospitality. But tensions soon emerge as the idyllic holiday devolves into a sinister plot and secrets that each character holds, come spilling out, one after another. Nothing is at it seems on the surface, and the tropical paradise turns into a dangerous prison of sorts when death visits them!
Conclusion – Book Review of Reckless Girls
The buildup to the plot twists is very interesting and fascinating. The backstory of each character is built up very cleverly, with chapters alternating between the present and the past – one character at a time. each one has their flaws, just like any other normal human being, it’s just that the evil in some gets the better off their normal selves. Some of the twists are on expected lines, while some come as a surprise. Overall, it’s a very well-written novel, fast-paced and interestingly posited.
For all those looking for a cozy winter read (in the Northern Hemisphere at least), this is an absolute must-pick-up book. A very intriguing manner to start off the book reading journey of 2022! So read on…
*I hope you have enjoyed reading this book review as much as I have enjoyed writing this! Do watch this space for more such reviews and navigate through the links below for more… Thank you!! *
