How do I describe a book that had me pulling faces in disgust, yet all the while, turning the pages in quick succession, because I was desperate to find out how the depraved novel would end? Although the subject matter and family secret at the heart of this book is disturbing, I must confess, the big reveal had me surprisingly gripped.

After her mother commits suicide, fifteen-year-old Lane goes to live with her grandparents and cousin Allegra at their expansive estate in Kansas, where she lives happily for a short while. But after discovering a shocking secret about her family, Lane flees for Los Angeles. Eleven years later, her grandfather calls her with alarming news: her cousin Allegra is missing. Lane returns to the Roanoke estate, and the past comes crashing back...

A couple exchanges I had with people on Twitter about The Roanoke Girls proved that it's not for everyone. Some people have been repulsed by the secret that this novel is built on, and unfortunately cannot see past it. I found the secret shocking, but the writing was undeniably beautiful, and that was what made the book such a compelling and irresistible read.

If you're a fan of haunting stories told through gorgeous prose, then you're sure to love The Roanoke Girls.

It does feel as though a common trope in literature about country folk is a hearty slice of good ol' incest and "The Roanoke Girls" is no exception. Set on a the Roanoke family estate in deepest darkest rural Kansas, Lane Roanoke is sent to stay with her grandparents following the suicide of her mother.
Her partner in crime is her cousin, Allegra, whose mother is also absent. Allegra tells her that "Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die."
Pretty soon, Lane realises what's going on and runs, but is pulled back years later when her grandfather contacts her to inform her that Allegra has gone missing. Has she run? Has she died? Nobody seems to know the answer, so Lane returns to Roanoke to look for her cousin, and face the past and all its horrors.
Reminiscent of "Flowers in the Attic", this is a fairly unbelievable story. The characters are mostly unrealistic and the "secret" is pretty obvious from the start. The denouement and showdown was just way too over the top for my liking, which is a shame, because Engel obviously has a lot of talent, this just isn't the right vessel for it. It feels like she's deliberately trying to be sensational with a very sensitive subject matter, which comes across as pretty jarring.
I'll be interested to see what Engel does next - hopefully she picks a story that does justice to her obvious talents.

Part coming of age, part mystery thriller Lane Roanoke, following the death of her mother goes to live with her grandparents and cousin Allegra on the Roanoke Estate in rural Kansas.  She stays for the summer and then leaves shocked by what she has witnessed.  Eleven years later she returns after being contacted by her distraught Grandfather, informing her that Allegra has gone missing.
Small town vibes aplenty here as not much has changed since Lane left and so the story is told, part coming of age as in the teenage years - the summer Lane lived in Roanake, part mystery as the story of missing Allegra unfolds and a cast largely unchanged between the eleven intervening years.
Unprepared for what this book was about, I admit I found some aspects of this story shocking, not in a way that detracted from this book which I enjoyed a lot.  The quartet of friends from the teenage years stayed true to their characters in adulthood,  I particularly liked the friendship between Lane and her boyfriend Cooper. Both damaged kids who in their youth struggle to make their relationship work, but maintain a warmth and a spark in adulthood.  I found myself rooting for them second time around.
Written in a then and now format with interludes detailing the fate of past Roanoke Girls - the women in the predominantly female family over three generations.  A lot of what occurs in Roanoke is alluded to, but in a way telling enough for the reader to grasp what relatively early on.  And alongside all of this is the mystery of what happened to Allegra, as I read I didn't know or guess where this was going and while in its essence this was a story of a mystery, there was much more to this book and the story did not end when the mystery was solved.  
This book was extremely well written, capturing the subtly damaging effects of toxic relationships, which build up over time resulting in chaos and dysfunction.  Allegra in her teenage years encapsulated this and it was evident in the story later, after her disappearance that the damage was lasting.  I found myself shocked by this book which detailed one of the last taboos, enshrined in a story of love, what a person will do for the person they love, and what people believe in the name of love and there were several love stories in this book.  Its about the complexity of love in all of its facets, its about damaging relationships and the ways this damage is perpetuated and passed on and its about the role of forgiveness. 
It's a great read and I would recommend it, but suggest, depending on how you feel about taboo subject that you may wish to establish what this book is about prior to reading.

I received a free e-arc from the publisher via Netgalley, with thanks. I also bought an ebook copy because I am a prat and forgot I'd requested it.

Best thriller I've read all year, hands down. Seriously, this is so good. The twists are so unexpected and just FANTASTIC. The story really takes some seriously dark twists and I just love the way it's written. 10/10 would recommend.

I did like this book. Kept my interest all the way through. Storyline may be controversial for some, but I would recommend to select friends and family. I would look for other work by the author in the future.

Something bad always happens to the Roanoke girls. They either die, kill themselves, or run away. After her mother killed herself, fifteen-year-old Lane goes to live with the grandparents she never met in a farm in Kansas. Her cousin Allegra quickly becomes her best friend but when Lane finds out the truth about the other women of the family, she runs away. Eleven years later, Lane lives in Los Angeles but when Allegra suddenly disappears, Lane has no choice but to go back to the only family she’s ever had. The novel is beautifully written and I liked how the author switched the narration not only between the past and the present but also between the different Roanoke girls. The women in this provocative and dark novel are all attracted to the same man, but these relationships are so wrong that I found the novel disturbing and shocking, but at the same time so compelling and captivating that I wanted to see how it ended.

"Roanoake girls either run or die." When Lane goes to her grandparent's house after the death of her mother, this is what her cousin Allegra tells her whilst looking at the photographic family tree in the hall. The girls are all startlingly similar- similar to Allegra; similar to Lane.

Told from two different time perspectives 'then' & 'now' this is an atmospheric, claustrophobic story of family secrets. Lane chose to run many years ago, but when she hears that Allegra has disappeared she comes back.

Amy Engel really captured the hot Kansas summers, the sprawling creepy house and its even creepier inhabitants.

It isn't really a book to love- it's a book that will haunt you. I thought it was brilliantly done. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read & review this memorable book.

I found this book a bit disturbing in places but such a great book, really gripping- I couldn't put it down. Recommended.

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover and the description. For some reason, the book cover and elements of the synopsis really reminded me of Emma Cline's The Girls, which I read recently and enjoyed immensely. When I began reading the novel however, I realised the books are completely different - set in different time periods, written in different styles and follow completely different plots. In fact, once I was reading The Roanoke Girls, it reminded me of a different book completely - Boundary, but Andree Michaud.

I think the similarities stem from the fact that both books follow complicated and passionate female friendships.
On a darker note, both novels explore an extremely sensitive subject - the sexualisation of, and violence towards young girls and women. For that reason, this book is important, but hard read to read at times and for this reason, it may not suit everyone's tastes.

The novel is well plotted, although not an awful lot actually happens and the structure is interesting and easy to follow, despite the fact the narrative jumps from recent past to present. The ending is fitting and all of my questions were answered.

All in all, I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy compelling yet tough reads, lead by troubled female protagonists. Perhaps, for example, fans of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects.

I wasn’t sure how this book was going to turn out but although you knew what happened there were still many twists and turns. Very good

Lane is drifting through life in LA when she receives a call from her Grandfather, her cousin Allegra is missing. Lane hasn't seen Allegra for ten years, not since the summer she spent at the family estate in Kansas after the death of her mother. Looking for messages Allegra may have sent her Lane tries to piece together Allegra's last days and find out whether she has run away or is dead. This forces her to confront family secrets and her own past from that long hot summer.

I can understand why this book is popular with book clubs, it has that scandalous American-gothic vibe which worked so well in books such as 'The Girls' by Emma Cline. The problem is that there is no twist. The nature of what goes on in the family is flagged up from the start and the revelation of what happens to Allegra and why is no surprise. It is quite a fast read and moderately entertaining but nowhere near as good as the hype will have it.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a brilliant story but very dark and disturbing.

Following her mother's death Lane Roanoke moves to her maternal grandparents' home in Kansas. She only stays there for one summer and after a shocking discovery leaves and vows never to go ack. Then her grandfather phones to say her cousin Allegra is missing and her grandparents need her back. Lane reluctantly returns. A disturbing tale of family secrets and lies and how they can affect different generations of a family until one is strong enough to force a change. A fantastic read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and Amy Engel for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was so excited when I got an email from NetGalley saying that The Roanoke Girls is READ NOW for a limited number of members and then with the speed of ten cheetahs I ran and clicked the button. I’ve read many reviews of this book and what intrigued me from the start was the darkness and strangeness of it. The Roanoke Girls is very interesting and very shocking.

After her mother’s suicide fifteen year old Lane Roanoke is taken in by her grandparents on their family estate somewhere in Kansas where things are not what they seem. Lane knows very little about her mother’s time on the estate but what she knows is that her mother ran away without ever speaking to her parents again. It is in this place that Lane meets Allegra, her wild cousin, who is being raised by Gran and Grandpa. Both Roanoke girls become close and go on many adventures in town but underneath Allegra’s presence lies something dark and twisted which soon Lane uncovers but the discovery becomes so shocking that it makes her flee the estate keeping very little contact with her cousin. She is called back to the estate many years later by her grandfather because of Allegra’s mysterious disappearance. Lane knows the dark secret this place holds and she isn’t quite sure that Allegra left willingly. Her appearance in town lights a fire on an old romance but also makes her have to deal with the darkness she tried so hard to avoid. Will Lane be able to find the truth behind her cousin’s disappearance and will she be able to escape the darkness that has followed a generation of the Roanoke girls?

“Sometimes it’s a revelation, even to me, how much more comfortable I am with cruelty than with kindness.”

I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll keep my thoughts spoiler-free. The Roanoke Girls isn’t a book you’ll usually stumble upon as well as the themes in it. This book won’t be for everyone and I have seen a few DNFs of it because of the major theme in it. Having read Gather the Daughters and pretty much loving it I was very excited to start this one because I love reading stories that are twisted and unusual and that show us humans and our darkest sides. I think that we all love finding out more about how cruel and deviant people can be and these kinds of stories intrigue us but at the same time repulse us. This is the first time I’ve read a book that deals with this subject matter so openly and because it’s the main theme in the story I felt very uncomfortable reading it at times but couldn’t stop looking away because I wanted to find out more. I think it’s best if you go into this book blind but reading a few reviews would be OK as well as knowing that it deals with many themes that some people will find triggering. The Roanoke Girls is definitely not for everyone because if you don’t like dark tales you won’t be able to get past first fifty pages. I have had some discomfort reading this book but that’s solely because of the main theme and this book isn’t a five star material for me. The story could’ve been better fleshed out and the scenes ended abruptly at times. I like that it had an adequate resolution to it and we got the see Lane’s ‘somewhat’ character development towards the end.

“…sometimes you have to hurt people just to prove you’re alive.”

If you’re not squeamish and like reading books that show the worst in people then this is the one for you.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher (Hodder & Stoughton) for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Lane, who goes to live with her grandparents and her cousin Allegra after her mother commits suicide. A decade later she is living in Los Angeles when she gets a call from her grandfather saying that Allegra has gone missing. Did she run or did something more awful happen?

This is such a hard review to write without spoilers. this book is dark and disturbing, and is a book that you really need to go into blind, knowing as little as possible. It is so captivating.

“Roanoke Girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.”

Dark, sultry, sexy, awful, evocative - you feel the prairie heat coming off these pages!

This is the story of a twisted family legacy, told by rebellious Lane, who's desperately trying to escape it. I loved the boldness of Engel revealing the Roanoke 'secret' so early on in the book - it made the tale so much less predictable and elevated it beyond just a mystery, into an atmospheric exploration of the many faces of abuse and the complex emotional conflicts it causes, both within people and between them. The small town claustrophobia is vividly drawn, and although I was sad the author didn't unveil the fates of all the Roanoke girls, this is just because I was hungry for more! The ambiguity serves the book much better, and overall is a truly gripping, twisted thriller.

Well.. this was a heartbreaker. I literally read this in a day. I couldn't put it down I had to find out what happened to Allegra and the rest of the Roanoke Girls. Some of the twists and turns in this story can be easily guessed at but that doesn't make them any less horrifying.

And I mean it. This book is horrendous but, if you can believe it, in a damn good way. This book gets its claws in you from the start. All of the characters are absolutely brilliant from the grandparents, to Tommy, Cooper, Allegra and Lane. Especially Lane.

Lane is fucked up and twisted but that's not entirely her fault and you know what? I kind of love her for it because if it wasn't for that the ending might not have happened the way it did.

Overall this was an amazing story. I'm glad I finally picked it up!

This review may be a bit spoilery concerning the theme of this novel, this couldn't be helped but I've tried to be as vague as possible.

"Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die."



These were the words that captivated me originally, pulling me in and compelling me to pick up The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel.
This was quite a read, an unusual one, reminiscent of bygone authors, setting a stage of intrigue, mystery and dysfunctional family dynamics.
The secrets surrounding Roanoke are subtlely revealed early on leaving the reader highly aware of what flows beneath the seemingly normal surface.
This is a definite page-turner despite the exploration of (view spoiler)
This tale is told in two parts "Now and Then" and the storyline seamlessly hops between these two timelines.
We also get to jump briefly into the heads of each Roanoke girl that came before, which I found very enlightening, I really loved this touch and it greatly added to the storyline giving the reader an insight into what each girl was feeling deep inside her own skin.
Jane, Sophia, Penelope, Eleanor, Camilla, Allegra, Lane there is also little Emmaline but she died of a crib death as a baby.
All Roanoke girls, all carrying the same secrets down through the years, messed up heads and lives affected tragically.
The echoes of this rebounding out through each new generation.
This story is told through Lane Roanoke's point of view after her mother commits suicide and Lane comes to live with her Rich grandparents and cousin Allegra on the family estate.
This is the "THEN" portrayed in the narrative.
The "NOW" is Eleven years later when Lane returns to the family home after a frantic call from her granddad informing her that her cousin Allegra is missing.
After vowing never to return, Lane reluctantly returns home confronting secrets shes buried deep down inside.

I loved Lane as a character, she was a bit of a messed up headcase, but who can blame her.
It's obvious Lane Loved Allegra so deeply and this was the only thing, I think, her disappearing, that could have dragged her back to the bowels of Roanoke.
It was also very thought-provoking to observe Lane's former teenage toxic relationship with cooper rekindled as adults and I really did like him he had his own past baggage but really seemed to have evolved from this, unlike Lane.
I was so rooting for these two and I thought they made a great match, neither party having had it easy in life, they both deserved a bit of stability in the now.
Now Lanes connection with her grandad this was a strange one, confusing even I think to lane herself she really seemed to feel equal measures hate and love towards him.
Struggling with her mixed up emotions, greatly wanting to loathe him but feeling a strange pull, maybe because Lane feels he was the first person to actually seem to want and love her after enduring a lifetime of apathy with her mother.
As for the gran, What a cold selfish bitch she was.
I felt she herself held a huge role in what had been allowed to transpire, isn't it a mothers job to protect her daughters.
In this Lillian Roanoke has failed epically actually blaming her daughters instead of shielding them, she was such a cold fish only seeming to feel any affection towards her twisted husband.
Turning a blind eye and looking the other way is her game.
Surprisingly she was my least favourite character even over Myles Roanoke himself.
I think it was the whole lack of maternal anything that contributed to my dislike of her immensely.
The Roanoke Girls has so many diverse flawed individuals that all do their part in making this an enthralling page-turner.
This is a portrayal of a family that is so not right and has not been for a very long time.
It is Love expressed so wrongly and out of context that it has become a sickness consuming from the inside out devouring till nothing remains standing.
A Dysfunctional family with dark concealed secrets at his core.

So I felt the author Amy Engel did an amazing job of dealing with such an explosive subject matter. she has handled it beautifully with finesse and a great understanding of such a delicate topic. Not everyone could have done this so sensitively and without sensationalising it so Really well done.

So that's it from me folk's, I could waffle on all day about this fascinating story, but I'm going to leave it here, but before I go a trigger warning The Roanoke Girls deals with themes of incest, but bar the one small kiss it is only referred to in words not actions and it is really not graphic in its content at all, but if this is a trigger for you please do avoid.
So all that's left is for me to say Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author Amy Engel herself for providing me with an arc of The Roanoke Girls this is my own honest unbiased opinion.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. 

The Roanoke Girls is about Lane. Lane lives in New York City with her mum. Until her mum commits suicide. Her mum has spent Lane's entire life trying to keep Lane away from her childhood home. So after her suicide, Lane's grandparents offer her a home at Roanoke with her cousin, Allegra. 
The chapters go between the summer Lane spent at Roanoke with Allegra when they were 16, and 10 years later after Allegra goes missing and Lane is living in California. Lane goes back to Roanoke to try to figure out what happened to Allegra.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it went between the past and the present to build the tension of what happened to Allegra and what went on in the Roanoke family home. I'd guessed what had happened pretty early on but that didn't deduct from actually learning all the little details.

A well written and thought-provoking read with some carefully constructed characters.