Lock up your doors, switch on all the lights in your house and find some place to hide behind the sofa because Ingrid Alexandra’s terrifying debut The New Girl is a white-knuckle ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make your heart pound!

Mary is desperately in need of a fresh start and a new beginning. After finally freeing herself of her poisonous ex and their toxic relationship, Mary is determined to put the past behind her once and for all and to seek greener pastures elsewhere as far away from her old life as it is possible to get. A move from Sydney to Melbourne is precisely what the doctor ordered and Mary is keen to shake off the confining shackles of her old life and become the mistress of her own destiny where she has all the freedom and independence she craves and is answerable to nobody. Free to make her own choices and decisions, Mary moves into a new flat with her best friend Cat. With a spare room going spare, the two friends soon find themselves welcoming new girl Rachel into the mix and her arrival immediately begins to cause ructions in the flat.

Everyone in the flat is suspicious of Rachel. There is something about her that that seems to rub everyone up the wrong way. However, Rachel does have an ally: Mary, who forms a bond and an affinity with the new girl. Mary cannot understand why all the other girls seem to have taken against her. But should she heed her flatmates’ warnings and be a bit wary of Rachel? Is Rachel as harmless as Mary thinks she is? Or is the new girl someone she should keep at arm’s length?

Mary and Rachel might have become fast friends, but when Mary discovers that they’ve far more in common than she previously imagined, she begins to fear for her safety and her sanity. Rachel seems to know things about her that Mary is sure she never told her before. Has Mary invited the enemy into her own home? Is Rachel friend or foe? And will the new girl end causing Mary irreparable damage?

A terrifying read that will have you sleeping with the light on for weeks on end, The New Girl is a nail-biting thriller guaranteed to give you nightmares. Menacing, creepy and chilling, The New Girl is a tightly plotted, wonderfully crafted and well-written debut written with plenty of style and flair and packed with twists and turns aplenty. The New Girl is a book that grips you from the start and only lets you go when you’ve turned the last page – only to find yourself unable to stop thinking about it.

A writer with a very bright future ahead of her, The New Girl is an assured debut from an outstanding new writer in the genre: Ingrid Alexandra.

A gripping thriller that sees our protagonist Mary on the run from an abusive relationship and living in a shared flat on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Mary's parents disappeared when she was 15 years old and she soon found herself living with Mark, a man much older than herself, in Melbourne. The relationship, however, is toxic. Mary is often mentally abused, sometimes physically, and as a mechanism to cope turns to drink and drugs and often suffers from blackouts. Then one night Mary awakes with little memory of a party she and Mark attended, covered in blood and with just vague flashbacks of Mark holding a bloody brick. She goes on the run to Sydney, determined to get her life together and put Mark behind her forever.
Going to Sydney with her is her best friend Cat, and they soon move into a 4 bedroom apartment on the beach with a guy named Ben. To make ends meet the three advertise the 4th bedroom and a troubled girl, Rachel, moves in with them. Mary and Rachel soon click, sharing similar backgrounds, but soon it becomes clear that all is not as it seems, as Rachel knows more about Mary and what she's been through than she should.
Mary can't seem to get it together though. She's drinking excessively and still wakes up with no memories as to what she's been doing. She starts to get flashes of memory from the fateful party in Melbourne and struggles to put together the whole story. Rachel steps in to try to help her remember, and Mary tries to figure out who she can trust, when she can't even trust herself. What really happened that night? Is someone withholding secrets from her? And where does Rachel fit into the picture?
I raced through this book, trying to find answers and I must say I got Rachel's character totally wrong! An excellent thriller, riveting, chilling at times, and thoroughly entertaining. Recommended for all lovers of psychological fiction.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book fascinating. Its all about our two main characters Mary and Rachel. Mary decides to get a roommate after leaving her abusive boyfriend and then she stumbles across Rachel. The two move in instantly. The book is set up in almost two parts the main one where the two girls are living together and then the past where Mary is dealing with her abusive partner and a potential murder. Things are going fine until the past catches up to them and Mary's partner decides to try to find her.That is when things take a turn for the worse and Rachel soon finds out that her friend Mary might not be as friendly as she once thought. I found this book very fast pace and ever time I tried to put it down it turned into one more chapter. While I usually don't like books that jump back and forth I found this one easy to get lost in because it gave lots of back story and it wasn't to confusing because of the interesting way that the author laid it out. The characters were very interesting both the good ones and the bad ones and it left you wanting to know more about all of them and their histories. This book had everything from romance to thriller, to adventure and starting new. Very glad I got the chance to read it. It did kind of remind me of the movie "Single, White, Female" when her roommate started to become a little obsessed with her but those kinds of plots always bring up that movie for me. This book leaves the reader always guessing what is going to happen next. The best part about this one is definitely the way that the author brings you into both characters lives. You really get a chance to see into their heads. Very nice read and the ending wow what a shocker, it put a whole new spin on the story I just read. Loved it!

This is a mystery book about a girl who is trying to start a new life after her parents go missing. She moves with her best friend to a new place, and has a girl come to rent one of the empty rooms from them. Right away, she believes there is something very familiar about this girl, even though she doesn't remember having ever met her. Through a lot of twists and turns we discover how complicated Mary's life is, and that there is a lot of her actions and memories that she doesn't remember...waking up in bed with no idea of how she got there for example. All the while you are wondering the story behind the new roommate, Rachel. What is her story? It's a really interesting story that has you guessing who is the bad seed in Mary's life, or is it Mary herself? Great read, really interesting twist at the end!

Mary is having another moment not knowing if she dreamt something imagined it or it really happened. She keeps have these black spots in her mind where she loses time. Lucky for her she has a faithful friend who has been with her forever. There is also her beloved Aunt who stepped in and cared for her when her parents mysteriously disappeared.
Then, there is their new roommate, Rachael. Now, she's strange, and seems to be hiding something. Plus, she sleepwalk into her room. How creepy is that!
This is a great psychological story. I enjoyed that it turned out different then I was expecting. I liked the characters. The storyline was phenomenal. Strongly recommend!

Well, this one just didn't do it for me. Between timelines that didn't always make sense, unbelievable behaviour from certain characters, and an overwhelming desire to slap some sense into Mary, the main character, I struggled to enjoy this one.

I appreciated the quick, short chapters -- those are my favourite in a thriller novel and often help to keep things from being too convoluted for me. Unfortunately, though, I was confused far too much of the time while reading this. I get that the reader is supposed to be disoriented to a point -- that's the main appeal to having an unreliable narrator -- but in this case it was just too much. I spent a lot of time flipping back through the pages thinking I must have missed something or misunderstood certain timelines.

I was really frustrated with some aspects that seemed contradictory in the story. Things like the fact that Mary and her friend were so afraid for Mary's safety after she left an abusive relationship that they moved cities to escape Mary's evil ex, but both of them kept their Facebook accounts active and updated (they just, you know, unfriended evil ex-bf).

As much as I rolled my eyes or spent time flipping back to see what was going on, I still found the writing style to be compelling enough and the plot interesting enough that I wanted to see how things turned out. So definitely not a good choice for me, but maybe a fun thriller for those who don't mind having to really suspend their disbelief and are ok with confusing timelines.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with a DRC of this book.

Partly enjoyable, partly confusing. Was a bit far fetched at times. Was a book that when finished I’m not actually sure how I felt about it.

Another "Girl" title with a mystery and female lead characters. There are fresh plot devices here, and it did end up surprising me. I was just a little confused about how it got to it's far-fetched conclusion, but I did enjoy reading it. I liked that it was set in Australia, it was a pleasant surprise. The beachy, warm-for-Christmas setting was exciting to me, because it's definitely the opposite of what I'm used to.

Mary is happy to share a flat with her best friend Cat and a friendly man named Ben, but they need another roommate. In comes Rachel, beautiful and kind but secretive and damaged. Mary immediately feels a connection with the other woman, but her friend Cat doesn't seem so thrilled with the new addition. Mary still feels a connection with her, even though she is a bit strange. Before long, Rachel is sleepwalking... further freaking out her roommates. Except for Mary.

The characters are all adults but very young, and make the common mistakes and lapses in judgement a lot of us make in our very early twenties. They are interesting to read about, and there's lots of twists in this story. At times it was really far-fetched, but it kept my attention. I won't give too much away in my review, especially because I've already seen a few with some spoilers. If the synopsis sounds interesting and you aren't put off by the "Girl", give it a shot.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Avon Books UK, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

THE NEW GIRL by Ingrid Alexandra is a dark and harrowing tale of abuse, friendship, and denial with plenty of twists along the way to keep you interested.

Mary is still getting used to making her own decisions and living her own life after finally escaping her abusive ex-boyfriend. Other than her Aunt and her best friend Caz there aren't many people that Mary can trust. But when they need a new flatmate and Rachel applies, Mary feels an instant connection with her, almost as if she knows her from somewhere, and when Mary's past is determined to catch up with her, it isn't long before everything starts to crumble around her in very unexpected ways.

​From the beginning, we are thrown into Mary's life or snippets of it as Mary tries to explain what has happened to her so far. But we soon recognise that she can be an unreliable narrator as there are huge chunks of her life that are blank. Domestic abuse, drug addiction, and sexual assault are just some of the serious topics that are dealt with in this story so this isn't an easy-read thriller by any means.
​
THE NEW GIRL by Ingrid Alexandra is evenly-paced and the characters are intriguing even if they are unlikeable and distant at times. Overall, I found THE NEW GIRL to be a solid debut thriller.

The Blurb :
You’ve only just met.
But she already knows you so well.
When Rachel moves into the spare room in Mary’s flat, everyone is quick to jump to the conclusion that there’s something strange about her. Everyone apart from Mary.
And when Rachel starts sleepwalking, everyone’s fears grow. But there’s something about the new girl that Mary can’t help but trust, and having recently escaped a toxic relationship, she needs the support.
Rachel becomes a friend and an ally, and Mary soon discovers that they have more in common than she ever could have imagined.

My Thoughts :
We meet Mary Baker, who has just moved from Sydney to Melbourne, she wants to start afresh after the split with her ex boyfriend Mark, who wasnt a very nice person. She moves into an apartment block and shares with Ben and Cat. They need a fourth person to help with the rent and bills so along comes Rachel. After Rachel moves in, Mary feels an instant connection with her and seems to think she is a kindred spirit just like herself. But Ben and Cat are really not sure about Rachel and think there is more to her story but cant quiet put their finger on it. Rachel seems to know more about Mary than she should.
I enjoyed enjoy the journey that Ingrid Alexandra took us on, the setting which was in Sydney Australia, the descriptions of the area and where they lived really set the scene.
I am glad everything is tied up at the end. It certainly has a few twists and turns along the way.
It touches upon abusive relationships and mental illness which is such a stong point in today’s society. Although Chick Lit is my Genres, I do like to branch out with the occasional psychological thriller.
Looking forward to the next book from this Author.

This psychological thriller hooked me from the beginning and didn't let me go until I finished it! This is definitely one that I recommend!

This book completely lost me at around the 35% mark. I started intrigued then lost all interest quickly. The only reason I read it until the end is because I wanted to confirm my prediction of how the story would end. That and because I wanted to write an honest review! That curiosity just barely pulled me through to finish this book though. I could have put this down anytime and never felt the itch to pick it up again. That’s never a good sign...

Here’s my main criticism of this novel: the plot is extremely contrived, the main character is painfully frustrating, and the writing feels like the author started and stopped, started and stopped, started and stopped... and then sprinted to the end just to finish. All lose ends are tied in the last chapter in a totally rushed fashion that makes you wonder why the author didn’t spread things out more evenly.

For me, there is little going on here other than a highly unbelievably and extremely far-fetched story. I felt the characters were are all unlikeable and not “human” at all - in the sense of them having no complexity or depth. As a result, everything felt as fictional and manufactured as it is and I derived little pleasure from the experience of reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for letting me read The New Girl by Ingrid Alexandra for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading this author, no regrets!

Mary left a bad abusive relationship, reconnects with her past... Sometimes you have to run away from your life to find the truth about who you are...

Book well written, interesting, good story, good characters, secrets, strange roommate who seems to know things about you... keeps you wanting to read more, good twist at the end...

Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon when published.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book begins with Mary, Cat and Ben looking for a fourth person to share their apartment as the rent is expensive on the coastline of Australia. The setting of the book is amazing and the apartment is imaginable through the great descriptions. The new roommate that they choose is Rachel.

The "new girl" has a lot of things in common with Mary and she seems to know too much about someone that she just met. Cat is suspicious of Rachel but Mary likes her and feels that she's a kindred spirit. There are many twists and turns, back and forth through time in the story

There are many references to physical abuse and drug use throughout the book.

When I picked up this book had no idea that it was set in Sydney and Melbourne so that was a nice surprise. This book was a very addictive and fast read, I was hooked straight away. A great new author to look out for

There is a lot happening in this story. Mary and her best friend Cat have moved to Sydney from Melbourne after Mary's end to a toxic relationship. It is her chance to start afresh but her anxiety is hindering her. When Rachel moves in Cat and her other friends think that she is a bit weird bu Mary finds a friend in her and starts to confide. The ending was definitely one that I did not see coming at all..

Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

The New Girl - not The Girl on the Train, not Final Girl, not The Girl Running Away Into The Woods with a Knife and a Secret Baby....or whatever. The New Girl is a 'psychological" thriller that....just tries tooooooo hard to fit in with the other "Girl" books that have recently become all the rage. I liked some of these "Girl" book - but I did not enjoy the Girl.

It's not Single White Female. It's not Gone Girl. It's.....chick lit in dialogue and a tepid plot.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was pretty enjoyable, I have to say. For a debut in a series it hit mostly all the right notes. But at the same time, it was missing aspects that I look for to really make a procedural more than just the typical.

The novel takes place in the UK. Where? Who knows, you’re never really told, either explicitly or generally. I eventually picked up on it because of the UK expressions. What does the main character, DI Gina Harte, look like? Couldn’t even begin to tell you. I know she has hair because you are told she has hair. Typically a novel like this would take me 7+ hours to read, this one only took 5, just to give a general idea of how much I feel could have been added to amp things up.

Where is all the in between information that brings a story, a setting, an atmosphere, to life? Where are all the red herrings and clues and misdirection and “twists” (promised right on the cover) that are necessary when crafting a “thriller” crime story?

In terms on plot, this was pretty straightforward. Which most people will not care about, but I’m a picky.

The case DI Harte and her people are working on has no real surprises, or mid-point escalations and obstacles. It’s just A to Z, progress along as you would expect. Then they’ve caught the guy and wrapped it all up in a nice bow. I get that in real life, that’s usually how it works. I’ve watched enough The First 48 to understand reality. But I’m not reading these books to be in reality, I’m reading them to escape it. To feel some heightened emotions, to tap into my empathy and outrage and gross-out factor. These crimes should be dialed up to 11. They should take you on a ride.

That kind of tension is missing, the pulse-accelerating feeling as you get as you move through a story that is hitting the gas on suspense and thrills.

erhaps Kovach was looking to create something that was more subtle in its realness, and had more emphasis on the personal side of DI Harte. And I need to say, I’m all about the personal aspect of a character taking, basically, equal time in a crime fiction novel as long as it’s interesting. I want to know the characters, especially in a series. What drives them? Why do they feel compelled to do this job? How are their relationships affected? Give me that depth! Those elements come down to much more than just hair colour (even though that’s a nice picture to subtly paint, as well.)

Where this book really excels in my opinion, is in the main character of Gina Harte. Kovach did an excellent job in crafting DI Harte as a full person. Her past, her relationship with her daughter, her dedication to the job. I felt like I really understood where this character was coming from, even if I didn’t get a physical picture of her.

I loved the juxtaposition that was created between Gina’s past and present. Her marriage to her former abusive asshole husband ended when he died after a fall down the stairs. Did she push him? Did she push him just a little, to be sure he was really falling? Did she just not attempt to save him? Is there a difference?

She’s a cop who has dedicated her life to solving homicides and she’s not even sure if she committed one herself. THAT is brilliant plotting.

But truthfully, without DI Harte being as strong in characterization as she was, this book would be a dud. The crime everything revolved around was too linear, too much of a flat liner on an vital signs monitor. But because of her, I’ll be back for the next one in the series.

The book opens with Mary, Cat (aka Catherine) and Ben looking for a fourth tenant to share their flat, as they are pressed for money.
In walks, Rachel. Mary feels an instant connect with her - there’s just something about her which seems so familiar, yet they have never met!

There is something definitely not right about Mary, the plot’s central character. There are definitive things in her past that continue to haunt her. That includes a horrible ex-boyfriend, Mark, from whom she’s on the run.
Told between the then and the now, from Mary’s point of view, interspersed with her diary entries - we learn why Mary’s behaviour is so erratic and what happened on THE night of the incident that changed her life forever. However, one thing is certain - Mark won’t let her go. And she has to keep him at bay because she knows the one secret that could ruin him.

At places, the writing seemed disjointed and didn’t connect with the previous chapter. But, the what and why are slowly revealed as the plot culminates in a surprising finish.
The ending redeemed the few lapses and disconnect one may feel while reading the book.

Worth one read.
3.5 for me

The New Girl was a chilling read, and I'd expected a lot from it. A lot.

The start was pretty awesome, it built up just enough suspense to bring me to the edge of my seat, but then things started spiraling downwards.

It was pretty clear just after a few chapters—to me, atleast—what was going on. The truth about who Sophie was, was pretty much told when Cat gets worried about Mary seeing the letter that arrived for Sophie.

On the other hand, the suspense about what happened on The Night and what Mark was going to do, kept me reading. And the end might have been a tad anticlimactic.

To be honest, the ending seemed a bit overused to me. I've seen this 'good person kills bad person and gets away with it' ending in a lot of psychological thrillers recently, and it's becoming a cliché now.

The New Girl was an exciting read, but not as original as I expected it to be.

I’m quite torn as to how I truly feel about this book. Was it a thriller? No. Was it suspenseful? Somewhat. Was it intriguing? To a degree.

I found it slow to start with. The character development left me wanting, for all but Rachel. As I got deeper into this book, the natural flow of the story caught up. It wasn’t until about 3/4 into this book that I wanted to know what happened next. From that point forward, I really enjoyed it. Therein lies my struggle with rating. I suppose, after mulling it over, it’s a solid 3.5 stars for me.

It’s an easy read if you stick through the beginning. An enjoyable read once the twist is revealed.

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon and Ingrid Alexandra for the pre-release ARC of The New Girl in exchange for my honest review.