Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

This was a smooth, nostalgic read about a serial killer in small town Minnesota based on true events. It was not highly suspenseful but some parts were chilling. I loved the 1970’s setting and the highly developed characterization and look forward to reading more by this author. Also, because this story almost read like YA, so if you enjoy that genre, you’ll probably like this story. Thank you NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase on November 1, 2022.

Lourey has done a nice job taking a true story and creating a novel around it. Set in 1977, this is the tale of young women gone missing-victims of a serial killer- and two girls who are on a quest for answers. The secrets and lies of their small town are shocking to Brenda and Heather but they persist. This is nicely atmospheric and the characters are good. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast read for fans of the genre.

I stayed up for too late reading one night, unable to stop turning the pages as I sought out a "happy scene" to close the book at. It didn't happen, I read all night and dreamed of tunnels holding terrifying secrets well into the morning. The Quarry Girls isn’t a scary read per se, but it’s a thriller tinged with reality and the creepiness of it seeps into your bones in a different way than a fictional scare. Jess Lourey gives readers a glimpse into the town and the fears she and many others faced growing up. Corrupt police, serial killers on the loose, missing women, and young teens on the cusp of adulthood trying to do anything to seem older.

Elizabeth McCain, known as Beth to her friends, has gone missing from the local diner in St. Cloud Minnesota. Has she run away, has she gone missing, or has the serial killer they've tracked to town got her? With the cops keeping things quiet, Heather and her friends continue to live as normal, with her friends embracing the new, older man in town with his offers of fame and attention and the tunnels continued to be seen as a safe space to roam. One night though, things go awry and Heather and her friend Brenda see something they shouldn't have. Heather realizes her friends are growing up and the terrors that wait adult women are coming for all of them. The girls of Pantown should be afraid, but as Heather tries to investigate on her own she finds herself questioning if there is a single man she can even trust.

The girls of St. Cloud, Minnesota are being forced to grow up and the Pantown tunnels and quarries are being used by dark men to hide their truths. Heather is sweet resilience, her naivety believes in people, while Beth is hard resilience, forged in stone and desperation. The two perspectives are jarring to switch between, it gives you a sense of foreboding, that there’s just no way the town won’t do the same to Heather. Heather sees the writing on the wall, the what's to come, but she's doing all she can to keep herself, her friends, and her younger sister from becoming the girl who is next. She cannot escape the truth though, not as her mom and her best friend's mom begin to reveal the past that has shaped them into the pliable women they are today. The older men keep secrets, the younger men keep secrets, and the girls are left following string into the dark, wet quarries.

Atmospheric, terrifying, and so well written, The Quarry Girls is another stunning release from Jess Lourey.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

• retro, coming-of-age thriller
• great cast of characters
• very nostalgic

Two books that have stuck with me, that I think about often, are Jess Lourey's Bloodline and Unspeakable Things. I really enjoy Jess's writing because it comes from such a personal place. She's inspired by her childhood. Her hometown. What kept her up at night. Just the Author's Note itself is terrifying. Always tough subject matter but her writing is so beautiful. I absolutely loved the claustrophobic feel of the tunnels (genius!) and basements. Heather was such a strong female MC. I loved this book!

🗣️ Thank you to @jesslourey for the AWESOME promo box and #gifted copy of your book. Thank you also to @netgalley and the publisher for the Read Now eARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Jess Lourey has done it again! The Quarry Girls is a fictional account that is based on an actual serial killer stalking the St. Cloud, Minnesota area back in the 1970's. The book, like other books written by Jess Lourey, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Think kidnapping, murder, sex abuse, parties, and dark underground tunnels! I highly recommend this book and every other book Lourey has written.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy for an honest review. I would definitely read this book again!

This was my least favorite of the three books by Jess Lourey I've read, but it was still a solid read and speaks to how consistently entertaining and well-done her books tend to be. It took me a little while to get into this, especially with such a large cast of characters to familiarize myself with, but once I did, it was nicely paced and the different threads weaved well together. I had issues with the ending (or endings, rather, since the two major plots actually diverge into two implausibly, strangely separate resolutions), but I still liked this overall.

The Quarry Girls is an edgy coming of age story that is base on true crime.

The book hooks you from the beginning with the author's note on serial killers that follows with a Prologue that will give you chills.

The Quarry Girls is based on a true story that took place in the 1970's.

The small town atmosphere is so well written I felt that I was there.

Teen age girls are disappearing and Heather who I loved is out to do what the police do not seem to be doing.

I wont say anything more in fear of giving things away but I do promise that once you start this book you wont want to put it down and you will race to the ending.

This was my first Jess Lourey book but it certainly will not be my last.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a compelling and edgy read.

I have read 3 books by Jess Lourey, and knew I had to check out The Quarry Girls.

I will say I didn't like this one quite as much as her previous books. I always enjoy the small town setting in the Midwest and the mystery behind every story, but this one veered off in many different directions which I felt took away from the storyline.

The idea of an underground tunnel system was definitely unique, but I’m not sure how realistic it was that anyone could access anyone’s house with a key.

The pace of this one was a little slow, but picked up immensely in the second half of the book. I did love seeing a strong female character come out on top and appreciated an ending that felt satisfying. Overall this was a good read, just not my favorite from this author.

The author’s note at the start sets the scene by referencing real serial killers from Minnesota during the 1970s, which inspired this dark story.

Best friends Heather and Brenda witness something sinister one night, and they cannot unsee it. They swear to never tell a soul, but when their best friend disappears (and she’s the second girl to vanish that week), they realize something larger is at play. Desperate to find the truth, and her friend, Heather quickly learns that no one— not the police, not her parents, not the boys she met at the quarry— is who they seem to be. Even more terrifying… she knows she’s next.

Knowing that this story was inspired by real events really piqued my interest in this book. I enjoyed the incorporation of the quarry tunnels, which created a really atmospheric setting. Plus, I love a small town mystery where no one can be trusted. Overall, this was a solid suspenseful read perfect for fans of twisted serial killer stories.

This was my first Jess Lourey book and definitely won't be my last! It was a true page turner with very flawed characters. I really enjoyed following Heather as she comes-of-age and navigates some extremely difficult family and friendship circumstances at such a young age. She basically raises her sister Junie and looks out for her when their parental figures are either always working or home but constantly in bed. Being from Minnesota, I loved all the familiar references and Midwest shout outs.

The one thing that I did not enjoy was that I guess pretty much all of the twists. I think they were a little too obvious, although I know this isn't meant to be some super twisty thriller. Overall, I recommend it!

See below for the synopsis from Goodreads:

Minnesota, 1977. For the teens of one close-knit community, summer means late-night swimming parties at the quarry, the county fair, and venturing into the tunnels beneath the city. But for two best friends, it’s not all fun and games.

Heather and Brenda have a secret. Something they saw in the dark. Something they can’t forget. They’ve decided to never tell a soul. But their vow is tested when their friend disappears—the second girl to vanish in a week. And yet the authorities are reluctant to investigate.

Heather is terrified that the missing girls are connected to what she and Brenda stumbled upon that night. Desperately searching for answers on her own, she learns that no one in her community is who they seem to be. Not the police, not the boys she met at the quarry, not even her parents. But she can’t stop digging because she knows those girls are in danger.

She also knows she’s next.

Wow. This was a good thriller that left me feeling uneasy/disturbed at times. Pacing wise it was very slow in my opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey is a great read and one I really enjoyed! It’s based on a true story and it’s a suspenseful mystery type read that had my attention right from the beginning and held it the whole way through. One thing that I really connected with was the timeframe. It takes place in the 1970’s, so I was a teen at the same time the characters were. Everything that was mentioned, hair and clothes styles, types of makeup, just everything in general, I could relate to because I had lived it. This story takes place in Saint Cloud, Minnesota where some of the local girls are coming up missing. Throughout your reading, you want to know who is responsible but it seems like everyone is bad including those people you would think you could trust. The part that really creeped me out was that this town had underground tunnels connecting to everyone’s basements. They were put in by the Pan Motor Company for their employees. It was thought that during bad weather, the workers could still get to work by using the tunnels. Some of the kids liked to hang out down there to play childhood games such as hide-n-seek and freeze tag. It made the story all the more creepy in my opinion. No way would I have hung out down there! One night while playing in the tunnels, 2 of the girls see something that they shouldn’t have, something that really messes with their minds and they vow to keep it quiet. But girls are missing and they later turn up dead so Heather, the main character, knows that things along with people have to be exposed or she just might lose her life as well. This was a very exciting read for me and a book I would recommend to others. It leaves me eager to read more by this author to see if all her books are this good. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. I really liked this story and I’m giving this book a 5 star rating!

Jess Lourey's stories are all based on true events that happened during 1970's and 1980's. The Quarry Girls is a novel based on true events that happened in 1977.

I have been following Jess Lourey on Instagram and she puts some blurbs on this book--particularly an interesting fact about serial killers--the fact that there were close to 200 serial killers during the 1970's and 1980's, the infamous ones including Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer...anyway I am always fascinated with serial killer thrillers and would be doubly interested if the story is based on true events.

In this story, Heather, Maureen and Brenda live in a small town called Pantown in Minnesota. A girl named Beth goes missing from the diner and Heather and Brenda catches Maureen doing some acts with men in a house, one of the men was a police sheriff. Then Maureen was murdered and although the police believe that it was suicide, Heather believed that Maureen might have been murdered by someone from that house. Could Beth's disappearance connected to Maureen's death?

This was actually really good. The writing was spot on and reading about Beth's part was very chilling. The small town where the girls live hold so many secrets and Heather realizes that she has no one to trust including her own father. The story was engaging and thrilling and I actually felt like living in the 1970s as I get to experience what teenage life was like back in the 1970's. Overall, I enjoyed this unputdownable thriller book which worth 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I love this author’s previous work, and this book definitely lived up to my expectations! Although this book is written as fiction, it is based on true events that took place in 1977 Minnesota where teenage girls were disappearing.

This book is chilling, atmospheric, mysterious, disturbing and one of those books that is hard to put down once you start it. I loved the small town vibes and the way the Lourey has a talent for writing atmospheric books that leave the reader feeling uneasy disturbed. I also really enjoyed the characters!

Overall, Lourey did not disappoint with her new up-coming book that is sure to be a hit with readers who enjoy coming of age Storie, small town settings, true crime, and a good mystery book. Definitely pick this one up!

This is one of my all-time favorite books.. I've read the "Murder By The Month" romcom books by Jess Lourey & loved them. I expected this book to be more of the same. It was not. It was much better! I can hardly wait for her next book to come out. I am totally hooked. My ebook battery died during hurricane Ian. I almost cried I was so upset that I couldn't keep reading.

A small town in Minnesota. Girls that keep on DISAPPEARING. Information being written OFF by the police. “The Quarry Girls” by Jess Lourey is a book that I will be thinking about for a LONG time. TWISTED, DISTURBING, SHOCKING and STRESSFUL … this book is based on true events and is indeed one hell of a page turner! My nerves are shot after reading this one 💥

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

It is the Summer of 1977 and best friends Heather, Maureen and Brenda are growing up quickly. They are enjoying a summer of being in a band together, going to parties at the quarry and hanging out with boys.

Where the girls live in Pantown, the houses are connected by tunnels underground from their basements. They love playing tag down there in the tunnels. Until one night Heather and Brenda open one of the basement doors and see something SHOCKING inside! They swear to never tell a soul what they saw that night 🫣

When a local girl goes missing after her shift at the diner, the local police writes her off as a runaway. Then another girl goes missing shortly after … and the police are hesitant to fully investigate the disappearances 🤔

Is WHAT they saw in the basement connected to the missing girls in town? And WHO can they actually trust? It is becoming obvious that it’s NOT the police, NOT their other friends and NOT their parents.

Thank you kindly to @jesslourey @netgalley @amazonpublishing for my advanced digital copy! This masterfully written book releases on November 1, 2022!

What a book. I could not put this one down!! The Quarry Girls is my first read of Jess Lourey's work and it definitely won't be my last.

The Quarry Girls is a mix of domestic suspense, thriller and coming of age story. It feels like a YA novel a times with it's page turning readability but don't be fooled as this one has some heavy, dark themes.

I loved the small town secrets, in particular the part where Heather finds out who is wearing the bracelet (iykyk) my jaw just about hit the floor!!!!!

The Quarry Girls is a novel whose main protagonists you can't help but root for. I was invested throughout the entire story. The book is based on true crime cases of serial killers that killed throughout the 1970's and parts of Lourey's research really shone through making the story feel very authentic and realistic.

I highly, highly recommend picking up a copy when it releases in November!!

Jess Lourey has the fantastic skill of taking events from the past that are already creepy and dialling the creep factor all the way up. Being set in the late 1970’s, which seemingly had a serial killer around every corner, there’s an undercurrent of menace throughout the story. You have this horrible sinking feeling right from the start and it just gets worse as you turn the pages eagerly, trying to find out what happens to Heather and her friends. I thought Heather was fantastic, and loved that we see her grow through the story, from blindly believing what her father tells her, to being brave enough to break the silence that curses Pantown. I thought that the feeling of being a teenage girl was perfectly captured - while there’s times you just want to be a kid, there’s also times you want to be older, which brings situations that you’re not equiped to deal with. This coming of age story is dark & creepy, but also provides hope for the characters involved. It had me on the edge of my seat - it’s tense & terrifying but just so easy to read. I can’t wait to see what Jess Lourey does next!

A 70's coming-of-age thriller set in St. Cloud, MN, The Quarry Girls held my interest, was well-written, and accurately reflected the times. As a long-time reader, I appreciate the details the author sprinkles throughout her tales, and she has a keen sense of the human condition.

Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.