I almost DNF this book but decided to power through in order to leave an honest review. While there were some bright spots where I was engaged and interested in this book, those moments were limited. I had a very hard time keeping the characters and timelines straight. It got to the point where I was so disengaged that I truly didn't have any interest in knowing what happened to Caroline or who killed Gordy. At some point the four girls (five if you count Mary Beth) seemed like a faceless unit of teenage girl (or adult depending on where we were in time) who I couldn't differentiate or even want to. Just not the book for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read in exchange for my honest review.

EXCERPT: Reaching the clearing, she sees the backhoe, the yawning hole in the ground surrounded by heaps of dirt, the workers standing around it like mourners at a grave.
A man in a hard hat spots them as they walk toward the edge of the pit.
Midge, so official in her uniform, shows her badge. "I understand you found . . ."
"A skeleton. Yeah. You want to take a look?"
Midge nods, turning to Kelly and Talia. "I'll look. You don't have to -"
"I need to see," Kelly says, moving to the edge.
Talia shakes her head, but her legs carry her forward. Her heart is pounding, even though whatever is down there - ancient human remains - has nothing to do with her.
In the bottom of the pit, chunks of white plaster are scattered across the dirt. A limb, a head - one of the missing statues.
Maybe it's Ceto, the primordial sea goddess. Caroline's statue.
Dread slips over her.
There's something else, poking out of the earth.
Something pink, and plastic, and she recognizes it, even all these years later.
She looks again at the white shards.
Those aren't broken pieces of what was once a statue.
A leg bone . . . a skull . . .
It's a skeleton.

ABOUT 'THE FOURTH GIRL': On the anniversary of a teen’s disappearance, three friends face a deadly hometown reunion.

On prom night, Caroline Winterfield walked away from the ruins of an abandoned mansion called Haven Cliff and into the woods…never to be seen again. Only her three best friends know what really happened. But a secret is a secret, and a promise is a promise—even when it shatters lifelong friendships.

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of that night, Midge, Kelly, and Talia reunite at Haven Cliff, now a gleaming architectural jewel. But they aren’t alone. Someone is watching. Someone who knows what really happened to Caroline—and to the man who now lies dead a stone’s throw from where she was last seen.

Police detective Midge knows she’s dealing with a murder the moment she sees the item clutched in his lifeless hand. Only three other people in the world would grasp its significance. That means Kelly and Talia are either involved or in danger, because Caroline is long gone…or is she?

MY THOUGHTS: I really tried to like The Fourth Girl as I enjoy this author's Lily Dale Mystery series, but I failed. For me, this was an average read.

There wasn't a character here that I wanted to root for. Not even the missing girl. Not her friends, the three left behind. I found both the characters and the plot to be bland. The constant toing and froing between timelines and different points of view became downright confusing and frustrating. There's a lot of not much happening and no character development to latch onto.

The Fourth Girl is a passable read, but only just. While I never felt like I wanted to abandon this, neither was I particularly enthusiastic about it. I should have read it in 2 or 3 days, instead it took me five. The plot had promise that the execution failed to live up to. There was zero suspense, and the book definitely doesn't fall into the thriller genre that it is being touted as.

I won't be continuing with this series.

⭐⭐.5

#TheFourthGirl #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing an e-ARC of The Fourth Girl (Haven Cliff #1) by Wendy Corsi Staub for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

"The Fourth Girl" is an engaging thriller. While I felt the book was a bit too long and could have used more editing, the story itself was interesting with a solid plot. The characters were well-developed, and the atmosphere was immaculate. I loved the setting of this book.

I did question the ending, but that didn't significantly affect my overall enjoyment. The language could have flowed better, which I believe is tied to the need for more editing. Despite these issues, it's a suspenseful thriller with many great scenes, a plot that kept me turning the pages, and characters that engaged me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
💧 dual timelines
💧 3rd person narrator
💧 double murder story
💧 slowwww burn
💧 teenage drama

I love Wendy Corsi-Staub so much! I am always so excited when a new book of hers comes out 💕
I always love a dual timelines thriller, because you get to slowly piece the story together getting small random details back and forth… and it’s so satisfying when the whole story comes together in the end!
Reading other reviews, I am very glad that I was not the only one confused by this story 🤪 The jumping back and forth with the timelines did get kind of confusing at times, and the story took way too long to get going. There were a few kind of large details that were never wrapped up, and that kind of made me feel like the story was incomplete. I needed more of the mystery part and less teenage drama. This was not my favourite from Wendi Corsi Staub.
Thank you so much to Wendi Corsi Staub and Thomas &Mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 💕

It didn’t grab me, but ended up being a good story, although I felt there were a lot of unanswered questions regarding the plot. Some good twists at the end.

The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub was a little difficult to get into for me and then led nowhere, as far as I was concerned. It was a story of how foolish teenagers can be and how they can carry that with them for a lifetime. It takes place in two timelines, the first setting the stage for the second but parceled out as necessary. There were four girls: Talia, Kelly, Midge, and Caroline, and a disabled veteran, burdened with PTSD who wandered the streets of the town for years, never speaking. The girls were best friends. But as they reached their sixteenth birthday, one suddenly had a boyfriend, and that boyfriend was omni-present. Caroline: her parents were controlling and so, as it turns out, was the boyfriend. She announced to her friends that she was leaving on prom night. Could they help her? They were nervous. How would they know she was all right? So, they came up with something. Life went on. Everyone assumed she had drowned.

Twenty-five years later. A reunion of sorts. That is when things started to unravel. The characters were well-done. I could see each of them, especially as adults. But, they were confused. She texted. They set up a meet. But before that could happen, the boyfriend, now a happy family man, was murdered. Midge, following in family footsteps, is the police. How much of this was a police matter? Was one of her friends a murderer? Kelly now owned Caroline’s family mansion, the ones her parents had never owned. It was for Caroline. Talia had lied to her husband to come here. Now she realized that was a mistake. Full of possible themes: possible incest, possible murder, possible mental illness. What was it all. Well, it does mostly get answered. I, personally, prefer something more straightforward.

I was invited to read The Fourth Girl by Thomas & Mercer. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #ThomasAndMercer #WendyCorsiStaub #TheFourthGirl

The multiple perspectives give this story a depth it really needed. My favorite was Midge. And I loved that I was continuously questioning everyone's reliability. The story unfolds at a great pace that keeps you guessing and interested. While I did guess quite a bit, it didn't take away from the story. And there were still enough twists to surprise me.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.
I feel like I have read at least three very similar books over the past months. This one was a tad slow and drawn out. The pace was just off for me and by the time I got to the end none of what I had learned mattered. It was ok.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
All in all I liked this book. The story was interesting and full of twists and turns. I was confused at certain parts as to what timeline we were in. I found the girls likeable and thought I knew the ending, but then I kept questioning if I was correct.

This novel does not start off with a clear explanation of the past. We readers come to know what happened 25 years ago little by little. I felt that made the present action have less of an impact for the first part of the book. The narrative does jump around as background material is given to help explain current events. That made the plot development feel a little disjointed. And I felt like I never did get the information I needed to understand what happened then and what was happening in the current time. The ending did not wrap up all the questions. Staub's writing style is good in that she is skilled at building suspense, weaving it into the plot. In the end, however, this was not a totally satisfying read.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I really liked the story and the concept of three friends keeping a secret to help a fourth friend, for their entire lives. I was really intrigued to see what was going to happen next and how the whole story was going to end.

While I enjoyed the book, I did feel like the changing between the friends and The Walking Man was a little confusing. I’m not sure I understand why that was done or why he was incorporated into the story. I also felt like there were certain events that never really had a conclusion, they are questions unanswered.

Overall, I liked the idea and the story, I just feel like there’s a lot of questions still.

Thank you to Wendy Corsi Staub, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC for an honest review.

The setup feels very familiar: three friends have stayed silent for 25 years about the truth behind another girl's mysterious disappearance. Now the three return to the scene of the disappearance and are drawn into a murder investigation that will upend their lives. Staub brings freshness and suspense to a well-worn mystery trope and keeps the reader engaged. Readers who like stories that switch between the past and present will enjoy this.

This mystery thriller follows four friends whose lives have been shaped by a long-buried secret, one that has slowly consumed them for decades. While the premise is intriguing, I struggled to connect with the book and found it difficult to get into.

The beginning felt slow and confusing, with frequent shifts between timelines and points of view that made it hard to follow. Although the pacing improved halfway through, the story remained highly predictable—I had the ending figured out long before reaching it, which dampened the suspense.

By the time I reached the conclusion, I found it lackluster and unsatisfying, with several unresolved loose ends. The book kept me engaged enough to see how everything played out, but I wish the author had taken more time to fully develop the story’s depth, especially in explaining the characters’ motivations. The lack of a strong “why” behind the events made the resolution feel underwhelming.

The novel also attempted to bring in nostalgic references to late ‘90s movies and music, which could have been a fun touch—except for a few factual errors. One mistake that stood out was a reference to My Best Friend’s Wedding while mentioning Hugh Grant (who starred in Four Weddings and a Funeral instead). These small inaccuracies pulled me out of the story.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me. It’s a decent quick read, but I wished for more surprises and a tighter execution. That said, I can see how others might enjoy it, and I’d still recommend giving it a chance if the premise interests you. Hopefully, the author’s next work will feel more refined and impactful.

Dark secrets, old friendships, and a long-buried mystery collide in The Fourth Girl. Wendy Corsi Staub crafts an eerie, suspenseful tale where past and present intertwine in unexpected ways. The tension builds steadily, with well-placed twists and an atmospheric setting that adds to the intrigue. While some reveals are easy to anticipate, the journey is undeniably gripping. A compelling read for those who love twisty, character-driven thrillers!

Thank you Wendy Corsi Staub, Thomas and Mercer, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Four girls made a pact to help and be there to each other and also to help one of them run away, but she would have to keep in touch and a reunion was set for one year after the prom day. But things did not turn out exactly in the way the girls hoped, two of them fled town, one stayed and became a detective and deputy sheriff. Decades later, the boy involved with the girl who disappeared is found dead, the three remaining girls meet and each of them with secrets from each other, start to search for the truth. The Fourth Girl has an interesting plot that kept me reading through the night.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I love a book that is shrouded in mystery. A creepy abandoned mansion that is connected to one of the main characters. Four best friends that will do anything for each other. A small-town vibe where everyone knows one another and their business. I dove into this headfirst, but there was a current that kept me from being completely hooked. There are their real names, their nicknames, and their statue names when they are hanging out at the mansion, Haven Cliff. Write them down, it will make the read much more enjoyable. The mystery is fantastic, yet there were so many loose ends that were not tied up at the end that I am left wondering. This is the first book in the series, this could have been done on purpose, and I just need to be patient for the second.

It has been twenty-five years since Caroline Winterfield disappeared into the woods. Her three best friends have decided to come together to celebrate Caroline and to see each other again. Each has grown into fantastic women. Talia, a mother, Midge the town cop, and Kelly has been divorced twice and has bought Haven Cliff. The mansion that Caroline's Great-Great-Grandfather built. That is surrounded by curses and sat empty for years. Kelly has restored it to its former glory, all for Caroline. On the day of the anniversary, a man is discovered dead. He has links to the girls, specifically to Caroline. Was it an accident or is there more to the fall? There is so much more than what meets the eye to this story.

Thank you to Wendy Corsi Staub and Thomas and Mercer for my gifted copy.

This book was so good and had me totally hooked!! There is a bit of paranormal aspect to the story but I actually enjoyed it. Definitely kept me second guessing right till the very end.. And that twist, just wow!!

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

On prom night, four friends gathered with their dates at the ruins of an abandoned mansion called Haven Cliff, but after a night of celebration, only three went home. Caroline Winterfield vanished into the woods…never to be seen again.

Twenty-five years later, Midge, Kelly and Talia reunite at newly remodeled Haven Cliff after Caroline’s high school boyfriend is found lying face down near where she was last seen. Was it a coincidence? The three women have been keeping a secret for Caroline, but is it now time to break their promise about where she went that night?

I grew up in Western New York and first discovered the (then) local author when I was in high school. I used to love reading her novels because they always kept me guessing. She’s still got the magic touch! It felt like I was reunited with an old friend while reading this, and I look forward to seeing what happens next in this new series.

Thank you to Wendy Corsi Staub, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for a gifted digital copy of the book for an honest review.

The Fourth Girl is a deliciously twisted reunion where secrets and nostalgia mix like aged whiskey. On the 25th anniversary of teen Caroline Winterfield’s mysterious disappearance, three friends return to Haven Cliff—a mansion reborn into a sleek architectural marvel that still whispers eerie secrets in every polished corner. The air is thick with tension and the tang of old regrets, while every rustle in the wind hints at untold stories.

Detective Midge’s sharp eyes catch every detail—from the cool, almost metallic scent of betrayal to the blood-chilling discovery clutched in a dead man’s hand—fueling a pulse-quickening pace that never lets you catch your breath. Kelly and Talia, with their vibrant yet haunted personalities, are crafted with a finesse that makes you feel every tremor of their fear and every spark of determination.

Staub serves up a mix of dark humor and suspense, wrapping character depth and brisk pacing into a sensory feast that leaves you both laughing nervously and peering over your shoulder. If you love a reunion where the past is as palpable as the present, and every whispered secret leaves a lingering taste of danger, then The Fourth Girl is your next must-read thriller. #NetGalley #TheFourthGirl

This moves back and forth in time and between narrators to tell the story of the mysterious disappearance of Caroline, a teenage girl whose friends, 25 years later, find themselves once again in the cross hairs of suspicion. This is trope-y as can be (this plot is now so so familiar) and I eventually found myself flipping to the end for answers. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.