With 3 different povs and 2 seperate timelines, this gives a very in depth understanding of the plot and a clarity about the characters and events that tenaspired. I'm not convinced it's the most realistic book but if you ignore some of the characters behaviours and don't try to renationalise it then it is such a good book! It's definitely captivating, a bit slow in parts but definitely worth sticking with. It did give 2000 serial killer film vibes which is exactly my jam so I loved it! There are twists and turns i didn't see coming and it's just a fun, easy read

DID ANYBODY READ THE "FOR ANYONE WHO IS FANS OF" well yes sorry to capital there but as soon as i read the names i was iiiiin!
and it didnt disappoint. but woweee was i hooked and wanted to not be so i could have a break but unable to because i had to finish this.
its not an easy read but boy is it worth it and im not sure what type of person it makes me but this type of psychological book is my absolute adored favourite.
the book begins in the past when three best friends are torn apart by a kidnapping. one got away. all lives were changed. forever.
then years we are bought back to one of the victims Christine when she gets a message about one of the three's death. but with that she is informed that her other friends, the one that never got away is still alive. and so Christine is propelled back into that time. back to that place. and back to question everything she has buried deep for so long. just what happened that night? was it all she remembered. was it all she was told? was it all she told herself?
this book had me on my edges all the way through. emotionally it was so impact. but sadly it felt so real. all the connections, secrets and lies were all so authentic and felt like yes they could indeed be happening and the ripples thereafter so painfully realistic.

Christina Johnson was just seventeen when she and her best friend Penelope Solace were kidnapped. It was supposed to be a summer of fun for the two girls and their other friend Emily, but things turn out quite differently. Held captive for weeks tortured, the Christina that escaped is extremely damaged. It is Penelope that encouraged her to run and bring back help, but when she returned to the building Penelope had vanished. Now, twenty five years have passed and Christina is back in town after finding out that Emily has died but that she believed Penelope to be very much alive. Christina is determined to solve the case, but can she make it out alive?

There were some details that were off, Christina felt very immature, though I didn't give a ton of thought to it as she could have been stunted by being kidnapped so young. Though certain points stuck out to me, certainly she would have heard of Cerebral Palsy? She also dropped her guard and teamed up with a former friend very quickly for someone who doesn't really trust anyone.

Christina lives life very much like Neve Campbell in one of the later Screams. She works and lives alone with lots of guns and a big dog. In fact, parts of Scream are referenced in during her investigation into her kidnapping.

I had a hard time with another plot point: I don't buy that people punished Christina for leaving without Penelope when it was clear that she was going to run and bring back help to save her. All of these points lead me to rate this 2.5 stars for a plot that often suspended believability.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC of this via NetGalley! This did not influence my review.

This book is a good little crime/mystery book about three best friends who become involved in a tragic and dark crime. There were some really interesting plot twists, and I really liked the throwbacks (LimeWire in particular!). It was pretty easy to follow and it felt like a good representation of the complexities of young friendships.

Some parts were predictable and I found that this didn’t really have me ‘hooked in’. There were times where the plot felt slow and I struggle to read it, then it suddenly picked up and a lot of things were answered at once. There were also some phrases which just felt a bit repetitive and out of place at times. There were a few missed opportunities to expand on some of the character’s stories which made them hard to connect with and difficult to differentiate.

Overall, I think crime/mystery fans will adore this book!

Rating: 3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC!

Wow this book grabbed me and took me for a ride beginning to end! I read it in a single sitting.

A very compelling and realistic book, I was on the edge of my seat the whole ride through! I did predict a couple things but it didn't take away from the story or ending at all. This is my first book by this author and certainly won't be the last due to her impeccable writing!

The Third Girl presents a compelling premise that immediately drew me in — the mystery, the suspense, and the tension of a kidnapping case layered with secrets. S.C. Shannon does a great job building an intriguing atmosphere, and I found myself genuinely invested in the story.

That said, while I did enjoy the read, I felt it was missing just a little something more — perhaps deeper character development or a few more twists. I had a strong sense early on of who the kidnappers might be, which took away some of the surprise. The ending also felt a bit rushed, wrapping up quicker than I expected and leaving me wanting a bit more closure or depth.

Still, it was a fairly interesting and engaging read overall. The pacing kept me turning the pages, and despite a few predictable elements, I appreciated the writing and the core concept. A solid thriller that fans of crime fiction will likely enjoy.

Christine comes back to the town she ran from after being kidnapped and tortured with her best friend Penelope. She ran but what happened to Penelope? After years of survivors guilt it's time to find out what really happened that day and to find Penelope. Such a great story I was hooked from the start. The twists start coming towards the end exposing a town with to many secrets and corrupt individuals. Definitely would recommend it's a very quick read that is very much a page turner!

Wow. This is one I really didn’t want to put down, every time I thought I’d figured it out it changed and had me baffled.

The way Christina’s trauma was talked about was great and realistic with the flashbacks of how they can happen anytime and it really takes you back to that time and you really feel there.

I also loved the different POV‘s.. my only thought was I wish there’d have been a POV from the og detective of what it was like finding Christina and one from Jeremy.

Overall great book, I can’t wait to read more from this author.

This is one of those books that initially gives you no idea where it's headed, but you are invested immediately as three young women are kidnapped and not all survive! We follow each girl in a "before" and "after" format as we witness friendships, abuse, and authority figures who are out of control! Kept me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was absolutely gripped right from the very start and just couldn't put it down. I thought the dual timeline worked really well in the book and really helped me get to grips with the story. I really enjoyed it

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC!

The blurb and cover were really drawing me in, and I really did enjoy the story - I was thankful to not have to read cruel details about the time the girls had been abducted. My stomach is not doing well with such things, usually.

I did challenge myself again with the different POV's - we have Emily, Penelope, and Christina - and the two different timelines. It is still a struggle sometimes, but the story did make up for it, so I am glad yet again that I've pushed through. 4 stars from me for this one!

ARC READ - NetGallery

A friend group bound by secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Each Before chapter should use the past tense just as the other chapters use the present.

One inconsistency stood out. The body in the ground. They took the teeth for DNA but at the end of the book she had no teeth at all. I’m so confused.

I didn’t like the ending. I’ll never forgive anyone for all the terrible things that happened. I wish it had ended differently.

I look... I listen... I move...

The description of this book had me intrigued, and I knew I had to read it. I was expecting the book to really focus on the time period when the girls were abducted. I wanted to know what happened to them, how they were treated, and how one of them escaped. Needless to say, I was disappointed. BUT, what the book did include more than made up for the disappointment!!

The book alternates between "before" and "present" time frames. It is also written from several different points of view; Emily, Penelope, and Christina.

I must say, the author really had me guessing right up until the very end. There were several times I thought I had it all figured out, only to second guess myself.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

The Third Girl by S.C. Shannon is a good crime thriller. I kind of had one person figured out. And the ending of this book reminded me of the ending of the Scream movie. The story revolves around three best friends, Penelope, Emily, and Christina (protagonist), as they navigate a dark chapter of their lives after a harrowing abduction. The premise is intriguing, and the author does a good job of establishing the emotional weight of the protagonist’s trauma and the friendships that shape her experiences. There are moments of real tension as the mystery unfolds about what happened to each character. The writing style is straightforward, making it an easy read that keeps you turning the pages to uncover the truth.

Overall, The Third Girl is an entertaining read with a strong premise and some chilling moments. The book is worth picking up if you’re looking for a suspenseful story that explores themes of friendship, trauma, and survival.

#TheThirdGirl #NetGalley @JoffeBooks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
I thought the plot was spot on. It held my attention from the very beginning. It was twisty and detailed, which I like in a psychological thriller personally. I found it to be an easy and quick read for me. The storyline flowed well and the transitions were smooth. Overall, 4 stars and highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley!!

Twenty-five years ago, I escaped. One of us didn’t. The third girl has been lying ever since.

Three best friends, Penelope, Emily and me. We were at high school in Tranquility Ridge, it’s not the kind of place you expect to find evil, a postcard town all pine lined streets, quaint diners, and old storefronts with creaky screen doors. The day before my seventeenth birthday, Emily invited us to a party. That’s when we were snatched! Good book! This book had great suspense, kidnapping, murder, mystery, dark secrets and some wild twists! The storyline was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Rounding up to 3 ⭐

I can't say I hugely enjoyed the style of writing. We had characters that behaved like teenagers even when they were grown up, and the words "complicated" and "chuckled" felt like they were on repeat.
However, the story line held my interest to the end, and I didnt always guess what was coming.
Mixed bag really.