The Girl In The Fire
Ratings1
Average rating2.5
15
Ratings1
Average rating2.5
TWO GIRLS. TEN YEARS. ONE CRIME. An absolutely gripping psychological thriller from the author of It Was Always You, Isolation, and The Good Life, The Girl in the Fire will keep you turning pages until the final twist!
A teenage girl dies in a house fire. Ten years later, a bride disappears days before her wedding. Solve one case and you solve them both—unless you die trying first.
Grace Dupree disappears on the eve of her wedding in New York City, leaving only one clue for her fiancé, Damien: A decade-old newspaper clipping of an Ohio house fire that killed 17-year-old Leanne Crosby. Damien looks at the school photo in the clipping and knows instantly Leanne and Grace are the same person. Realizing his life with Grace was based on a series of lies, Damien travels to Ohio to uncover the truth. Told through the alternating viewpoints and timelines of Damien and Leanne, readers also see the events that led up to Leanne's original disappearance. Undercurrents of emotional and physical violence pulse in Leanne's daily life, and her only sanctuary is her best friend, Tasha. As Damien pieces together clues, the dark secrets in Grace’s past are uncovered. The closer Damien gets to finding Grace, and Leanne comes to the night of the fire itself, the more deadly their intertwining stories become. Will Damien find Grace before another person dies for her? Or will he be the next victim?
Reviews with the most likes.
Damien is sure Grace loves him—until she vanishes right before their wedding. Searching for answers, he finds a newspaper article with her photo claiming she died years ago under the name Leanne. As Damien unravels layers of family secrets, he discovers dangerous deceptions that could prove deadly.
The blurb hooked me as I love a good psychological thriller, and the short, alternating chapters kept me turning pages, but the story fell short. While initially confusing, I eventually adjusted to the shifting names and characters.
My main issue was with the plot. Subplots were left unresolved or rushed, making key elements feel unfinished. The big plan between Leanne and Tasha dragged on, with an unsatisfying payoff. Most characters were unlikable, and my sympathy shifted frequently as the story progressed.
When the physical confrontations began and motives were revealed, it felt forced and implausible. Grace’s choices were baffling, and the entire conflict could have been resolved with a single honest conversation. The plot twists seemed contrived. While the concept was intriguing, the slow build and rushed conclusion led to a disappointing ending.
