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Haven Cliff #1
The Fourth Girl: A Novel
On the anniversary of a teen’s disappearance, three friends face a deadly hometown reunion in this twisty suspense novel by a New York Times bestselling author.
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?
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?
396 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2025
8336 people are currently reading
11166 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
81 books1,892 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
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.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
September 9, 2025
With the haunting backdrop of Haven Cliff and a complex friend group front and center in my mind, The Fourth Girl’s synopsis made it sound like exactly my kind of read. Sadly, however, despite a truly explosive conclusion and plenty of juicy drama and intrigue, this book missed the mark for me by the end. First, though, I’ll focus on the pluses as there definitely were some here. You see, I relished the relatable friendships and 1990s nostalgia. Taking me back to my own teenage years, I had a blast visiting my childhood through this small group of friends. Even better, however, Staub crafted characters with oodles of enticing secrets that drew me right into their world. Altogether, there were definitely parts to this book that I really loved.
That being said, however, I do have to admit that there was also plenty that failed to live up to my rather high expectations. After all, I’ve been a huge fan of Ms. Staub for quite a while. This time around, though, there were some definite misses. From the beyond slow-burning plot to the sometimes hard-to-follow mashup of alternating multiple POVs and dual timelines, my attention wavered quite a bit throughout this almost 400 page novel. The biggest issue I had, though, was how predictable the whole thing was. I’m sad to say that I figured much of it out well before any of the reveals. Now, most of that could be down to my insatiable appetite for all things suspense, but it didn’t lessen my disappointment when I was right over and over again.
All said and done, I’m just crossing my fingers that this book, which was the first in a series, will be followed up with some tighter, more surprising storylines in future installments. I do have to add, though, that if you happen to like a sloooow, slow burn of a murder mystery that comes complete with plenty of drama, this book just might be perfect for you. You see, the themes running throughout this one were spot-on. Exploring the difficulties of friendship as well as the heavy burden of secrets, the plot did get me thinking despite how much I ended up skimming. So while it wasn’t my favorite by this author by far, it still won’t stop me from trying whatever she writes next. After all, with some editing even this one could end up being a home run. Rating of 2.5 stars (upgraded).
SYNOPSIS:
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?
Thank you to Wendy Corsi Staub, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: April 1, 2025
Content warning: drug abuse, gun violence, grief, murder, mental illness, miscarriage, pregnancy
That being said, however, I do have to admit that there was also plenty that failed to live up to my rather high expectations. After all, I’ve been a huge fan of Ms. Staub for quite a while. This time around, though, there were some definite misses. From the beyond slow-burning plot to the sometimes hard-to-follow mashup of alternating multiple POVs and dual timelines, my attention wavered quite a bit throughout this almost 400 page novel. The biggest issue I had, though, was how predictable the whole thing was. I’m sad to say that I figured much of it out well before any of the reveals. Now, most of that could be down to my insatiable appetite for all things suspense, but it didn’t lessen my disappointment when I was right over and over again.
All said and done, I’m just crossing my fingers that this book, which was the first in a series, will be followed up with some tighter, more surprising storylines in future installments. I do have to add, though, that if you happen to like a sloooow, slow burn of a murder mystery that comes complete with plenty of drama, this book just might be perfect for you. You see, the themes running throughout this one were spot-on. Exploring the difficulties of friendship as well as the heavy burden of secrets, the plot did get me thinking despite how much I ended up skimming. So while it wasn’t my favorite by this author by far, it still won’t stop me from trying whatever she writes next. After all, with some editing even this one could end up being a home run. Rating of 2.5 stars (upgraded).
SYNOPSIS:
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?
Thank you to Wendy Corsi Staub, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: April 1, 2025
Content warning: drug abuse, gun violence, grief, murder, mental illness, miscarriage, pregnancy
October 26, 2024
A mystery thriller about four friends their lives and a secret kept for decades that has been eating them from the inside.
I tried so hard to like this book, but for me I had a really hard time getting into it. The beginning of the book starts out slow and is incredibly hard to follow with all the switching between timelines and point of views.
It started to pick up pace halfway through the story which made it a little easier to read but I found everything to be highly predictable in what was going to happen, easily figuring out the ending before even getting close to the end of the book.
The end of the book was lackluster and left much to be desired which is all I can say without giving away spoilers .
All in all this book wasn’t for me but I can say I can see a lot of people enjoying this book, so I recommend at the very least giving it a chance and seeing if it’s something you would enjoy .
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer
I tried so hard to like this book, but for me I had a really hard time getting into it. The beginning of the book starts out slow and is incredibly hard to follow with all the switching between timelines and point of views.
It started to pick up pace halfway through the story which made it a little easier to read but I found everything to be highly predictable in what was going to happen, easily figuring out the ending before even getting close to the end of the book.
The end of the book was lackluster and left much to be desired which is all I can say without giving away spoilers .
All in all this book wasn’t for me but I can say I can see a lot of people enjoying this book, so I recommend at the very least giving it a chance and seeing if it’s something you would enjoy .
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer
March 21, 2025
Ugh. This story had potential, which is why I chose to read it, but there are too many things that made this book blah, a 2.5 stars from me. First of all, the book is written in a circular fashion where it bounces back and forth between present time and the night or weeks leading up to the night Caroline goes missing and a year after she goes missing. It weaves a circle that gets closer and closer to the truth of that night. Some authors can pull off this writing style, but not in this case. First, in the beginning the author assumes I’m invested enough in the story to care about what happens in 1999 or 2000 as it goes back and forth between past and present, but I’m not. I don’t know enough about the characters or the story to know why I should care about these teenagers and their teenage drama. It takes a long time before we get to the actual mystery. Too long. I found myself drifting off when I was reading it and I read a whole page but had no idea what I read and would have to reread it. It just didn’t keep my attention. But I kept reading. Second, the character development was blah. There were 4-6 main characters, and none of them were developed enough for me to really have an investment in any of them. Pretty surface level. There was enough potential mystery surrounding Caroline and her sister Mary Beth to keep me reading to find out more about the secrets they were hiding, but nope. The author dropped the ball. She left way too much undone. For example:
*Spoilers* Who were the fathers of Caroline and Mary Beth’s babies? We never find out. It seems ridiculous that Caroline, as 2 dimensional as the author made her, would ever have had sex with ANYONE, let alone someone who was not her boyfriend. Not to mention she was on lockdown, how could she? I suspected maybe it was the father and a lot more was going on than anyone suspected. Or maybe the reverend. No idea. The author just dropped that thread and left it undone. What role did Gordy play in the weird control Caroline’s parents inflicted? We never find out. Why was he part of what was going on 25 years later? Why did Mary Beth track him down after all that time? No clue. It was left undone. Why did Mary Beth reach out to any of them 25 years later? Unclear. Why did Midge, a seasoned officer and current chief of police let a skinny, sickly, ex-druggie and ex-con out muscle her when grabbing for the gun? Unrealistic. If Mary Beth didn’t have the missing gun that was stolen from Kelly’s house, who did? Who was in the bushes when they were talking to Mary Beth at the end? Supposedly a raccoon or some animal. Stupid. And the supposed answer to all these questions (and more), well, in real life we don’t find all the answers to wrap it up neatly like in Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo. 🙄 what a cop out. The story was unfinished. I know this was called book #1, but there’s no way I’m planning on reading another one. Third, I knew it was Mary Beth the whole time. I kept thinking there would be an unexpected twist, but nope. No twists. I also thought there would be more to the promise the friends made that had them wracked with guilt for 25 years. Nope. They promised to help her run away. That was it. That’s the reason Midge lied to her dad, Talia lied to her husband and children for their entire marriage, and why Kelly spent millions of dollars restoring a mansion to give to her friend. Because they didn’t tell that their 18 year old friend (an adult by law, so nothing illegal there), ran away from controlling parents. That’s the whole thing. I powered through it for nothing.
*Spoilers* Who were the fathers of Caroline and Mary Beth’s babies? We never find out. It seems ridiculous that Caroline, as 2 dimensional as the author made her, would ever have had sex with ANYONE, let alone someone who was not her boyfriend. Not to mention she was on lockdown, how could she? I suspected maybe it was the father and a lot more was going on than anyone suspected. Or maybe the reverend. No idea. The author just dropped that thread and left it undone. What role did Gordy play in the weird control Caroline’s parents inflicted? We never find out. Why was he part of what was going on 25 years later? Why did Mary Beth track him down after all that time? No clue. It was left undone. Why did Mary Beth reach out to any of them 25 years later? Unclear. Why did Midge, a seasoned officer and current chief of police let a skinny, sickly, ex-druggie and ex-con out muscle her when grabbing for the gun? Unrealistic. If Mary Beth didn’t have the missing gun that was stolen from Kelly’s house, who did? Who was in the bushes when they were talking to Mary Beth at the end? Supposedly a raccoon or some animal. Stupid. And the supposed answer to all these questions (and more), well, in real life we don’t find all the answers to wrap it up neatly like in Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo. 🙄 what a cop out. The story was unfinished. I know this was called book #1, but there’s no way I’m planning on reading another one. Third, I knew it was Mary Beth the whole time. I kept thinking there would be an unexpected twist, but nope. No twists. I also thought there would be more to the promise the friends made that had them wracked with guilt for 25 years. Nope. They promised to help her run away. That was it. That’s the reason Midge lied to her dad, Talia lied to her husband and children for their entire marriage, and why Kelly spent millions of dollars restoring a mansion to give to her friend. Because they didn’t tell that their 18 year old friend (an adult by law, so nothing illegal there), ran away from controlling parents. That’s the whole thing. I powered through it for nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
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.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
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.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 4, 2025
excuse me what in the absolute fuhhhhhck was that ending?? this was way too long of a book. maybe like half could have been cut. what do you mean this is "Haven Cliff #1"?? I shouldn't have to read an entire other book to get the real answer to what happened in the first. I also have so many questions. i'm so mad
March 13, 2025
I love all of Staub's Lily Dale books, so I had high hopes going into this one. But the disjointed way it jumps in time--and between four different timelines--was really confusing. The characters were interesting and definitely the best part of the book. I absolutely recognized the weird evangelical culture Caroline and her family were immersed in--I grew up in it, and it's toxic. So I felt the motivations made sense. But...
There was too much wrong with the last quarter of the book.
SPOILERS:
There was too much wrong with the last quarter of the book.
SPOILERS:
March 11, 2025
I liked the premise and the setup. The book kept me interested in seeing what would happen, so that’s all good. However, it was predictable from the beginning, and there were several loose ends that were not cleared up. I wish the author had taken time to weave these in and then it would have been a great read. Also, we don’t get the “why” at all at the close. Maybe the idea needed a bit more maturity before getting published.
I think the author was also trying to bring in some nostalgia by referring to movies and music of the late 90s for the flashbacks. That’s great for all of us who were around the same age of the characters, but there were a couple errors in the book. For instance, talking about “My Best Friend’s Wedding” yet mentioning Hugh Grant? Wrong wedding movie, he’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” Other error was part of the plot, so I won’t ruin anything here.
Good for an airport read, but wished it was a bit more surprising and tightened up. Maybe next time.
I think the author was also trying to bring in some nostalgia by referring to movies and music of the late 90s for the flashbacks. That’s great for all of us who were around the same age of the characters, but there were a couple errors in the book. For instance, talking about “My Best Friend’s Wedding” yet mentioning Hugh Grant? Wrong wedding movie, he’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” Other error was part of the plot, so I won’t ruin anything here.
Good for an airport read, but wished it was a bit more surprising and tightened up. Maybe next time.
May 21, 2025
reminded me of god of the woods. lots of time jumping back and forth and various povs. idk the ending wasn’t very satisfying, i was hoping there would be more to the twist, but also it didn’t really make sense? i can’t tell if it was an editing error or just a loose end but
(spoiler ahead)
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•
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the walking man heard the scream/saw 2 girls/saw what was in the pool in 2000 (1 year after carolines disappearance)…but at the end of the book it’s agreed that she died on the day she disappeared in 1999? it makes no sense. also who knocked caroline up? and what happened to talia’s luggage? what was gordy trying to tell midge before he died? the more i think about it the less it makes sense.
(spoiler ahead)
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•
•
the walking man heard the scream/saw 2 girls/saw what was in the pool in 2000 (1 year after carolines disappearance)…but at the end of the book it’s agreed that she died on the day she disappeared in 1999? it makes no sense. also who knocked caroline up? and what happened to talia’s luggage? what was gordy trying to tell midge before he died? the more i think about it the less it makes sense.
March 13, 2025
Wanna read a book that keeps you guessing and makes you keep reading … and literally miss sleep? That’s this book? Enjoyable, exciting, and really fun read.
I felt like it was a little short and could’ve had a bit more development in the plot or characters to add to the books plot/story.. but it was a great read!
I felt like it was a little short and could’ve had a bit more development in the plot or characters to add to the books plot/story.. but it was a great read!
November 28, 2024
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
On prom night, Caroline Winterfield walked away from the ruins of Haven Cliff and into the woods never to be seen again. Only her three best friends know what really happened. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of that night, Midge, Kelly and Talia reunite at Haven Cliff. But they aren’t alone - someone is watching.
There are three female characters who make up the majority of the POVs in The Fourth Girl. I found it hard to distinguish between them until their individual stories were told throughout their respective chapters. Midge, Kelly and Talia’s back stories are told well and introduced gradually as the plot develops. There is another mystery to solve twenty-five years after their friend’s supposed disappearance. All three girls (now women) have something they need to reveal to each other in order to piece together exactly what is going on. Within the story, there are also POVs of two unknown people which adds to the mystery. This, paired with the fact that there are multiple missing people in the story, made for a very twisted, complex plot.
There is a lot of lore surrounding the Haven Cliff area where the story is set. The potentially paranormal and/or a criminal aspect added further interest for me. The setting is also described in beautiful detail.
I was intrigued to get to the conclusion of this book as there were so many unanswered questions throughout. The ending was explosive which I really liked. I found it a little predictable but I’m okay with that if it’s done well. Although I did enjoy the ending, I thought it was just slightly more simplistic than the complex plot had suggested.
There are a lot of timeline jumps within this story, dating from 1998 to the present day with various years in between. This was okay at first but I eventually became confused as I kept forgetting where all of the events sat within the timeline.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. The mystery POVs and odd events leading up to the present day kept me guessing until the end. I was delighted to find that this book looks like it’ll have multiple sequels. I’d happily buy whatever comes next as there were some interesting aspects of the Haven Cliff story that could have been explored further.
On prom night, Caroline Winterfield walked away from the ruins of Haven Cliff and into the woods never to be seen again. Only her three best friends know what really happened. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of that night, Midge, Kelly and Talia reunite at Haven Cliff. But they aren’t alone - someone is watching.
There are three female characters who make up the majority of the POVs in The Fourth Girl. I found it hard to distinguish between them until their individual stories were told throughout their respective chapters. Midge, Kelly and Talia’s back stories are told well and introduced gradually as the plot develops. There is another mystery to solve twenty-five years after their friend’s supposed disappearance. All three girls (now women) have something they need to reveal to each other in order to piece together exactly what is going on. Within the story, there are also POVs of two unknown people which adds to the mystery. This, paired with the fact that there are multiple missing people in the story, made for a very twisted, complex plot.
There is a lot of lore surrounding the Haven Cliff area where the story is set. The potentially paranormal and/or a criminal aspect added further interest for me. The setting is also described in beautiful detail.
I was intrigued to get to the conclusion of this book as there were so many unanswered questions throughout. The ending was explosive which I really liked. I found it a little predictable but I’m okay with that if it’s done well. Although I did enjoy the ending, I thought it was just slightly more simplistic than the complex plot had suggested.
There are a lot of timeline jumps within this story, dating from 1998 to the present day with various years in between. This was okay at first but I eventually became confused as I kept forgetting where all of the events sat within the timeline.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. The mystery POVs and odd events leading up to the present day kept me guessing until the end. I was delighted to find that this book looks like it’ll have multiple sequels. I’d happily buy whatever comes next as there were some interesting aspects of the Haven Cliff story that could have been explored further.
April 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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 💕
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 💕
March 9, 2025
Too many characters/ switching around time periods too much that I couldn’t keep track. Every-time I put the book down I couldn’t remember anything that happened, it was a whole lot of nothing for an anticlimactic ending!
March 16, 2025
I got exactly 50% through when I realized I didn’t care. It just dragged. I didn’t care about any of the characters. I didn’t care who did it. I gave up
December 21, 2024
An ok read.
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?
It was an ok read. It was dragged unnecessarily.
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?
It was an ok read. It was dragged unnecessarily.
November 23, 2024
I loved this book as it kept me reading long into the night! Ir begins with four friends, Midge, Talia, Kelly, and Caroline--all 16--as they make a promise to each other. and share matching charm bracelets with each of their initials on them--T I C K--so they are bound together with love. The novel then jumps to the present as Midge--now the police chief--discovers two dead bodies that may or may not be connected to each other. What happens in-between will have you gasping for breath as Staub shakes you around like a rag doll! It's one of those thrillers that will stay with you and have you hugging your friends and family closer!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
March 30, 2025
A fun mystery about four high school friends who make a pact to always be there for each other. One chooses to disappear “fake her own death” to get away from her controlling parents and boyfriend. It hops back and forth over the decades as Caroline maybe disappears but maybe not. Then there is a murder…or maybe not. I read this on the treadmill and it kept me interested!
May 10, 2025
Well, THAT was a colossal waste of time.
This book had so much promise. Four high school friends- one goes missing (presumed dead) and the three are keeping a secret 20 years later. What happened to Caroline?
Here’s the thing: you will kind of figure it out very early on and you will still never understand it.
This book spends a lot of time setting us up for a big hit, and it completely lobs the ball. The author places details and sub-stories all over the place that get dangled and never resolved. Below are some spoilers, so please quit reading after this paragraph if you intend to check this book out - but please know I gave it two stars and that’s GENEROUS. And there’s going to be a sequel?! How?!
Okay, spoilers in three…..
Two….
One….
I wanted you!
It was obvious from very early on that Caroline was not the one “haunting” the other three best friends; it was her drug-addled sister Mary Beth. But that’s the least egregious of the sins.
We are supposed to believe the BIG secret is that Caroline is pregnant - by who?????- and ran away with her babysitting money to start a new life at 18 and not a single one of her besties eventually reported it? And what about the creepy minister? And her cult-like parents? And where is the missing gun? And why is Lyme disease in here? And why did they all not speak for 20 years? Why did MB kill the random dude? Why would MB go after Gordy and the girls 20 years later? And how (why?!) did she do some of this from prison?!
All of this is bonkers and there’s 1000 loose ends. Lazy.
This book should have been called “The Swiss Cheese Story” because it’s riddled with holes.
Spare yourself and skip this one. And a sequel?! No thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2025
3.5⭐️
It’s giving PLL’s cousin, lowkey. I had several working theories and got it right in the end.
It’s giving PLL’s cousin, lowkey. I had several working theories and got it right in the end.
July 3, 2025
caroline ily ❤️🩹
March 21, 2025
I liked this book because I always love a mystery. There was a lot of timeline jumping and it wasn’t just 2 time lines, so sometimes I had to stop and go back.
4 friends vowing to be there for each other no matter what was needed. When one of them asks to keep a secret and never tell, they hold that promise. Now 25 years later, they meet up but only 3 of them arrive. Where is the 4th girl.
This fulfills my number in the title for my library’s 50 books in 50 weeks in 50 categories.
4 friends vowing to be there for each other no matter what was needed. When one of them asks to keep a secret and never tell, they hold that promise. Now 25 years later, they meet up but only 3 of them arrive. Where is the 4th girl.
This fulfills my number in the title for my library’s 50 books in 50 weeks in 50 categories.
August 11, 2025
Parts of the book were hard to follow but overall a good read!
March 26, 2025
The Fourth Girl traces the lives of four fast friends from their high school years until their reunion on prom night, 25 years later. The characters of the friends - Talia, Imogene (Madge), Caroline and Kelly (acronym TICK) - are well defined, but Caroline is presumed dead. But the author drops hints throughout that Caroline, a.k.a. Ceto, is very much alive. I love the way Staub alternates between the late 1990s (Harry Potter nostalgia) and the present day.
Unfortunately, the book is overly long, and the ending is confusing. When did Kelly find a gun, and when did Tally call the police? And, most of all, how did straight-laced Caroline have an opportunity to become pregnant and by whom? Caroline barely had time for her friends let alone her sworn to chastity boyfriend. It is as if Staub ran out of steam and just wanted to finish the book. A more tightly edited narrative and a logical conclusion would have served the reader better.
Unfortunately, the book is overly long, and the ending is confusing. When did Kelly find a gun, and when did Tally call the police? And, most of all, how did straight-laced Caroline have an opportunity to become pregnant and by whom? Caroline barely had time for her friends let alone her sworn to chastity boyfriend. It is as if Staub ran out of steam and just wanted to finish the book. A more tightly edited narrative and a logical conclusion would have served the reader better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2025
4.5 stars. So many twists and turns. I did expect the ending but it took a while to get there and I wasn't let down by it. I just wish it would've answered all the smaller questions but like they say, in real life, crimes aren't wrapped up perfectly like scooby doo.
October 11, 2025
This story had a lot of potential. I was really hoping it would get good which is why I kept reading it. But I hated this book. And I don’t say that lightly. It kept jumping around too much. Too many time jumps from year to year. It wasn’t even just past to present. And it built up so much for nothing. You don’t find out how the story ends, the book just stops. It was hard to get into the book and then it was hard to keep reading.
April 17, 2025
I don’t know how they pick these Amazon firsts but all of them have been horrible and this is no exception. Seems like a slow (very slow build up) to a unstatsfying ending. But it does bring into question how parents can change there children’s life just by how they are raised. Four girls ,best friends see the one’s parents as deciding the one’s girls life so they help her fake her own death but something happens that even the author doesn’t know and she is dead maybe and her sister who was thrown out of the house pretends to be her but in jail and kills her old bf and tries to kill them. Between the patchy plot and inconsistencies and no conclusion it is a 1 star for me.
July 18, 2025
The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub is a mystery/thriller about four girls and a promise they made.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this. It did start out a little slow, but thankfully the pace did pick up.
I liked how the author alternated chapters with the voices of the three women, as well as others. It kept things moving along quite well. The characters all grew to have depth as they told their perspectives, and the story grew with the details of what each character knew.
The timeline also changed quite often. The most important timelines were 1999, when Caroline went missing, 2000 a year after, and the present 25th anniversary of Caroline's disappearance. There was also a lot of background provided by each character, so we easily understood some of the "whys" behind their behaviours. This worked really well.
The plot was quite complex, and if somewhat predictable, it still held a mystery, still held suspense, and continued to hold my attention.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. You may think that with all the changing timelines and changing characters that it may become confusing. For me, it was not a problem. I think it was well done.
Anyway, until next time....
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this. It did start out a little slow, but thankfully the pace did pick up.
I liked how the author alternated chapters with the voices of the three women, as well as others. It kept things moving along quite well. The characters all grew to have depth as they told their perspectives, and the story grew with the details of what each character knew.
The timeline also changed quite often. The most important timelines were 1999, when Caroline went missing, 2000 a year after, and the present 25th anniversary of Caroline's disappearance. There was also a lot of background provided by each character, so we easily understood some of the "whys" behind their behaviours. This worked really well.
The plot was quite complex, and if somewhat predictable, it still held a mystery, still held suspense, and continued to hold my attention.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. You may think that with all the changing timelines and changing characters that it may become confusing. For me, it was not a problem. I think it was well done.
Anyway, until next time....
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
January 5, 2025
The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub is about teen Caroline who vanished twenty five years ago from the infamous Haven Cliffs on prom night. Her three closest friends have been keeping a secret from that night a long time, but this anniversary is different. A man in the same town shows up dead, and the timing is far from coincidental.
This is a book I really wanted to love, but it just felt like the story didn’t really ‘start’ until the halfway mark. After that point, it was a much faster read and I was able to follow the storyline and become engaged with the plot.
With four main characters and switching between three of their POV’s, there is already a lot of switching narrative voices, to then add in a twenty five year timeline jump, it does get confusing. On top of that, there was an abundance of back story, not just for the girls, but for their families, the town, the Haven Cliff House etc. I understand that to flesh out characters this is needed, though I feel as though it was excessive. Many times I was taken out of the story to be told things like how one of their mothers was declining from dementia ect and found myself wanting to be back in the story of the girls. The ending also still left many questions open ended and I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
It was a decent read, but it could have been much stronger and fast paced if the unnecessary parts were cut and the conclusion was as detailed as the backstory.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is set for 01/04/25.
This is a book I really wanted to love, but it just felt like the story didn’t really ‘start’ until the halfway mark. After that point, it was a much faster read and I was able to follow the storyline and become engaged with the plot.
With four main characters and switching between three of their POV’s, there is already a lot of switching narrative voices, to then add in a twenty five year timeline jump, it does get confusing. On top of that, there was an abundance of back story, not just for the girls, but for their families, the town, the Haven Cliff House etc. I understand that to flesh out characters this is needed, though I feel as though it was excessive. Many times I was taken out of the story to be told things like how one of their mothers was declining from dementia ect and found myself wanting to be back in the story of the girls. The ending also still left many questions open ended and I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
It was a decent read, but it could have been much stronger and fast paced if the unnecessary parts were cut and the conclusion was as detailed as the backstory.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is set for 01/04/25.
March 21, 2025
unbearable
The story was boring and the characters were confusing. I really tried. I kept trudging through but I could only get through a few chapters at a time and the next day I had no memory of the story. I would have to start over and scan through the previously read pages trying to remember what was going on and get the characters straight. Finally, after a week of this I was done. I should have been finished with the book and instead I had to keep reading the same thing over and over just trying to remember what was going on. First time in a while that I’ve struggled so much with a book.
The story was boring and the characters were confusing. I really tried. I kept trudging through but I could only get through a few chapters at a time and the next day I had no memory of the story. I would have to start over and scan through the previously read pages trying to remember what was going on and get the characters straight. Finally, after a week of this I was done. I should have been finished with the book and instead I had to keep reading the same thing over and over just trying to remember what was going on. First time in a while that I’ve struggled so much with a book.
May 12, 2025
Picked as an Amazon First Reads. I almost DNFed this a few times. I had a hard time getting into this as the plot was hard to follow at times with the different timelines and different points of view. It was predictable at times and I didn't find any of the "twists" shocking nor exciting. I was at least interested enough to want to know how it ended and might consider reading the second one to see where it goes.
November 18, 2024
I had a hard time getting into this story. It started off slow and was a little confusing at first. I found most of it slow and predictable. I could see where some would really like this story, it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
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