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Moth Girls
Helplessly drawn like moths to the light, two girls go missing in an evocative and gripping tale . . .
They called them the Moth Girls because they were attracted to the house. They were drawn to it. Or at least that is what is written in the newspapers that Mandy reads on the anniversary of when her two best friends went missing. Five years have passed since Petra and Tina were determined to explore the dilapidated house on Princess Street. But what started off as a dare ended with the two girls vanishing. As Mandy's memories of the disappearance of her two friends are ignited once again, disturbing details will resurface in her mind.
They called them the Moth Girls because they were attracted to the house. They were drawn to it. Or at least that is what is written in the newspapers that Mandy reads on the anniversary of when her two best friends went missing. Five years have passed since Petra and Tina were determined to explore the dilapidated house on Princess Street. But what started off as a dare ended with the two girls vanishing. As Mandy's memories of the disappearance of her two friends are ignited once again, disturbing details will resurface in her mind.
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
January 6, 2016
**4.5 stars**
The Moth Girls is a tense and atmospheric character fuelled novel that is beautifully written and very compelling.
Mandy is watching a house being demolished – years earlier that house swallowed up her two best friends. They went in, they never came out. As the memories of that time begin to surface, she realises that she may know more than she thought as seemingly obscure events take on new meaning..
There were a few reasons why I really liked The Moth Girls – firstly the plotting is solid and addictive, the story unfolds in a way that gives you a real insight into the characters and the events – also the mystery element was well imagined and didn’t necessarily follow along the standard lines. Often surprising and with an authentic feeling throughout, the ending too matched the rest, not necessarily expected yet realistic.
I liked the dynamic between the three girls as Mandy looks back over their friendship – their mixed and matched personalities – Mandy herself is a mess of contradiction at times, obviously affected deeply she just wants to know the truth and move on.
Another aspect I thought was excellent was the attitudes and actions of the parents of the missing girls – Tina’s mother is especially sympathetic, Anne Cassidy makes it easy to relate to her especially if you are a parent yourself, even seen as she is through the eyes of another.
Overall a clever, engaging and intriguing story, one that I would definitely recommend.
The Moth Girls is a tense and atmospheric character fuelled novel that is beautifully written and very compelling.
Mandy is watching a house being demolished – years earlier that house swallowed up her two best friends. They went in, they never came out. As the memories of that time begin to surface, she realises that she may know more than she thought as seemingly obscure events take on new meaning..
There were a few reasons why I really liked The Moth Girls – firstly the plotting is solid and addictive, the story unfolds in a way that gives you a real insight into the characters and the events – also the mystery element was well imagined and didn’t necessarily follow along the standard lines. Often surprising and with an authentic feeling throughout, the ending too matched the rest, not necessarily expected yet realistic.
I liked the dynamic between the three girls as Mandy looks back over their friendship – their mixed and matched personalities – Mandy herself is a mess of contradiction at times, obviously affected deeply she just wants to know the truth and move on.
Another aspect I thought was excellent was the attitudes and actions of the parents of the missing girls – Tina’s mother is especially sympathetic, Anne Cassidy makes it easy to relate to her especially if you are a parent yourself, even seen as she is through the eyes of another.
Overall a clever, engaging and intriguing story, one that I would definitely recommend.
August 27, 2021
I was looking forward to starting this. It started off just fine but I was expecting a thriller as this is what it’s placement is in advertising. It’s more like a YA suspense/mystery.
I’m afraid it bored me (I’m sorry) and I ended up skimming it.
Now……I’m someone who finds it difficult to DNF a book or say I can’t continue.
It was such a shame.
I’m afraid it bored me (I’m sorry) and I ended up skimming it.
Now……I’m someone who finds it difficult to DNF a book or say I can’t continue.
It was such a shame.
September 12, 2018
Not what I was expecting but still a quiet, intriguing story. Petra's character is one I'll be thinking about for a while, and her perspective was my very obvious favourite.
July 22, 2016
I went into this book with an open mind wasn't expecting a lot & boy was i right!! the writing for a start was simplistic very basic for an author who is supposed to know how to write, it reminded me of a very YA this is not for adults think this would suit 13 to 15 year olds.
There was no tension build up at all i knew i was in trouble when you start to skim chapter after chapter the premise sounded good but it just didn't work for me.
READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL
There was no tension build up at all i knew i was in trouble when you start to skim chapter after chapter the premise sounded good but it just didn't work for me.
READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL
May 24, 2016
I literally could not put this book down, it's probably one of the best told YA Mystery/thrillers that I have ever read. Excellent characters and explanations. Mandy especially was so REAL.
February 4, 2016
Moth Girls is the story of three teenage girls; two of them go missing and the third is laden with guilt. The story is mainly told from Mandy's point of view starting five years after the disappearance of Tina and Petra. It goes back and forth in time slowly revealing what happened that one night when Tina and Petra went into a mysterious, old house while Mandy decided to go home. I enjoyed the mystery part of the story, which was quite refreshing. It wasn't your usual whodunit and had some interesting twists as well as a more realistic and believable ending than some others I've read lately. However, I found it difficult to get really absorbed because of the basic style of writing. Considering the setting in present day London, the three girls also didn't feel like very authentic characters. I just couldn't imagine teenagers talking and behaving in this manner. I had a difficult time connecting to them.
So overall, this was neither bad nor really good. Hence, 3 stars. A suitable book for younger young adult readers I guess. No bad language and only mild violence.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So overall, this was neither bad nor really good. Hence, 3 stars. A suitable book for younger young adult readers I guess. No bad language and only mild violence.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2016
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Moth Girls sounded a little but like a young adult version of Where the Memories Lie since they’re both stories about women whose best friend/s disappeared without a trace when they were in high school. But while Sibel Hodge crafted a gritty, edgy story about grief, reputation and the lengths one will go to to protect their loved ones, Moth Girls barely managed to create a suspenseful atmosphere successfully. The story follows Mandy whose two best friends, Petra & Tina, disappeared five years ago, but despite what the synopsis leads you to believe, this isn’t about Mandy trying to find out what happened to the girls. No, not at all. This is a contemporary story through and through. It’s split into parts and for the first 150 or so pages all we get is a detailed account of what Mandy’s life is like now – it’s mainly her pining over her very hot best friend, occasionally broken up with some wondering about how much she is to blame for her friends’ disappearances. Maybe this would have been interesting if Mandy wasn’t so annoying, but I couldn’t get into her voice at all. She was a little too flat and dull for me to really care about…. which is not taking her sexist slut-shaming of her best friend’s girlfriend into consideration. I’m sick of that trope. Oh, and I hated how she changed her style and even her personality, to a certain extent, for her best friend – he liked vintage clothes so she scuffed her brand new heels to make them look like op shop bargains. I wanted to yell at Mandy that if this guy doesn’t like her because she wears brand new shoes then he isn’t for you. You run girl, you run far away from that.
But getting back to the story, we did get parts from Petra’s POV later which was so much better. Petra had substance as a character. She was realistic and lovable (she had a Friends addiction!) and since we knew that something awful was going to happen to her, there was a little tension in waiting to see what that was. My mind was busy trying to tie all the threads together. But we didn’t really get any of the thrilling stuff until the last thirty or so pages… and it was too little, too late by then. The reveal didn’t make sense if I’m being honest. It wasn’t explained well at all. It was just there, and somehow meant to satisfy our curiousity. As if spending over 250 pages with these characters, we wouldn’t have wanted to know why they disappeared! News flash – we do. Very much so.
Overall, this wasn’t a poorly written story, it just was more of a contemporary than a thriller and that made me pretty sad. I did enjoy Petra’s perspective much more than Mandy’s and if the story had been written completely from her POV, maybe I would have enjoyed it more? The non-existent ending was just icing on the cake. Not okay. If you are looking for a well-written and engaging emotional thriller then I definitely recommend picking up Where the Memories Lie instead.
Moth Girls sounded a little but like a young adult version of Where the Memories Lie since they’re both stories about women whose best friend/s disappeared without a trace when they were in high school. But while Sibel Hodge crafted a gritty, edgy story about grief, reputation and the lengths one will go to to protect their loved ones, Moth Girls barely managed to create a suspenseful atmosphere successfully. The story follows Mandy whose two best friends, Petra & Tina, disappeared five years ago, but despite what the synopsis leads you to believe, this isn’t about Mandy trying to find out what happened to the girls. No, not at all. This is a contemporary story through and through. It’s split into parts and for the first 150 or so pages all we get is a detailed account of what Mandy’s life is like now – it’s mainly her pining over her very hot best friend, occasionally broken up with some wondering about how much she is to blame for her friends’ disappearances. Maybe this would have been interesting if Mandy wasn’t so annoying, but I couldn’t get into her voice at all. She was a little too flat and dull for me to really care about…. which is not taking her sexist slut-shaming of her best friend’s girlfriend into consideration. I’m sick of that trope. Oh, and I hated how she changed her style and even her personality, to a certain extent, for her best friend – he liked vintage clothes so she scuffed her brand new heels to make them look like op shop bargains. I wanted to yell at Mandy that if this guy doesn’t like her because she wears brand new shoes then he isn’t for you. You run girl, you run far away from that.
But getting back to the story, we did get parts from Petra’s POV later which was so much better. Petra had substance as a character. She was realistic and lovable (she had a Friends addiction!) and since we knew that something awful was going to happen to her, there was a little tension in waiting to see what that was. My mind was busy trying to tie all the threads together. But we didn’t really get any of the thrilling stuff until the last thirty or so pages… and it was too little, too late by then. The reveal didn’t make sense if I’m being honest. It wasn’t explained well at all. It was just there, and somehow meant to satisfy our curiousity. As if spending over 250 pages with these characters, we wouldn’t have wanted to know why they disappeared! News flash – we do. Very much so.
Overall, this wasn’t a poorly written story, it just was more of a contemporary than a thriller and that made me pretty sad. I did enjoy Petra’s perspective much more than Mandy’s and if the story had been written completely from her POV, maybe I would have enjoyed it more? The non-existent ending was just icing on the cake. Not okay. If you are looking for a well-written and engaging emotional thriller then I definitely recommend picking up Where the Memories Lie instead.
January 1, 2016
Tina and Petra are Mandy’s friends. One evening when they’re all together Petra dares them to go into a house that fascinates her. Mandy doesn’t want to come along. She watches her friends go inside, but they never come out again. Five years later when the house is being demolished Mandy still hasn’t been able to accept what happened in her past…
Mandy has been through a lot. She’s feeling guilty that her friends never came home while she’s still alive and well. She has no idea what happened to them and the police haven’t been able to find out either. Their disappearance might or might not be connected to a murder, but nobody knows the facts. Mandy has difficulties making new friends and she isn’t happy. Will coming to terms with the past make the present easier? It’s a good question and a great topic for a book. The story started strong and fortunately it stayed that way from beginning to end.
I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t wait to find out the truth about that might. Mandy hasn’t been able to move on, she’s still the girl she was when her friends disappeared. And it doesn’t help that she’s that girl, the one who stayed behind, either. I loved how Anne Cassidy plays with emotions. The book has a strong plot and the ending is surprising. Moth Girls is a gripping read, a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
Mandy has been through a lot. She’s feeling guilty that her friends never came home while she’s still alive and well. She has no idea what happened to them and the police haven’t been able to find out either. Their disappearance might or might not be connected to a murder, but nobody knows the facts. Mandy has difficulties making new friends and she isn’t happy. Will coming to terms with the past make the present easier? It’s a good question and a great topic for a book. The story started strong and fortunately it stayed that way from beginning to end.
I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t wait to find out the truth about that might. Mandy hasn’t been able to move on, she’s still the girl she was when her friends disappeared. And it doesn’t help that she’s that girl, the one who stayed behind, either. I loved how Anne Cassidy plays with emotions. The book has a strong plot and the ending is surprising. Moth Girls is a gripping read, a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
January 27, 2016
Again, more like a 2.5 stars, but according to Goodreads rating 3 is for "I like it" and I can't honestly say that about this book. This novel had promise, specially being a British mystery about missing girls, a kind that normally is in my top rating shelf. Unfortunately, this one felt flat for me.
One thing that bothered me was how Mandy and the other youngsters talked; as far as I know, no one that young (either in the 12 or the 17 year old part) speaks like that. It was too formal, too proper to sound genuine and that probably made me not to engage with the characters. Also, some parts dragged way longer than needed.
The only one I cared about in this book a bit was Tina; she seemed real and sweet. Petra and Mandy are not likeable people; they have their reasons but still, they didn't seem believable to me so it was hard to keep interested in their lives.
The mystery itself was at the same time too simplistic and too far-fetched. I didn't know this was possible, but indeed it was.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange of my honest review. This fact did not affect my opinion in any way.
One thing that bothered me was how Mandy and the other youngsters talked; as far as I know, no one that young (either in the 12 or the 17 year old part) speaks like that. It was too formal, too proper to sound genuine and that probably made me not to engage with the characters. Also, some parts dragged way longer than needed.
The only one I cared about in this book a bit was Tina; she seemed real and sweet. Petra and Mandy are not likeable people; they have their reasons but still, they didn't seem believable to me so it was hard to keep interested in their lives.
The mystery itself was at the same time too simplistic and too far-fetched. I didn't know this was possible, but indeed it was.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange of my honest review. This fact did not affect my opinion in any way.
July 4, 2020
This is doing my damn head in
DNF @ 10%
This is written really badly. The sentence structure is ridiculously simple, so basic that I thought the main character was twelve in the first chapter and it was deliberately narrated to sound like a kid. But nope, she's meant to be seventeen.
"He was humming under his breath. He'd moved on from the comment he'd just made. It was another reason why she liked him. He didn't dwell on bad experiences. He was upbeat, ready to change the subject. She appreciated that."
I can't deal with any more of this. Every fuckin' paragraph looks and sounds exactly the same. At this point, I'd drop dead of shock if I found a sentence that contained more than one comma.
DNF @ 10%
This is written really badly. The sentence structure is ridiculously simple, so basic that I thought the main character was twelve in the first chapter and it was deliberately narrated to sound like a kid. But nope, she's meant to be seventeen.
"He was humming under his breath. He'd moved on from the comment he'd just made. It was another reason why she liked him. He didn't dwell on bad experiences. He was upbeat, ready to change the subject. She appreciated that."
I can't deal with any more of this. Every fuckin' paragraph looks and sounds exactly the same. At this point, I'd drop dead of shock if I found a sentence that contained more than one comma.
April 4, 2016
Quite an interesting story about three girls, two of them had gone missing aged twelve after sneaking into the mysterious home of an old man on the same night he was murdered. Five years later, Mandy who did not go into the house with her friends lives with guilt because of her actions on the night, gradually the mystery of what happened to Tina and Petra is uncovered. Not as good as
"Looking for JJ", but I think year 9 and 10 girls may enjoy it if they can cope with the British setting and writing style.
"Looking for JJ", but I think year 9 and 10 girls may enjoy it if they can cope with the British setting and writing style.
February 15, 2017
This was a quick read but felt ultimately pointless. There are no interesting plot twists or reversals, the characters don't really develop or change, and it doesn't seem to be making any point at all. I was really hoping that this would be a book about the hidden darkness of teenage girls, and the twist would be that Mandy had knowingly allowed Petra and Tina to be hurt, or even that she'd killed one or both herself. If that's the book you want to read: sorry, but this isn't it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2016
One of my first authors that I started reading when I first found my thriller and crime bug was Anne Cassidy with her book Looking for JJ . Since then, I have tried to read her books when they are released and the latest one to hit our shelves at the library was Moth Girls . Moth Girls is set five years after two of Mandy's friends disappeared and vanished without a trace as no bodies ever turned up , it was like they had vanished into thin air. Five years ago, there were two best friends Petra and Tina and they did everything together and then Mandy came along and Tina enjoyed Mandy's company and despite Petra's objections - Mandy was slowly let into their group of two. Mandy over the next year became more Tina's friend than Petra's. One night when they were twelve years old , Petra and Tina decided to go exploring in an old abandoned house and Mandy stayed home. That night the girls did not return and vanished never to be seen or heard from again. Over the past five years, Mandy swears she has seen Petra around - is she hallucinating or are the girls alive still and where have they been hiding all these years ? As Mandy's memories start to flood back about that night, we learn the truth of what really went down five years ago in that creepy abandoned house which caused two girls to disappear of the face of the earth. The only thing I will warn you about readers is that due to the author being British - often I find British mysteries and fiction in general to be a little more slow-paced and Moth Girls is one of those slower paced books. Reading it however reminded me of the new TV show on Freeform "Guilt".
If you are looking for a new British teen mystery to put your brains to the test and work those Sherlock Holmes crime solving and deduction skills - check out Moth Girls by Anne Cassidy today.
If you are looking for a new British teen mystery to put your brains to the test and work those Sherlock Holmes crime solving and deduction skills - check out Moth Girls by Anne Cassidy today.
March 9, 2016
I received a copy of Moth Girls to review from Allen and Unwin New Zealand. I don’t remember what drew me to this book but I’m glad I found it.
This book is told in two different perspectives, Many and Petra’s. One in the present and the other five years ago. I like how this story was told, first in the present and then a flashback to five years ago.
It took me a while to figure out what happened to Petra and Tina but I eventually did. It wasn’t what I was expecting to happen but that’s one of the reasons I liked this book.
I felt really sorry for Mandy. The way Petra treated her clearly affected her friendships as
she grew up. I’m glad she figured it out and made some friends.
What happened to Petra and Tina is such a horrible thing for parents to go through. Especially all the unanswered questions about where their child has gone. There was such a great twist to this story.
I wish Mandy’s last chapter was a little longer but it was a good place to end her story. She had done a lot of growing throughout the book and I think she made the right decision, it would ruin too many lives if she had done things differently. Now Mandy can let go of all her guilt and move on.
I really enjoyed Moth Girls. It was beautifully written and had some great twists to the story.
This book is told in two different perspectives, Many and Petra’s. One in the present and the other five years ago. I like how this story was told, first in the present and then a flashback to five years ago.
It took me a while to figure out what happened to Petra and Tina but I eventually did. It wasn’t what I was expecting to happen but that’s one of the reasons I liked this book.
I felt really sorry for Mandy. The way Petra treated her clearly affected her friendships as
she grew up. I’m glad she figured it out and made some friends.
What happened to Petra and Tina is such a horrible thing for parents to go through. Especially all the unanswered questions about where their child has gone. There was such a great twist to this story.
I wish Mandy’s last chapter was a little longer but it was a good place to end her story. She had done a lot of growing throughout the book and I think she made the right decision, it would ruin too many lives if she had done things differently. Now Mandy can let go of all her guilt and move on.
I really enjoyed Moth Girls. It was beautifully written and had some great twists to the story.
June 20, 2016
So...... this book was such a a disappointment. I wouldn't say a major one, but it was so bad, I was frowning throughout wandering what the actual shit was going on.
Review to come.
Review to come.
February 21, 2018
I somehow feel like cover and synopsis were really misleading...
CONTENT
Five years ago Petra and Tina disappeared. They went into an old house never to be seen again. Their friend Mandy who did not go inside with them has felt guilty all the time and now tried to uncover what happened back then.
SOMETHING OVERALL
The story is told alternately by Mandy and Petra. While Mandy’s part focuses on the present, Petra tells us what really happened.
The whole synopsis and cover are misleading if you ask me. Mandy does not remember any new detail, nor are we sure the girls are dead. Wh just do not know what happened to them. Also the cover picture looks like it was taken maybe in the 50ies or earlier but definitely not in a modern London setting.
STYLE OF WRITING
Cassidy might be easy to read but for me she was too easy. It did somehow feel quite British though.
CHARACTERS
I‘m somehow sorry because I could not connect to any of them.
Mandy was okay at first but I don‘t get why her part focuses on her daily life and her crush Tommy so much (who is SOOO different from the others). Nor did I like her trying to change for him. She’s also quite obsessed with the girls (can we please take into account that Petra did not even like her) whom she did not even knew that well. I get that seh feels guilty for letting them go, but after five years of doctors this should at least have gotten a little bit better.
Petra was not any better. She comes from a broken family and only has her father left, who drinks and hits her when drunk. She loves him so she won‘t tell anyone.... That was somehow difficult to read for me because I always wanted to step in and just drag her out of it. He won‘t change.
I only liked his (ex)girlfriend Zophie. She was really cool and strong.
OPINION
Overall I have the feeling the book focuses on Petra‘s and Mandy’s lives too much, rather than the mystery I wanted to solve. It was also incredibly slow because I didn‘t care about Tommy or Petra‘s father or school. Couldn‘t we have skipped that? The interesting part starts around page 220 (of 290...) and the ending was well done and interesting, but I wouldn‘t recommend...
CONTENT
Five years ago Petra and Tina disappeared. They went into an old house never to be seen again. Their friend Mandy who did not go inside with them has felt guilty all the time and now tried to uncover what happened back then.
SOMETHING OVERALL
The story is told alternately by Mandy and Petra. While Mandy’s part focuses on the present, Petra tells us what really happened.
The whole synopsis and cover are misleading if you ask me. Mandy does not remember any new detail, nor are we sure the girls are dead. Wh just do not know what happened to them. Also the cover picture looks like it was taken maybe in the 50ies or earlier but definitely not in a modern London setting.
STYLE OF WRITING
Cassidy might be easy to read but for me she was too easy. It did somehow feel quite British though.
CHARACTERS
I‘m somehow sorry because I could not connect to any of them.
Mandy was okay at first but I don‘t get why her part focuses on her daily life and her crush Tommy so much (who is SOOO different from the others). Nor did I like her trying to change for him. She’s also quite obsessed with the girls (can we please take into account that Petra did not even like her) whom she did not even knew that well. I get that seh feels guilty for letting them go, but after five years of doctors this should at least have gotten a little bit better.
Petra was not any better. She comes from a broken family and only has her father left, who drinks and hits her when drunk. She loves him so she won‘t tell anyone.... That was somehow difficult to read for me because I always wanted to step in and just drag her out of it. He won‘t change.
I only liked his (ex)girlfriend Zophie. She was really cool and strong.
OPINION
Overall I have the feeling the book focuses on Petra‘s and Mandy’s lives too much, rather than the mystery I wanted to solve. It was also incredibly slow because I didn‘t care about Tommy or Petra‘s father or school. Couldn‘t we have skipped that? The interesting part starts around page 220 (of 290...) and the ending was well done and interesting, but I wouldn‘t recommend...
September 9, 2019
A couple reasons I disliked this:
• completely unsatisfying ending
• like, the whole moral dilemma that Mandy faces is not properly thought out or shown (also kinda endorses withholding evidence from the police)
• SO MANY GRAMMAR MISTAKES
• When Mandy “figures out what’s happened” like HOW?! This is actually impossible. The fence was broken a couple weeks ago & was very likely fixed so for her to think this was even an option, let alone be certain is mad.
• weird writing style
• all the texts had perfect punctuation & grammar, like no teenagers speak like that!
• Mandy was really annoying
• so was Petra
• Mandy doesn’t grow as a person at all
• at the end she’s even being a Petra to her new friends? Like she’s doing to them what she hated being done to her.
So yeah, wouldn’t advise you read this :/
• completely unsatisfying ending
• like, the whole moral dilemma that Mandy faces is not properly thought out or shown (also kinda endorses withholding evidence from the police)
• SO MANY GRAMMAR MISTAKES
• When Mandy “figures out what’s happened” like HOW?! This is actually impossible. The fence was broken a couple weeks ago & was very likely fixed so for her to think this was even an option, let alone be certain is mad.
• weird writing style
• all the texts had perfect punctuation & grammar, like no teenagers speak like that!
• Mandy was really annoying
• so was Petra
• Mandy doesn’t grow as a person at all
• at the end she’s even being a Petra to her new friends? Like she’s doing to them what she hated being done to her.
So yeah, wouldn’t advise you read this :/
January 4, 2025
3.5 stars
May 1, 2022
the end was a let down
June 15, 2016
Five years ago, Mandy’s two best friends, Petra and Tina, disappeared. Two twelve-year-old girls drawn to a creepy old house like moths to a flame – it makes for a good story, and haunts the neighbourhood still. And Mandy, too – she’s seventeen but still in therapy, and still shaped by the experience. She’s attracted to the one boy who doesn’t know her as the girl who got away – the one who decided not to follow the others into the house and who kept a secret for five hours that could have meant the difference between life and death.
And now she’s convinced she’s just seen Petra again – but it’s not the first time she’s imagined this. It’s just someone who looks like her, Mandy tells herself. Until she gets the note. Until she discovers there’s more to that evening five years ago than even she knew.
This is a creepy, twisty tale about friendships between girls and the cruelty that can go along with it. Mandy was an outsider, trespassing on an existing friendship, and part of why it haunts her so much is that she’s never been able to move past those feelings of exclusion. And Petra has her own story to tell – about the dangers close to home and the things people will do to escape them. A sharp psychological thriller for teenagers from the prolific Anne Cassidy.
And now she’s convinced she’s just seen Petra again – but it’s not the first time she’s imagined this. It’s just someone who looks like her, Mandy tells herself. Until she gets the note. Until she discovers there’s more to that evening five years ago than even she knew.
This is a creepy, twisty tale about friendships between girls and the cruelty that can go along with it. Mandy was an outsider, trespassing on an existing friendship, and part of why it haunts her so much is that she’s never been able to move past those feelings of exclusion. And Petra has her own story to tell – about the dangers close to home and the things people will do to escape them. A sharp psychological thriller for teenagers from the prolific Anne Cassidy.
May 28, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book. it was suspenseful and so easy to get into. Petra and Tina are best friends. When Mandy starts at their school she kind of latches on to them and although her and Tina become friends and get on very well with each other, Petra wants Tina for herself and Mandy annoys her. Petra's homelife is not great and she lives with her Dad who drinks and is sometimes violent towards her. One night the girls go to the local shop and Petra wants to go inside a house opposite where an old man lives on his own. She dares Tina to come with her as Mandy doesn't want to go in. What happens that night changes Mandy's life because her two friends go missing and five years later still haven't been found. When the house is demolished, it brings all her memories of that night back and she finds herself drawn back into the mystery. The book was very well written and every chapter end makes you want to read on. I liked how the story goes from the present (Mandy) to the past (Petra) I liked their background stories and how the mystery unfolds so well. I would definitely recommend this to YA readers who love thrillers with a good story.
January 31, 2016
This book was hard to put down and it was easy to get drawn in by the story, just like a moth to flame (pun intended). I can't write the one thing that annoyed me without giving away a spoiler. It really bothered me how much Petra/Klara felt very little guilt for her actions and the cause and effect that evolved from them for the one person who was meant to mean the most to her. Poor Tina. Excellent story, great characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2016
Mandy joins up with best friends Petra and Tina when they embark on secondary school education. When they're 12, Petra and Tina go into a house that's supposedly haunted and they disappear. Nobody knows what happened and five years later Mandy is trying to cope with survivor's guilt. The narrative then takes us into the past so the reader finds out the truth. This was a good read covering various issues such as loss and guilt.
July 15, 2021
It’s okay , nothing special to be honest, I was expecting a lot more with the twisty plot but it ended up being pretty basic.
I was totally disinterested with the main character and the continuous long chapters of flashbacks were very annoying, its well written but not a great book.
Disappointed.
It’s a shame because I was told by so many people that it was this thrilling
I was totally disinterested with the main character and the continuous long chapters of flashbacks were very annoying, its well written but not a great book.
Disappointed.
It’s a shame because I was told by so many people that it was this thrilling
January 28, 2016
I won this book on first-reads, hooked from the start a mystery book about two twelve year olds goes missing from a house a third girl was with them and years later she's full of guilt it tells wat happens to them liked this author great read.
January 21, 2016
I won this book through goodreads first reads competition....
I loved this book a real page Turner.. certainly kept me guessing till the end!!!
I loved this book a real page Turner.. certainly kept me guessing till the end!!!
December 13, 2017
This took me a while to get through, I just kept having moments where I was enjoying the book and then I wasn't.
The outcome of each of the 'moth girls' was a surprise to me.
3***
The outcome of each of the 'moth girls' was a surprise to me.
3***
January 19, 2016
This wasn't my favourite of Anne Cassidy's books, and it was a little predictable, but I still really enjoyed it.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
April 22, 2019
A super average read. I was interested in the mystery but was disappointed with the outcome.
April 13, 2019
Принсесс-стрит стала улицей для Мэнди проклятьем. Пять лет назад по стечению загадочных обстоятельств пропали ее подруги - двенадцатилетние Петра и Тина. СМИ прозвали их девочки-мотыльками. Они, словно завороженные, были притянуты к этому заброшенному особняку, в котором по слухам, произошло нечто совершенно ужасное. А потом они исчезли. Навсегда. Мэнди до сих пор не верит, что они исчезли. Что же тогда произошло и куда делись ее подруги?
Мэнди - ребенок замкнутый, который старается завести друзей. У нее это получилось один раз, в дуэте “Красные розы”, где была Петра и Тина. Тогда им было по двенадцать лет. Петра и Тина были неразлей вода. Поэтому, они организовали дуэт “Красная роза”, чтобы выступать и петь. Все было замечательно, пока не появилась Мэнди.
Роман про эгоистов. Про изнанку женской дружбы, которая из-за ревности может привести к непоправимым последствиям. Энн поднимает наболевшие темы отношения родителей и детей. Перед нами три героини. У каждой из них своя жизнь. Кто-то живет с алкоголиком отцом, но любит его до гроба. Кто-то замкнутый и обожаемый своими родителями. А кто-то скрытый эгоист, которому нужно внимание окружающих. Все эти трое попадают в передрягу, из которой выходит живой только одна. Мэнди.
Автор раскрывает историю постепенно, переплетая настоящее с прошлым, но дает шанс изучить роман от каждой героини. Практически. Чувства, эмоции, поступки. Мы пытаемся понять, почему так поступила героиня, во благо комучему?
Но развязка не заставит себя ждать долго. Пока мы сопереживаем Мэнди, нам постепенно рассказывают о прошлом. Собрав всю картину по ниточкам, мы выстраиваем полную картину, которая делает вывод. Единственное, что мне не понравилось, это концовка в расследование полиции. Автор скомкал ее, недав до конца раскрыться.
Книга получилась хорошей, 810. Повествование не нудное, но простое. Понравилось, что автор дал возможность узнать каждую героиню со своей стороны.
Мэнди - ребенок замкнутый, который старается завести друзей. У нее это получилось один раз, в дуэте “Красные розы”, где была Петра и Тина. Тогда им было по двенадцать лет. Петра и Тина были неразлей вода. Поэтому, они организовали дуэт “Красная роза”, чтобы выступать и петь. Все было замечательно, пока не появилась Мэнди.
Роман про эгоистов. Про изнанку женской дружбы, которая из-за ревности может привести к непоправимым последствиям. Энн поднимает наболевшие темы отношения родителей и детей. Перед нами три героини. У каждой из них своя жизнь. Кто-то живет с алкоголиком отцом, но любит его до гроба. Кто-то замкнутый и обожаемый своими родителями. А кто-то скрытый эгоист, которому нужно внимание окружающих. Все эти трое попадают в передрягу, из которой выходит живой только одна. Мэнди.
Автор раскрывает историю постепенно, переплетая настоящее с прошлым, но дает шанс изучить роман от каждой героини. Практически. Чувства, эмоции, поступки. Мы пытаемся понять, почему так поступила героиня, во благо комучему?
Но развязка не заставит себя ждать долго. Пока мы сопереживаем Мэнди, нам постепенно рассказывают о прошлом. Собрав всю картину по ниточкам, мы выстраиваем полную картину, которая делает вывод. Единственное, что мне не понравилось, это концовка в расследование полиции. Автор скомкал ее, недав до конца раскрыться.
Книга получилась хорошей, 810. Повествование не нудное, но простое. Понравилось, что автор дал возможность узнать каждую героиню со своей стороны.
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