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Bad Little Girl
‘I’m not safe – you have to help me...’
Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.
As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe.
Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?
Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth?
Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.
As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe.
Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?
Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth?
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2017
1165 people are currently reading
2673 people want to read
About the author
Frances Vick
4 books70 followersThe only child of parents who worked at a top security psychiatric hospital, Frances Vick grew up receiving disquieting notes and presents from the inmates. Expelled from school, she spent the next few years on the dole, augmenting her income by providing security and crewing for gigs, and being a medical experiment guinea pig. Later jobs included working in a theatre in Manhattan, teaching English in Japanese Junior High Schools, and being a life model in Italy, before coming back to London and working with young offenders and refugees. Chinaski is her first novel. Her second, Bad Little Girl is out in February 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews
February 7, 2017
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Frances Vick, and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
In her follow-up novel, Frances Vick tackles some of the most troublesome areas of a well-organized society, the protection of the child. In her years as a teacher, Claire Penny has seen many children pass through the halls of her school. Some good experiences mix alongside those that are less than enlightening, but when it comes to young Lorna Bell, something deep inside begins to call out to Claire, even if it is hard to pinpoint the precise concern. After seeing young Lorna on the playground, isolated from the other children, Claire develops a particular curiosity that develops into a caring interest. Soon thereafter, Lorna finds herself in small bouts of trouble, be it teasing or stealing or roughhousing on the playground, which brings in a young mother, Nikki, to handle her daughter's troubles. What follows are signs of continued alarm to Claire, but no one else will heed her requests to follow-up with the authorities. Claire learns of a home life that is less than ideal for Lorna and marks all over the little one's body, but nothing can be done, at least by those with the power to remove Lorna from her family. By the time she turns ten, Lorna begins to forge a bond with Claire and a plot is hatched to solve everything. Just after Christmas, they flee the town for the Cornish seaside, where Claire hopes to keep Lorna from the family that does not care for her. Tragic news comes over the wire, but Claire still wants to keep Lorna protected and away from the bright lights, but is confused why no one has reported Lorna missing. While out in the seaside town, Claire and Lorna encounter Marianne, a writer-cum-dancer-cum-Jill of all trades. Lorna and Marianne soon begin spending time together while Claire is left ignored and constantly worried she will be discovered as having kidnapped Lorna. However, something begins to eat away at Claire, both related to the news back home and the connection that Marianne has made with Lorna. Before long, Claire is left to wonder if she, too, will be abandoned and Marianne will pick up as the saviour figure to Lorna. A gripping tale that takes some time to get going, but pulls the reader in soon thereafter.
Without a strong connection to Vick and her writing, it is somewhat difficult to judge the calibre of that which I have read. However, I find that first impressions usually go a long way for me and I can say that I came out of this reading experience with mixed feelings. I was interested in the premise of the novel from the outset and Vick is able to present it in such a way as to capture its essence, a struggle between one's gut reaction and the rules of the system. The array of characters Vick uses conveys a decent cross-section of those who might be involved, from abusive parents to detached school officials and an overbearing (caring?) educator who wants it all to work out for the best. While the plot is strong in its intentions, I felt it took a long time to really get moving, longer than I would have liked even to lay the groundwork for the departure from the primary residence itself. However, once things got moving, there was a wonderful undertone to the story and hints throughout as to what might be going on. Vick portrays Claire, Lorna, and Marianne in a wonderful fashion and leaves the reader to wonder if the gut reaction they are getting as the story progresses could actually be true. Vick layers on more drama and a few twists to keep the reader from guessing too much before letting everything fall into place at the perfect moment. Working in the Child Protection field myself, I enjoyed the perspective offered and can empathise with Claire on many accounts. An interesting novel that I think could work well and drawn many people to it, given the proper approach.
Kudos, Madam Vick for a great story and interesting portrayal. While I cannot put my finger on precisely what kept me from loving this book outrightly, I know there is much potential and I will keep my eyes peeled for your next work.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In her follow-up novel, Frances Vick tackles some of the most troublesome areas of a well-organized society, the protection of the child. In her years as a teacher, Claire Penny has seen many children pass through the halls of her school. Some good experiences mix alongside those that are less than enlightening, but when it comes to young Lorna Bell, something deep inside begins to call out to Claire, even if it is hard to pinpoint the precise concern. After seeing young Lorna on the playground, isolated from the other children, Claire develops a particular curiosity that develops into a caring interest. Soon thereafter, Lorna finds herself in small bouts of trouble, be it teasing or stealing or roughhousing on the playground, which brings in a young mother, Nikki, to handle her daughter's troubles. What follows are signs of continued alarm to Claire, but no one else will heed her requests to follow-up with the authorities. Claire learns of a home life that is less than ideal for Lorna and marks all over the little one's body, but nothing can be done, at least by those with the power to remove Lorna from her family. By the time she turns ten, Lorna begins to forge a bond with Claire and a plot is hatched to solve everything. Just after Christmas, they flee the town for the Cornish seaside, where Claire hopes to keep Lorna from the family that does not care for her. Tragic news comes over the wire, but Claire still wants to keep Lorna protected and away from the bright lights, but is confused why no one has reported Lorna missing. While out in the seaside town, Claire and Lorna encounter Marianne, a writer-cum-dancer-cum-Jill of all trades. Lorna and Marianne soon begin spending time together while Claire is left ignored and constantly worried she will be discovered as having kidnapped Lorna. However, something begins to eat away at Claire, both related to the news back home and the connection that Marianne has made with Lorna. Before long, Claire is left to wonder if she, too, will be abandoned and Marianne will pick up as the saviour figure to Lorna. A gripping tale that takes some time to get going, but pulls the reader in soon thereafter.
Without a strong connection to Vick and her writing, it is somewhat difficult to judge the calibre of that which I have read. However, I find that first impressions usually go a long way for me and I can say that I came out of this reading experience with mixed feelings. I was interested in the premise of the novel from the outset and Vick is able to present it in such a way as to capture its essence, a struggle between one's gut reaction and the rules of the system. The array of characters Vick uses conveys a decent cross-section of those who might be involved, from abusive parents to detached school officials and an overbearing (caring?) educator who wants it all to work out for the best. While the plot is strong in its intentions, I felt it took a long time to really get moving, longer than I would have liked even to lay the groundwork for the departure from the primary residence itself. However, once things got moving, there was a wonderful undertone to the story and hints throughout as to what might be going on. Vick portrays Claire, Lorna, and Marianne in a wonderful fashion and leaves the reader to wonder if the gut reaction they are getting as the story progresses could actually be true. Vick layers on more drama and a few twists to keep the reader from guessing too much before letting everything fall into place at the perfect moment. Working in the Child Protection field myself, I enjoyed the perspective offered and can empathise with Claire on many accounts. An interesting novel that I think could work well and drawn many people to it, given the proper approach.
Kudos, Madam Vick for a great story and interesting portrayal. While I cannot put my finger on precisely what kept me from loving this book outrightly, I know there is much potential and I will keep my eyes peeled for your next work.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
December 28, 2016
Lorna Bell is 8 years old. Kids that age don't notice the dirty clothes, shoes that don't quite fit, uncombed hair and the bruises. But they do know a thief when they see one. Not everyone likes Lorna at all.
Claire Penny is a teacher. She's a truly good-hearted person who takes an interest in Lorna. Her feeling is that some kids need more loving and attention than others.
Lorna thrives on the attention ... she loves Miss Penny....wants to be with her all the time. She tells Miss Penny ... I'm not safe. Please help me.
And Miss Penny does something rash ......
Marianne Cairns bungles into their lives. Who is Marianne ..... why does she feel so comfortable in Miss Penny's home? Why does Lorna love "Auntie" Marianne? Why is Lorna acting up all of a sudden?
Claire has risked everything in order to 'save' Lorna.
This is a story of love and hate .... of lies and deceit .... of manipulation of the worst kind.
If you like psychological thrillers, you MUST read this one. To be honest, I didn't like any of the characters. But that's alright ... I think it was written that way. Who to like ..or dislike? Who to trust .. or be wary of? Who is telling the truth ... and who isn't? The book is quite suspenseful and the ending came as a surprise.
I wish to thank the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the Advanced Copy of this novel. The opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
Claire Penny is a teacher. She's a truly good-hearted person who takes an interest in Lorna. Her feeling is that some kids need more loving and attention than others.
Lorna thrives on the attention ... she loves Miss Penny....wants to be with her all the time. She tells Miss Penny ... I'm not safe. Please help me.
And Miss Penny does something rash ......
Marianne Cairns bungles into their lives. Who is Marianne ..... why does she feel so comfortable in Miss Penny's home? Why does Lorna love "Auntie" Marianne? Why is Lorna acting up all of a sudden?
Claire has risked everything in order to 'save' Lorna.
This is a story of love and hate .... of lies and deceit .... of manipulation of the worst kind.
If you like psychological thrillers, you MUST read this one. To be honest, I didn't like any of the characters. But that's alright ... I think it was written that way. Who to like ..or dislike? Who to trust .. or be wary of? Who is telling the truth ... and who isn't? The book is quite suspenseful and the ending came as a surprise.
I wish to thank the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the Advanced Copy of this novel. The opinion expressed here is unbiased and entirely my own.
February 16, 2017
Meh...
Not horrible, not great either. Predictable and at times pretty far fetched story line that took a LONGGGGG time to get to the heart of the plot.
The last 50 pages were the best for me, and while the ending seemed a bit rushed in comparison to the slow lead in, it was still satisfactory.
Not much to say about the actual plot, as the title sums it up perfectly!
ARC provided by NetGalley
Not horrible, not great either. Predictable and at times pretty far fetched story line that took a LONGGGGG time to get to the heart of the plot.
The last 50 pages were the best for me, and while the ending seemed a bit rushed in comparison to the slow lead in, it was still satisfactory.
Not much to say about the actual plot, as the title sums it up perfectly!
ARC provided by NetGalley
February 7, 2017
BAD LITTLE GIRL by Frances Vick is a psychological thriller dealing with the protection of a child. The title tells you everything. This is a dark story and one where I never knew which characters to trust…but I didn’t like any of them.
"I’m not safe – you have to help me…"
“Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.”
“As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe.”
But just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a stranger Marianne Cairns comes into their lives. Who is this woman and what does she want?
Claire has put everything on the line to protect Lorna. So many lies and manipulation.
I can say that I came out of this reading experience with mixed feelings. This is a gripping tale that takes some time to get going, and was very predictable. While the plot is strong in its purpose, I felt it took a long time to really get moving, longer than I would have liked. For the first half of the book we see Claire living her life, caring for her mother and watching Lorna. I would have liked the first half to be more concise and more time being spent on the latter half, flushing out Lorna’s character…how she controlled the two women in her life.
I wish to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the Advanced Copy of this novel.
"I’m not safe – you have to help me…"
“Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.”
“As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe.”
But just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a stranger Marianne Cairns comes into their lives. Who is this woman and what does she want?
Claire has put everything on the line to protect Lorna. So many lies and manipulation.
I can say that I came out of this reading experience with mixed feelings. This is a gripping tale that takes some time to get going, and was very predictable. While the plot is strong in its purpose, I felt it took a long time to really get moving, longer than I would have liked. For the first half of the book we see Claire living her life, caring for her mother and watching Lorna. I would have liked the first half to be more concise and more time being spent on the latter half, flushing out Lorna’s character…how she controlled the two women in her life.
I wish to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the Advanced Copy of this novel.
May 14, 2018
Absolutely riveting. I loved this! Well! This was an unexpected treasure. I knew a few pages in I'd be reading this book every waking moment I had. It had that special something.
Oh the plot! Holy moly. I love a twist and turn storyline with elements of light and shade. This book excels at that. Take one very caring (somewhat over-involved) teacher who has concerns about one of her students from a local housing estate. The girl is ostracised by here peers, has shoes that don't fit, seems neglected and damaged.
It's like a magnetic attraction these two finding each other. One day a terrible event changes everything - especially in their relationship and its psychological fun from there onwards. This book tackles emotional manipulation, nurture vs nature, dysfunctional people, lies, deception and power struggles.
Can this sweet little girl ever live an okay life? How is the teacher going to help her? All is revealed like the peeling back of an o ion. It's an amazing insight into human nature and the choices we make and why.
I'm not talking about the plot as the plot is what makes this novel such an exceptional book. It's disturbing one minute, warm the next, you will question what you are reading and your decisions on things. I love being in chatscter's heads and we get loads of that.
I fluctuated on feelings on many characters from anger to empathy, disgust to delight. It kept me on my toes and the grand finale is both satisfying and sad at the same time.
A top of the line psychological thriller that will engage the reader fully abs one of those books I simply loved to read. Escapism at its best. 5 stars!
This story went way beyond where I thought it would and even when I did finally work out what I believed Truth was I still had that niggly feeling a curve ball could come my way. I devoured this book every waking hour until finished. Don't miss this one in 2017!
I received an ARC of this book that's to the publisher bia NeGalley. All review opinions are entirely my own and unbiased. You get honest reviews with me.
Oh the plot! Holy moly. I love a twist and turn storyline with elements of light and shade. This book excels at that. Take one very caring (somewhat over-involved) teacher who has concerns about one of her students from a local housing estate. The girl is ostracised by here peers, has shoes that don't fit, seems neglected and damaged.
It's like a magnetic attraction these two finding each other. One day a terrible event changes everything - especially in their relationship and its psychological fun from there onwards. This book tackles emotional manipulation, nurture vs nature, dysfunctional people, lies, deception and power struggles.
Can this sweet little girl ever live an okay life? How is the teacher going to help her? All is revealed like the peeling back of an o ion. It's an amazing insight into human nature and the choices we make and why.
I'm not talking about the plot as the plot is what makes this novel such an exceptional book. It's disturbing one minute, warm the next, you will question what you are reading and your decisions on things. I love being in chatscter's heads and we get loads of that.
I fluctuated on feelings on many characters from anger to empathy, disgust to delight. It kept me on my toes and the grand finale is both satisfying and sad at the same time.
A top of the line psychological thriller that will engage the reader fully abs one of those books I simply loved to read. Escapism at its best. 5 stars!
This story went way beyond where I thought it would and even when I did finally work out what I believed Truth was I still had that niggly feeling a curve ball could come my way. I devoured this book every waking hour until finished. Don't miss this one in 2017!
I received an ARC of this book that's to the publisher bia NeGalley. All review opinions are entirely my own and unbiased. You get honest reviews with me.
March 16, 2020
Held my interest well enough. 3.5★'s
She had never experienced real darkness, until now.
There was no way to mark the time, and the cold seeped into her bones. Her fingers were numb. Sometimes she heard things.
Once, singing, faint, slow. A sudden, shrill laugh, a door slamming. Her thoughts leaned into one another, whispering; how long would she be here? Did they mean to kill her? There must be something here, something sharp, or rough at least. Something to cut through the plastic around her wrists. She crawled around, searching, in futile circles, but it was so dark, her hands were so cold, her fingers useless. She gave up and curled, crying, on the freezing floor.
********
Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick was interesting but for me it was just okay.
I had to suspend my believability for most of the story but given that it's fiction, I did try. Still... When I finished I was less than surprised by the conclusion which fell a bit flat for my taste.
The story was well written and did hold my interest enough to finish. I wouldn't be against giving Frances Vick another try.
She had never experienced real darkness, until now.
There was no way to mark the time, and the cold seeped into her bones. Her fingers were numb. Sometimes she heard things.
Once, singing, faint, slow. A sudden, shrill laugh, a door slamming. Her thoughts leaned into one another, whispering; how long would she be here? Did they mean to kill her? There must be something here, something sharp, or rough at least. Something to cut through the plastic around her wrists. She crawled around, searching, in futile circles, but it was so dark, her hands were so cold, her fingers useless. She gave up and curled, crying, on the freezing floor.
********
Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick was interesting but for me it was just okay.
I had to suspend my believability for most of the story but given that it's fiction, I did try. Still... When I finished I was less than surprised by the conclusion which fell a bit flat for my taste.
The story was well written and did hold my interest enough to finish. I wouldn't be against giving Frances Vick another try.
February 10, 2017
Oh dear. Where to begin with this one. I wanted to like it. I really did.
Lorna Bell is an unpopular child at school. Belonging to a notorious family, she doesn't fit in.
One of the teachers Claire Penny notices Lorna more and more being isolated. Claire believes every child should be nurtured and shown love and can't help but find herself coming to Lorna's aid on more than one occasion until they eventually build up a relationship.
Claire begins to notice Lorna appearing with bruises at school and looking disheveled. After some investigating she is convinced Lorna is being abused at home and decides she has to get her away from her home. Lorna agrees to leave with Penny for the coast to an old family holiday home. They hide out there until Penny can decide what to do. They have a chance meeting on the beach with Marianne Cairns, a woman who becomes heavily involved in their lives.
And so it goes on. What starts off as a relatively interesting story about a possibly abused or complete liar of a child and a teacher wanting to save her, soon turns into a frankly preposterous story about two women and a child in isolation after the teacher decides to run away with the child to save her.
The characters are incredibly irritating and dislikable. Not one of the three main characters could I have any empathy with or even any grudging respect for. They were just consistently irritating. Making non sensical decisions in a bizarre and totally unbelievable story, I really struggled to get through this one.
The first few chapters had my attention as there was a bit of intrigue but the first portion of the book dragged quite a lot and when the "escape" portion of the book kicked in the story totally lost me.
I don't want to be overly harsh on Bad Little Girl but if I'm being honest it's probably the worst book I have read in the last 12 months.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Frances Vick for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lorna Bell is an unpopular child at school. Belonging to a notorious family, she doesn't fit in.
One of the teachers Claire Penny notices Lorna more and more being isolated. Claire believes every child should be nurtured and shown love and can't help but find herself coming to Lorna's aid on more than one occasion until they eventually build up a relationship.
Claire begins to notice Lorna appearing with bruises at school and looking disheveled. After some investigating she is convinced Lorna is being abused at home and decides she has to get her away from her home. Lorna agrees to leave with Penny for the coast to an old family holiday home. They hide out there until Penny can decide what to do. They have a chance meeting on the beach with Marianne Cairns, a woman who becomes heavily involved in their lives.
And so it goes on. What starts off as a relatively interesting story about a possibly abused or complete liar of a child and a teacher wanting to save her, soon turns into a frankly preposterous story about two women and a child in isolation after the teacher decides to run away with the child to save her.
The characters are incredibly irritating and dislikable. Not one of the three main characters could I have any empathy with or even any grudging respect for. They were just consistently irritating. Making non sensical decisions in a bizarre and totally unbelievable story, I really struggled to get through this one.
The first few chapters had my attention as there was a bit of intrigue but the first portion of the book dragged quite a lot and when the "escape" portion of the book kicked in the story totally lost me.
I don't want to be overly harsh on Bad Little Girl but if I'm being honest it's probably the worst book I have read in the last 12 months.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Frances Vick for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2017
I got bored by this and packed it in at 17%. One day I read 4% and the next 3% so it's clear it wasn't as gripping as it promised to be.
There were a lot of teaching terms that were used or teaching organisations mentioned that she seemed to think we all knew but didn't, and it was irritating having to look them up. (SENCO for example). I've no idea what a statement is with regard to children, either. Or what all of a piece means.
She was at a loss, it seems to me, as to how you utilise a comma, as she missed them out a great deal, Mayor was written as mMayor, she mentions twice that her mum wasn't standing up straight then on the ensuing page she refers to her straight back and curveless figure. She also asks a parent to call on Monday. Yet the next day the parent called which was clearly wrong because the day before was a school day !!
THE most annoying thing were the instances of Claire saying "She's such a little girl". It drove me mad and when I read it for around the 10th time I gave in. It just didn't seem to get going for me.
There were a lot of teaching terms that were used or teaching organisations mentioned that she seemed to think we all knew but didn't, and it was irritating having to look them up. (SENCO for example). I've no idea what a statement is with regard to children, either. Or what all of a piece means.
She was at a loss, it seems to me, as to how you utilise a comma, as she missed them out a great deal, Mayor was written as mMayor, she mentions twice that her mum wasn't standing up straight then on the ensuing page she refers to her straight back and curveless figure. She also asks a parent to call on Monday. Yet the next day the parent called which was clearly wrong because the day before was a school day !!
THE most annoying thing were the instances of Claire saying "She's such a little girl". It drove me mad and when I read it for around the 10th time I gave in. It just didn't seem to get going for me.
February 12, 2017
3.5 stars. Little Lorna Bell lives on a run down estate with her notorious family. Nobody likes her. The school children call her a thief. Claire penny is a teacher whose kind hearted, takes an interest in Lorna. Claire thinks some children need a little more attention than others, and Lorna thrives on it. Then Lorna meets Marianne Cairns. There is something unsettling about Marianne.
I felt my skin crawl a few times reading this book. To me there was an underlying creepiness throughout. A bit slow to start with but when it picks up its pace, it maintains it for the rest of the book. An enjoyable read.q
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Frances Vick for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I felt my skin crawl a few times reading this book. To me there was an underlying creepiness throughout. A bit slow to start with but when it picks up its pace, it maintains it for the rest of the book. An enjoyable read.q
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Frances Vick for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2017
Caregivers are familiar with the triangle that represents the actors in an abusive relationship: the victim, the abuser, & the rescuer. What makes this figure intriguing and an excellent basis for a fictional plot is that the roles are interchangeable. All three can swap places with each other, & often the reader has to wait till the very end to find just who is which. Here we have Claire, a lonely middle-aged schoolteacher who becomes obsessed with ten y/o Lorna, obviously quite bright but from a highly dysfunctional family, who seems to acquire lots of bruises & is generally filthy & poorly dressed. But is she actually being abused? Believing she is, Claire runs off with her to Cornwall, expecting to find a safe & idyllic refuge in the off season. As they are en route, Claire hears on the radio that a fire has destroyed Lorna’s home & family. So Claire simply assumes the role of Lorna’s mother. The location proves much less enjoyable than anticipated, & Lorna a real handful. Then they meet another middle aged woman named Marianne with a mysterious past who claims to be from London & to have an arts background who encourages Lorna to want to be trained as a dancer. Claire keeps needing more & more drink & painkillers to function @ all, & Marianne takes over her role. Then the suspenseful part really gets going.
I think the publishers overstated the subtitle: It is hardly in the end “a BRILLIANT Twist” but rather one of a number of possible endings that will have occurred to any reader of this kind of story. I came up with a different one (one that Roald Dahl or Evelyn Waugh would probably have chosen & that is introduced by a character as a fake account of what occurred). But I think most readers will find the chosen ending satisfactory. Whilst I cannot imagine anyone reading this book twice, it leaves a lot to think about, especially about what boundaries teachers (& other caregivers) should observe. It become obvious that Claire is too deeply immeshed tho’ personally I sympathised with her attempt to be the rescuer, @ least in the early stages of the book. The general rule holds here tho’ - it is a very bad sign indeed when you have to hide what you are doing. But whether Claire, or Marianne, is just stupid or something much more sinister, you’ll have to find out for yourself. As you will whether you approve the characters’ fates. I also much appreciated, after slogging away with multiple characters on dual time lines, the simple straight narrative & concentration on three principal characters interacting with each other.
It’s not quite perfect for me @ the realistic level. I think a bright 10 y/o could concoct Lorna’s schemes, but it was hard to believe she would have either the physical strength or the concentration of mind to execute them. But they seem believable as they happen & should hold the reader’s attention to the end.
I think the publishers overstated the subtitle: It is hardly in the end “a BRILLIANT Twist” but rather one of a number of possible endings that will have occurred to any reader of this kind of story. I came up with a different one (one that Roald Dahl or Evelyn Waugh would probably have chosen & that is introduced by a character as a fake account of what occurred). But I think most readers will find the chosen ending satisfactory. Whilst I cannot imagine anyone reading this book twice, it leaves a lot to think about, especially about what boundaries teachers (& other caregivers) should observe. It become obvious that Claire is too deeply immeshed tho’ personally I sympathised with her attempt to be the rescuer, @ least in the early stages of the book. The general rule holds here tho’ - it is a very bad sign indeed when you have to hide what you are doing. But whether Claire, or Marianne, is just stupid or something much more sinister, you’ll have to find out for yourself. As you will whether you approve the characters’ fates. I also much appreciated, after slogging away with multiple characters on dual time lines, the simple straight narrative & concentration on three principal characters interacting with each other.
It’s not quite perfect for me @ the realistic level. I think a bright 10 y/o could concoct Lorna’s schemes, but it was hard to believe she would have either the physical strength or the concentration of mind to execute them. But they seem believable as they happen & should hold the reader’s attention to the end.
February 21, 2017
Bad Little Girl, the newest Bookouture suspense by Frances Vick, was unputdownable. I don’t often agree with books that align themselves with Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, but for this book, I’d have to make an exception. From the unreliable characters to the fast-paced plot, this one had my eyes glued to the pages. Bad Little Girl was undeniably addicting.
From the first pages, I felt a connection to the protagonist, Claire. Vick does an amazing job at making her extremely relatable. As a teacher, I was able to understand Claire's plight. As she continuously tries to do the right thing for Lorna, tensions rose and I found myself filled with anxiety and anger. I felt Claire’s desperation and watched the story unfold in horror. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but trust me, there are a few characters in this story that you will love to hate.
My only complaint and it was a small complaint, was that the passing of time was not always clearly noted throughout the chapters. There were sometimes some significant jumps in time that I found hard to follow.
Overall, I’d have to give this one a 5/5 stars based on the entertainment value alone. Looks like another home run for Bookouture.
From the first pages, I felt a connection to the protagonist, Claire. Vick does an amazing job at making her extremely relatable. As a teacher, I was able to understand Claire's plight. As she continuously tries to do the right thing for Lorna, tensions rose and I found myself filled with anxiety and anger. I felt Claire’s desperation and watched the story unfold in horror. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but trust me, there are a few characters in this story that you will love to hate.
My only complaint and it was a small complaint, was that the passing of time was not always clearly noted throughout the chapters. There were sometimes some significant jumps in time that I found hard to follow.
Overall, I’d have to give this one a 5/5 stars based on the entertainment value alone. Looks like another home run for Bookouture.
February 28, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
This wasn’t a typical psychological thriller (I mean that as a compliment) it went much deeper and darker than most psychological thrillers that I’ve read before. It had a calmer sense of intensity that may have even unsettled me more than a super fast paced read.
This is a book that I would describe as slow burning, the first half is setting the stage for what’s ahead and Vick spends a lot of time developing the characters of Lorna and Claire. Lorna is just five years old when it begins and Claire is a teacher at her school. Lorna seems to be neglected and possibly abused, and Claire is the kind of woman and teacher that just can’t stand for that. Over the years, they develop a bond, maybe even the type that’s inappropriate, but Claire’s intentions are good. I’m not really going to be discussing the plot much further, but I found their relationship to be both fascinating and disturbing.
Doubt was the overwhelming feeling I had while reading this, I doubted Lorna and questioned her intentions, I questioned Claire and her motivations, it was a highly unsettling read and one that left me feeling unsure, but that sort of feeling is exactly one of the reasons I love psychological thrillers so much. This read like a deep character study, it had intellectual depth and both Claire and Lorna were so well developed and multilayered. There was the always one big question in the back of my mind, are people born bad or good? Or does how we are raised a factor? I’m not sure I can answer that, but this book will definitely give you loads to ponder.
This wasn’t a typical psychological thriller (I mean that as a compliment) it went much deeper and darker than most psychological thrillers that I’ve read before. It had a calmer sense of intensity that may have even unsettled me more than a super fast paced read.
This is a book that I would describe as slow burning, the first half is setting the stage for what’s ahead and Vick spends a lot of time developing the characters of Lorna and Claire. Lorna is just five years old when it begins and Claire is a teacher at her school. Lorna seems to be neglected and possibly abused, and Claire is the kind of woman and teacher that just can’t stand for that. Over the years, they develop a bond, maybe even the type that’s inappropriate, but Claire’s intentions are good. I’m not really going to be discussing the plot much further, but I found their relationship to be both fascinating and disturbing.
Doubt was the overwhelming feeling I had while reading this, I doubted Lorna and questioned her intentions, I questioned Claire and her motivations, it was a highly unsettling read and one that left me feeling unsure, but that sort of feeling is exactly one of the reasons I love psychological thrillers so much. This read like a deep character study, it had intellectual depth and both Claire and Lorna were so well developed and multilayered. There was the always one big question in the back of my mind, are people born bad or good? Or does how we are raised a factor? I’m not sure I can answer that, but this book will definitely give you loads to ponder.
June 26, 2022
An interesting poignant read.
Writing is good but the pace is far too slow. I really wanted the author to rev the pace more, a lot more.
It took ages to get there.
I didn’t know who to trust in this book, non of the characters were very warming and I though that some things were unrealistic and taken to extreme.
Once I acknowledged that however and told myself these are my reactions I did enjoy the story more.
I’d try another of this authors books and see what else she comes up with though.
Writing is good but the pace is far too slow. I really wanted the author to rev the pace more, a lot more.
It took ages to get there.
I didn’t know who to trust in this book, non of the characters were very warming and I though that some things were unrealistic and taken to extreme.
Once I acknowledged that however and told myself these are my reactions I did enjoy the story more.
I’d try another of this authors books and see what else she comes up with though.
February 24, 2017
After reading the description for this book I knew I had to read it.
Claire is a teacher who really cares about her pupils. She actually seems to be the only one that does to be fair. I think in todays society people would still rather turn a blind eye to what is in front of them than get involved. She isn’t married and doesn’t have any children of her own and to be honest I felt quite sorry for her.
Lorna is quite a complex child. She seems to be in trouble quite often and is a bit of a loner. She is someone else I felt sorry for as you can tell she is being somewhat neglected in her home life and you could easily understand the fascination that Claire starts to have with her. Claire keeps her eye on her at school and as her fears seem to be falling on death ears, she takes matter into her own hands.
The book claims to have a brilliant twist, to be totally honest I thought it was quite obvious quite early on where the story was going so wasn’t as surprised as I was hoping to be. Not sure if it’s because I read so much of this genre or I’m just getting as twisted as whats inside the pages! That didn’t spoil the story though as to be fair the star of this book is Lorna. She easily steals the limelight from Claire who I found to be quite weak and who started to irk me the further into the story I got.
Bad Little Girl is without a doubt a page turner of a read. It has the reader feeling a mixture of emotions as well as being quite thought provoking. Whilst it didn’t shock me it was still very much an entertaining and gripping read and would certainly recommend it.
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Claire is a teacher who really cares about her pupils. She actually seems to be the only one that does to be fair. I think in todays society people would still rather turn a blind eye to what is in front of them than get involved. She isn’t married and doesn’t have any children of her own and to be honest I felt quite sorry for her.
Lorna is quite a complex child. She seems to be in trouble quite often and is a bit of a loner. She is someone else I felt sorry for as you can tell she is being somewhat neglected in her home life and you could easily understand the fascination that Claire starts to have with her. Claire keeps her eye on her at school and as her fears seem to be falling on death ears, she takes matter into her own hands.
The book claims to have a brilliant twist, to be totally honest I thought it was quite obvious quite early on where the story was going so wasn’t as surprised as I was hoping to be. Not sure if it’s because I read so much of this genre or I’m just getting as twisted as whats inside the pages! That didn’t spoil the story though as to be fair the star of this book is Lorna. She easily steals the limelight from Claire who I found to be quite weak and who started to irk me the further into the story I got.
Bad Little Girl is without a doubt a page turner of a read. It has the reader feeling a mixture of emotions as well as being quite thought provoking. Whilst it didn’t shock me it was still very much an entertaining and gripping read and would certainly recommend it.
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
December 27, 2016
Thrilling. Tense. Beautifully written. This book was a page turner from start to finish. Really liked Claire and absolutely got where she was coming from. What makes this book immensely scary is how terrifyingly real it is. Brilliant book. Fabulous author. Looking forward to reading more of her books.
February 6, 2017
All my reviews can be found at: www.thebuzzingbookmark.com
I have slightly mixed feelings about this one. I felt that the plot had a lot of potential but failed to deliver fully. The book is on the long side and I felt that it dragged at times. The first half seemed overly descriptive, going into detail about Claire's home life, her teaching and her relationship with her mother, none of which really contributed to the story in any meaningful way. From there the story jumps forward by a year and starts to become slightly implausible. Without giving anything away, the decision to rescue Lorna and the introduction of the character Marrianne, who suddenly becomes such an integral part of Claire's life, seemed to me to be a tad far fetched. The story also seems a little rushed towards the end. At the end of the day, I did like the concept of this book. And it did entertain me somewhat, even though I found it longer than perhaps it needed to be. Ideally, I would have liked the story to move a little faster and for Marrianne to have had a more believable relationship with Claire and Lorna. For these reasons I'm finding it difficult to award more than 2 stars. I really wanted to love this book but it didn't deliver for me. But you should note that this book gets some great reviews and my opinion is in the minority.
My thanks to author Frances Vick, Bookouture publishers and Netgalley for my review copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
I have slightly mixed feelings about this one. I felt that the plot had a lot of potential but failed to deliver fully. The book is on the long side and I felt that it dragged at times. The first half seemed overly descriptive, going into detail about Claire's home life, her teaching and her relationship with her mother, none of which really contributed to the story in any meaningful way. From there the story jumps forward by a year and starts to become slightly implausible. Without giving anything away, the decision to rescue Lorna and the introduction of the character Marrianne, who suddenly becomes such an integral part of Claire's life, seemed to me to be a tad far fetched. The story also seems a little rushed towards the end. At the end of the day, I did like the concept of this book. And it did entertain me somewhat, even though I found it longer than perhaps it needed to be. Ideally, I would have liked the story to move a little faster and for Marrianne to have had a more believable relationship with Claire and Lorna. For these reasons I'm finding it difficult to award more than 2 stars. I really wanted to love this book but it didn't deliver for me. But you should note that this book gets some great reviews and my opinion is in the minority.
My thanks to author Frances Vick, Bookouture publishers and Netgalley for my review copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.
December 30, 2016
*Received a copy from Netgalley*
There's an overall feeling of creepiness and darkness to this story. I never knew which characters to trust and, honestly, didn't really like any of them. Thank goodness you don't have to like the characters to enjoy the book. The story starts off slowly and then moves at a good pace.
Claire- devoted, caring teacher or... crazy.
Lorna- sweet, loving, abused child or... monster.
Marianne- helpful stranger or... crazy.
These are the main characters and while my opinion of them changed many times throughout the story, I feel that this is what made the story strong. You just don't know! I guessed some of the plot, but definitely not all of it and the ending was a surprise, almost a bit of a cliffhanger.
There were a few little inconsistencies, nothing that really made me want to stop reading and I certainly didn't agree with many of Claire's choices but I did want to turn the pages and find out how it would all end.
At times, the loneliness and darkness of the story made me take a break from reading. This was more so because I was so immersed in the story that I needed to get back to the real world for a while. A mark of a great book in my mind. I would definitely recommend this novel to others.
There's an overall feeling of creepiness and darkness to this story. I never knew which characters to trust and, honestly, didn't really like any of them. Thank goodness you don't have to like the characters to enjoy the book. The story starts off slowly and then moves at a good pace.
Claire- devoted, caring teacher or... crazy.
Lorna- sweet, loving, abused child or... monster.
Marianne- helpful stranger or... crazy.
These are the main characters and while my opinion of them changed many times throughout the story, I feel that this is what made the story strong. You just don't know! I guessed some of the plot, but definitely not all of it and the ending was a surprise, almost a bit of a cliffhanger.
There were a few little inconsistencies, nothing that really made me want to stop reading and I certainly didn't agree with many of Claire's choices but I did want to turn the pages and find out how it would all end.
At times, the loneliness and darkness of the story made me take a break from reading. This was more so because I was so immersed in the story that I needed to get back to the real world for a while. A mark of a great book in my mind. I would definitely recommend this novel to others.
June 14, 2017
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Claire Penny loves her job as a teacher, and is proud to be the teacher that the children remember even as adults. Five year old Lorna Bell is from a poor family, she is neglected and comes into school wearing a scruffy school uniform. One day Lorna steals something from a classmate, when the other children find out, Lorna is devastated when she ostracized further. Claire calls Nikki, Lorna's mum who slaps Lorna in the playground.
A year later Lorna mentions she has been sexually abused at home. When Claire calls Nikki into school. Nikki says it is not true and Lorna lies to cause problems. Lorna tells the headmaster but he is unwilling to act without more evidence.
When Claire's mother dies after a short battle with cancer, Lorna starts to visit Claire at home and they become closer. When Claire sees Lorna being beaten by her stepfather she promises to help Lorna.
This book was cleverly crafted with just enough clues that suggested Lorna was not what she appeared to be. In the second half of this book Claire and Lorna makes friends with Marienne who they met on the beach. Pretty soon Marienne moves in with them and they become a little family of sorts.
This book was scary, Lorna was a real devil child. The only thing that spoiled my enjoyment was the Marianne storyline which was far fetched. I think this book would of been better if it was Claire alone with Lorna in the countryside. I look forward to Frances Buck's next book.
Claire Penny loves her job as a teacher, and is proud to be the teacher that the children remember even as adults. Five year old Lorna Bell is from a poor family, she is neglected and comes into school wearing a scruffy school uniform. One day Lorna steals something from a classmate, when the other children find out, Lorna is devastated when she ostracized further. Claire calls Nikki, Lorna's mum who slaps Lorna in the playground.
A year later Lorna mentions she has been sexually abused at home. When Claire calls Nikki into school. Nikki says it is not true and Lorna lies to cause problems. Lorna tells the headmaster but he is unwilling to act without more evidence.
When Claire's mother dies after a short battle with cancer, Lorna starts to visit Claire at home and they become closer. When Claire sees Lorna being beaten by her stepfather she promises to help Lorna.
This book was cleverly crafted with just enough clues that suggested Lorna was not what she appeared to be. In the second half of this book Claire and Lorna makes friends with Marienne who they met on the beach. Pretty soon Marienne moves in with them and they become a little family of sorts.
This book was scary, Lorna was a real devil child. The only thing that spoiled my enjoyment was the Marianne storyline which was far fetched. I think this book would of been better if it was Claire alone with Lorna in the countryside. I look forward to Frances Buck's next book.
June 30, 2017
So yeah... I finished...
Bad little girl was a psychological thriller about a little girl (Lorna) and a teacher of her school (Claire).
It was a book where the limits of sympathy and help are complicated by the way of empathy and wrong conclusions.
It was a strong story and sometimes I wanted to scream from the crueliness and the craziness of the characters.
The teacher clearly had issues of her own... She was weak and miserable with low selfesteem .... so and Marriane but they were as guilty as Lorna on this.
Synopsis ...
The story was interesting, the psychological tricks were interesting, the chapters in the begining was too much... in the middle more less and in the end too few...
It was a quite good psychological thriller but it could be much better.
Bad little girl was a psychological thriller about a little girl (Lorna) and a teacher of her school (Claire).
It was a book where the limits of sympathy and help are complicated by the way of empathy and wrong conclusions.
It was a strong story and sometimes I wanted to scream from the crueliness and the craziness of the characters.
The teacher clearly had issues of her own... She was weak and miserable with low selfesteem .... so and Marriane but they were as guilty as Lorna on this.
Synopsis ...
The story was interesting, the psychological tricks were interesting, the chapters in the begining was too much... in the middle more less and in the end too few...
It was a quite good psychological thriller but it could be much better.
February 6, 2017
4.5 Stars
Due to the nature of this book, I spent a fair amount of time during the first half of the story utterly annoyed as to what I was reading. I was trying to work out just what was being conveyed could ever happen, and having done safeguarding children workshops, I was shocked at some of Claire's dialogue and behaviour.
Unless I am mis-remembering what I've learnt in the past, about how to handle potential disclosures and child protection issues, there is a fair amount of what Claire said to Lorna Bell at various stages that would be wrong. Of course some of her actions are incredibly questionable to, but I do appreciate this is a work of fiction and thus some liberties can be taken with real life situations.
Yet despite of my frustrations, I found I wanted to know how the story ended, I didn't see the twist mentioned on the cover of the book, coming, nor the exact nature of it, and as far as I'm concerned a book that is keeping me reading to the end, and that I have such strong opinions about some of the content of, is clearly a well written book, and could be in fact expected to divide opinions.
It took a while for me as a reader, to work out the true natures of some of the characters, so its no surprise it took them longer to size each other up. I had some suspicions the whole way through to various aspects, and none of those particularly surprised me.
What did take me be surprise were my feelings towards Lorna Bell. She when we first meet her, is a five year old child in a playground, but she is from a family with a bad reputation, so it isn't before long that the other children can see her as different. At times I really felt sorry for the child, and at others as she grow up I started to suspect she was a lot more cunning then she appeared.
Claire on the other hand is the soft hearted teacher who has been at the school for many years. She takes pastoral care perhaps more seriously than teaching her own class anything, and it's clear she has taken a shine to Lorna. At a time where Claire is feeling low, the pair's "friendship" as it is, seems to be mutually beneficial, but how staged is it and by who.
The addition of a third main person for the second half of the story is where it started to get even more interesting, and I loved seeing how all the dynamics kept shifting around, between the main characters.
There is a sense of danger in the story throughout, which is what I always tend to associate with psychological thrillers, and on the whole I was incredibly intrigued to find out exactly what happened. Bad Little Girl is a cleverly crafted story, that had me fairly gripped throughout.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Due to the nature of this book, I spent a fair amount of time during the first half of the story utterly annoyed as to what I was reading. I was trying to work out just what was being conveyed could ever happen, and having done safeguarding children workshops, I was shocked at some of Claire's dialogue and behaviour.
Unless I am mis-remembering what I've learnt in the past, about how to handle potential disclosures and child protection issues, there is a fair amount of what Claire said to Lorna Bell at various stages that would be wrong. Of course some of her actions are incredibly questionable to, but I do appreciate this is a work of fiction and thus some liberties can be taken with real life situations.
Yet despite of my frustrations, I found I wanted to know how the story ended, I didn't see the twist mentioned on the cover of the book, coming, nor the exact nature of it, and as far as I'm concerned a book that is keeping me reading to the end, and that I have such strong opinions about some of the content of, is clearly a well written book, and could be in fact expected to divide opinions.
It took a while for me as a reader, to work out the true natures of some of the characters, so its no surprise it took them longer to size each other up. I had some suspicions the whole way through to various aspects, and none of those particularly surprised me.
What did take me be surprise were my feelings towards Lorna Bell. She when we first meet her, is a five year old child in a playground, but she is from a family with a bad reputation, so it isn't before long that the other children can see her as different. At times I really felt sorry for the child, and at others as she grow up I started to suspect she was a lot more cunning then she appeared.
Claire on the other hand is the soft hearted teacher who has been at the school for many years. She takes pastoral care perhaps more seriously than teaching her own class anything, and it's clear she has taken a shine to Lorna. At a time where Claire is feeling low, the pair's "friendship" as it is, seems to be mutually beneficial, but how staged is it and by who.
The addition of a third main person for the second half of the story is where it started to get even more interesting, and I loved seeing how all the dynamics kept shifting around, between the main characters.
There is a sense of danger in the story throughout, which is what I always tend to associate with psychological thrillers, and on the whole I was incredibly intrigued to find out exactly what happened. Bad Little Girl is a cleverly crafted story, that had me fairly gripped throughout.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
February 26, 2017
Ooooo I love a book that tests the nature vs nurture theory. Anyone who has read my reviews and knows my taste in psychological thrillers will appreciate that it’s a HUGE fascination for me, debating whether or not evil is born within some people or whether their circumstances and upbringing mould the adult we eventually become. Just don’t ask which I believe in the most as I still unfortunately don’t have all the answers! But having had twins who have been brought up the same way living in the same environment and who are VERY different in personality I have to say I am veering towards the “born bad” tag!
Which leads us to Lorna Bell. Lorna has been born into a notorious family on a rundown estate, she stands out at school with her messy hair and unclean appearance. But teacher Claire feels sorry for her as she has a soft spot for Lorna, who picks up on this very quickly as children do. Now working in a school I know the processes that should be in place for circumstances like this and Claire was WAY off the mark in her actions! I know that we can have soft spots for certain children but professionalism is always the order of the day so I had absolutely no sympathy for Claire when it lead to what happened next! I did feel for poor 5 year old Lorna at first but as the book progressed I started to wonder whether there were some psychopathic tendencies there! We are kept wondering throughout the slower first half of the book where we see Lorna and Claire’s obsession with each other increase until suddenly Marianne is thrown into the mix! And that’s when the action starts heating up and preconceptions about our main characters are thrown into array. As the book reaches its climax, there are some distressing situations for Claire but it’s up to the reader to decide where their sympathies lie.
Frances Vick has taken some very damaged individuals and weaved a twisted tale around their journey to the happiness they believe they deserve. It throws up some moral dilemmas that leave you thinking “what would I have done?” Sometimes difficult to read but nevertheless compelling, this is a creepy and disturbing thriller that you will devour in one goosebumpy session.
Thanks to Kim at Bookouture for my review copy of Bad Little Girl.
Which leads us to Lorna Bell. Lorna has been born into a notorious family on a rundown estate, she stands out at school with her messy hair and unclean appearance. But teacher Claire feels sorry for her as she has a soft spot for Lorna, who picks up on this very quickly as children do. Now working in a school I know the processes that should be in place for circumstances like this and Claire was WAY off the mark in her actions! I know that we can have soft spots for certain children but professionalism is always the order of the day so I had absolutely no sympathy for Claire when it lead to what happened next! I did feel for poor 5 year old Lorna at first but as the book progressed I started to wonder whether there were some psychopathic tendencies there! We are kept wondering throughout the slower first half of the book where we see Lorna and Claire’s obsession with each other increase until suddenly Marianne is thrown into the mix! And that’s when the action starts heating up and preconceptions about our main characters are thrown into array. As the book reaches its climax, there are some distressing situations for Claire but it’s up to the reader to decide where their sympathies lie.
Frances Vick has taken some very damaged individuals and weaved a twisted tale around their journey to the happiness they believe they deserve. It throws up some moral dilemmas that leave you thinking “what would I have done?” Sometimes difficult to read but nevertheless compelling, this is a creepy and disturbing thriller that you will devour in one goosebumpy session.
Thanks to Kim at Bookouture for my review copy of Bad Little Girl.
June 12, 2017
Another good British thriller! Very good narration. I like how the reader is totally aware of what's going on but the main character is totally in the dark. You want to jump in the book and tell her to RUN!!!! 4 stars.
March 22, 2018
No major twists or surprises in my opinion, but it was still a great story. I find it hard to believe a teacher would allow herself to be manipulated like that, but I still enjoyed the story. It’s dark and you hate to think about any child being capable of such things, but the author sucks you in and has you on the edge of your seat.
February 26, 2017
BAD LITTLE GIRL by Frances Vick is a twisty suspense of lies and manipulation, with a cast of unreliable characters.
Loran Bell was such a happy little girl with a wide smile. She was just a normal, sweet little girl- friendly, open confident.
Claire Penny is a teacher. She cared about her students. She noticed things. She was loved. When she sees the way Lorna is treated, she wants to come to her rescue. She could see Loran was shorter and thinner than most of her friends, and at first, she had not gotten into trouble.
She evidently comes from a bad and troubled family. The poor little thing thought Claire. She would be extra nice to her. The girl just does not fit in.
Claire seems to care too much, she has been told. Shouldn’t mothers and teachers protect the kids from the darkness? There has to be that person, that one woman who makes all the difference.
Lorna is complex.
Claire wonders if this is a potential child protection issue? Was there something bad going on at home? If she goes to the authorities or social services will this make it worse for Claire? Can she take her away from the abuse?
Is everything is as it appears?
Is Lorna really bad? Then Marianne Cairns, forty-eight, a teaching assistant in secondary schools in the Bristol area. Things become wacky, wicked . . . and the story becomes crazy.
Not a fan of this one and never really hooked me- very long and drawn out. Would not classify as a page-turner, unless you are rushing for it to end, as I was.
I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Katherine Manners had the most annoying voice (worst ever). While some may find BAD LITTLE GIRL, entertaining— it was not for me. No likable characters here and unsure why all the hype. Unfortunately, unable to recommend.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Loran Bell was such a happy little girl with a wide smile. She was just a normal, sweet little girl- friendly, open confident.
Claire Penny is a teacher. She cared about her students. She noticed things. She was loved. When she sees the way Lorna is treated, she wants to come to her rescue. She could see Loran was shorter and thinner than most of her friends, and at first, she had not gotten into trouble.
She evidently comes from a bad and troubled family. The poor little thing thought Claire. She would be extra nice to her. The girl just does not fit in.
Claire seems to care too much, she has been told. Shouldn’t mothers and teachers protect the kids from the darkness? There has to be that person, that one woman who makes all the difference.
Lorna is complex.
Claire wonders if this is a potential child protection issue? Was there something bad going on at home? If she goes to the authorities or social services will this make it worse for Claire? Can she take her away from the abuse?
Is everything is as it appears?
Is Lorna really bad? Then Marianne Cairns, forty-eight, a teaching assistant in secondary schools in the Bristol area. Things become wacky, wicked . . . and the story becomes crazy.
Not a fan of this one and never really hooked me- very long and drawn out. Would not classify as a page-turner, unless you are rushing for it to end, as I was.
I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Katherine Manners had the most annoying voice (worst ever). While some may find BAD LITTLE GIRL, entertaining— it was not for me. No likable characters here and unsure why all the hype. Unfortunately, unable to recommend.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2017
Didnt do it for me Im afraid, Its not a bad book but its not a great book either. I found it very slow going, predictable and far fetched, Im not one to let that bother me normally but some of the decisions made by the characters really irritated me. The story took so long to get going that once it did I had lost any feelings, Good or bad that I may have had for the characters or storyline.
Im not really sure why we had so much of the life of Claire Penny and her mother at the beginning of the book it added very little to the story and made it drag on a bit, it didnt give me that need too read feeling and consequently became a chore rather than a pleasure.
January 7, 2017
You have to read it to believe it. Really, this was my first book of 2017 and I am so glad I read it. This is one of those stories that will make you doubt everything you think you know. You never know who to believe or what is going to happen next, and you can feel something for each of the characters.
This book took me by surprise, completely. I like mysteries, but it is rare that I find one that is impossible to figure out. This book deals with many different themes, including loneliness, abuse, neglect, love and friendship and handles each of them with dignity.
The author's writing is not only clear and concise, but also feels personal. You can tell that she cares about the story she is telling. If you haven't had the chance to read this book yet, I recommend that you do so. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a complementary copy. All opinions are my own.
This book took me by surprise, completely. I like mysteries, but it is rare that I find one that is impossible to figure out. This book deals with many different themes, including loneliness, abuse, neglect, love and friendship and handles each of them with dignity.
The author's writing is not only clear and concise, but also feels personal. You can tell that she cares about the story she is telling. If you haven't had the chance to read this book yet, I recommend that you do so. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a complementary copy. All opinions are my own.
January 31, 2017
Bad Little Girl is a brilliantly crafted read with well-written characters, page-turning plot and some interesting issues raised. The characters were captivating, if not always likeable but always real.
I found myself awake in the middle of the night trying to work out how it would all end. A book I will not forget in a hurry, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases from Frances Vick.
I found myself awake in the middle of the night trying to work out how it would all end. A book I will not forget in a hurry, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases from Frances Vick.
March 24, 2017
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture.
Everyone, even her parents, says Lorna Bell is a bad little girl. But when a child tells you someone is abusing her, you have to believe her, no matter what. Because a little girl would never lie about something so terrible. Would she?
Bad Little Girl is a dark psychological thriller that will leave you feeling horrified at how truly evil someone can be, and how far they are willing to go in order to get what they want.
There were several things I liked about this novel. The story is much different from anything I’ve read in a while, with strong characters and vividly written throughout. I could easily picture everything in my mind as I read; even as I write this review more than a month later, I can still ‘see’ several scenes that played out in the story.
The one thing I was disappointed with, and what ultimately led me to give a three star rating rather than a four star rating, was being able to figure out a few key things in the story long before it was ultimately revealed near the end of the novel. I’m still torn on whether or not it’s fair to give it the lower rating, but I’ll leave it as that’s how I rated it immediately after I finished it.
Rating uncertainties aside, Frances Vick is definitely a worthy addition to my Author Radar. I’ll be on the lookout for more of her work!
Everyone, even her parents, says Lorna Bell is a bad little girl. But when a child tells you someone is abusing her, you have to believe her, no matter what. Because a little girl would never lie about something so terrible. Would she?
Bad Little Girl is a dark psychological thriller that will leave you feeling horrified at how truly evil someone can be, and how far they are willing to go in order to get what they want.
There were several things I liked about this novel. The story is much different from anything I’ve read in a while, with strong characters and vividly written throughout. I could easily picture everything in my mind as I read; even as I write this review more than a month later, I can still ‘see’ several scenes that played out in the story.
The one thing I was disappointed with, and what ultimately led me to give a three star rating rather than a four star rating, was being able to figure out a few key things in the story long before it was ultimately revealed near the end of the novel. I’m still torn on whether or not it’s fair to give it the lower rating, but I’ll leave it as that’s how I rated it immediately after I finished it.
Rating uncertainties aside, Frances Vick is definitely a worthy addition to my Author Radar. I’ll be on the lookout for more of her work!
February 25, 2017
Full review to come but I would highly recommended this novel it as a main character that nearly everyone can relate to and I was so in grossed in the plot I missed my train truly amazing book can't recommend enough did not see that twist coming awesome
November 26, 2017
Oh My Days.....What a Book!
Frances Vik took me right back to my school days with this story, Where we first meet Claire and Lorna. There is always that one really nice teacher isn't there? In this story it is Claire Penny teacher of Lorna Bell. Claire notices that Lorna needs new school shoes and her hair is matted. Then things get worse when she notices Lorna's bruises and to tries to uncover the story behind them. while their friendship grows Claire protects Lorna by keeping her out of arms way until Marianne enters their lives and things take another turn.
I was totally captivated by this story that I ended up burning my tea LOL I cannot begin to tell you what an engrossing read this is. From the start I had no idea where the story was going I couldn't put it down. and found myself finishing it in no time at all.
The author certainly knows how to keep you on tender hooks that's for sure. This is full of twists and turns and I will admit that I worked a out but never the less I just had to keep reading to see if I had guessed correctly. But OMG the second part of the story took a turn that I didn't see coming at all, which totally turned things round what a roller coaster ride I was taken on.
I loved Claire even though she could be a little to nice at times. And Lorna well to start with I felt really sorry for her but has the story unfolds her spoiled brat side started to shine through and she did really start to get on my nerves.
What more can I say but this book will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a must read for Psychological thriller fans, which I highly recommend giving it 5 massive stars.
Frances Vik took me right back to my school days with this story, Where we first meet Claire and Lorna. There is always that one really nice teacher isn't there? In this story it is Claire Penny teacher of Lorna Bell. Claire notices that Lorna needs new school shoes and her hair is matted. Then things get worse when she notices Lorna's bruises and to tries to uncover the story behind them. while their friendship grows Claire protects Lorna by keeping her out of arms way until Marianne enters their lives and things take another turn.
I was totally captivated by this story that I ended up burning my tea LOL I cannot begin to tell you what an engrossing read this is. From the start I had no idea where the story was going I couldn't put it down. and found myself finishing it in no time at all.
The author certainly knows how to keep you on tender hooks that's for sure. This is full of twists and turns and I will admit that I worked a out but never the less I just had to keep reading to see if I had guessed correctly. But OMG the second part of the story took a turn that I didn't see coming at all, which totally turned things round what a roller coaster ride I was taken on.
I loved Claire even though she could be a little to nice at times. And Lorna well to start with I felt really sorry for her but has the story unfolds her spoiled brat side started to shine through and she did really start to get on my nerves.
What more can I say but this book will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a must read for Psychological thriller fans, which I highly recommend giving it 5 massive stars.
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