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The Girl at the Border: A Novel
“This wonderful debut is a thought-provoking thriller and a beautifully written examination of a woman’s journey toward identity. The Girl at the Border defies and exceeds expectations.” ―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead. Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections―and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own. Born Laurel Springfield, Angela now spends her days digging up the origins of a lost civilization while struggling to keep her own past buried. But will the search for Bella expose Angela’s carefully disguised identity―and will she find Bella before she’s lost forever?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
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2973 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
September 19, 2019
This book has no idea what it wants to be, it starts as an action-adventure novel, with the setting an archaeological dig in Crete, then everything moves to the States where it moves from a murder and missing persons mystery to a social commentary. The time jumps without warning, and moving from person to person just make it all the more disjointed and confusing to the reader. It starts really well, but about halfway through I started to find myself becoming more and more confused and less and less interested. This book definitely had potential, but the author has tried to do too much and it has ended up an awkward mismatch of genres. My verdict: Don't Bother!
December 1, 2018
Confused
If I could go back and choose another book for my Kindle First I would. It was presented as suspense, although there was no suspense. It was a very dark read, about a young girl left with her psychotic mother while her father is on a archeological dig in Crete. The girl goes missing, the father dies, his assistant looks for the girl. The assistant has her own back story, but I didn't think it lent much to the book.
No spoilers here, you can read it for your own take on the book- I did not like it, but you might. The author writes well, I just could not get into the story.
If I could go back and choose another book for my Kindle First I would. It was presented as suspense, although there was no suspense. It was a very dark read, about a young girl left with her psychotic mother while her father is on a archeological dig in Crete. The girl goes missing, the father dies, his assistant looks for the girl. The assistant has her own back story, but I didn't think it lent much to the book.
No spoilers here, you can read it for your own take on the book- I did not like it, but you might. The author writes well, I just could not get into the story.
December 13, 2018
A cluttered mess of a book. It started out well with the archaeological dig in Crete and I was enjoying the characters and the story. Then it took a weird turn and moved to the US and became about ISIS and anti-Muslim sentiment after 9/11. There were time jumps with no warning that made this book a confusing mess because the narrator would also change. I don't recommend this book at all. I'm glad I got it for free?
December 3, 2018
This was just incredibly dull. I made it to 47% and I couldn't bear to go on, so I skipped to the last part of the book just to see how it ended.
Almost every chapter had time jumps...sometimes 4-5 in a single chapter. Angela is the central character, on the run from her past, and she becomes obsessed (which I found creepy) with Richard, and by extension, his missing daughter.
This was presented as a suspense novel, but is listed at Amazon under "Terrorism Thrillers". No part of the synopsis I read seemed to suggest terrorism.
The ending seemed like it was ripped off from the tv show "24" and then went too far the other way to unbelievable happily ever after stuff.
*Kindle First Pick
Almost every chapter had time jumps...sometimes 4-5 in a single chapter. Angela is the central character, on the run from her past, and she becomes obsessed (which I found creepy) with Richard, and by extension, his missing daughter.
This was presented as a suspense novel, but is listed at Amazon under "Terrorism Thrillers". No part of the synopsis I read seemed to suggest terrorism.
The ending seemed like it was ripped off from the tv show "24" and then went too far the other way to unbelievable happily ever after stuff.
*Kindle First Pick
December 4, 2018
Such a disappointing read and one that I cannot justify awarding more than one star to. The blurb made this novel seem really interesting – an archaeological thriller following several lives. However, this was a novel of cluttered genres that had too many ambiguous flashbacks, leaving me muddled, uninterested and mightily confused.
The blurb hides many elements about this plot. The flashbacks were insane because there were so many and they were so unexpected. Not only are we discovering the past and secrets of Angela, but also Richard, Bella’s mother and Elim – Bella’s childhood friend come nanny. These flashbacks can occur within flashbacks and, whilst I have previously praised this technique, Archer fails to do this precisely, leaving a rather chaotic and confusing narrative. At some points these flashbacks seem pointless and, as they are poorly integrated into the plot, it just adds to the frustration I already felt towards this read.
Furthermore, I was totally taken aback when the novel introduced the idea of terrorism and the terrorist threat that exists in society today. Focusing specifically on radicalisation and extremism, Archer draws the plot towards the paranoia and fear experienced by Americans, following the 11th September terrorist attack. Coupled with the sudden background of Richard’s apparently innocent career, the novel moves from a thriller focusing on a missing girl, to the treatment of Muslims in America. It just doesn’t work.
This novel goes nowhere fast and is uninteresting. I just could not understand the relationship between Bella, Angela and Richard, particularly when he is content for Angela to pretend to be himself over texts with his daughter. It all seemed rather unbelievable and tiresome. The narrative lacks the suspense that the blurb promises and the lacking pace and intrigue made me desperate to finish this quickly. I found it difficult to concentrate on the read and was pleased when it was over.
Difficult to engage with any of the characters, I could not understand the lack of detail provided about Bella’s mother and even Jimmy’s role. Both seemed inadequate and poorly developed. With this abrupt time-shifting, there was not enough opportunity to totally build a relationship with the characters. Focus was provided in the wrong areas and I would have liked to read more about the events leading up to Bella’s parents’ deaths.
Trying to be too many genres at once, this novel has failed miserably for me. There are so many better thrillers out there and, if flashbacks is your thing, then you will definitely find slicker reads than this. Muddled, confusing and dull, I have not been impressed by my first read from Leslie Archer.
The blurb hides many elements about this plot. The flashbacks were insane because there were so many and they were so unexpected. Not only are we discovering the past and secrets of Angela, but also Richard, Bella’s mother and Elim – Bella’s childhood friend come nanny. These flashbacks can occur within flashbacks and, whilst I have previously praised this technique, Archer fails to do this precisely, leaving a rather chaotic and confusing narrative. At some points these flashbacks seem pointless and, as they are poorly integrated into the plot, it just adds to the frustration I already felt towards this read.
Furthermore, I was totally taken aback when the novel introduced the idea of terrorism and the terrorist threat that exists in society today. Focusing specifically on radicalisation and extremism, Archer draws the plot towards the paranoia and fear experienced by Americans, following the 11th September terrorist attack. Coupled with the sudden background of Richard’s apparently innocent career, the novel moves from a thriller focusing on a missing girl, to the treatment of Muslims in America. It just doesn’t work.
This novel goes nowhere fast and is uninteresting. I just could not understand the relationship between Bella, Angela and Richard, particularly when he is content for Angela to pretend to be himself over texts with his daughter. It all seemed rather unbelievable and tiresome. The narrative lacks the suspense that the blurb promises and the lacking pace and intrigue made me desperate to finish this quickly. I found it difficult to concentrate on the read and was pleased when it was over.
Difficult to engage with any of the characters, I could not understand the lack of detail provided about Bella’s mother and even Jimmy’s role. Both seemed inadequate and poorly developed. With this abrupt time-shifting, there was not enough opportunity to totally build a relationship with the characters. Focus was provided in the wrong areas and I would have liked to read more about the events leading up to Bella’s parents’ deaths.
Trying to be too many genres at once, this novel has failed miserably for me. There are so many better thrillers out there and, if flashbacks is your thing, then you will definitely find slicker reads than this. Muddled, confusing and dull, I have not been impressed by my first read from Leslie Archer.
January 22, 2019
Surprising
I started this book thinking it would probably be a relatively light read, and that I'd be able to anticipate the plot as I went along. Not true! It's full of unexpected twists and turns that make it a much better experience than I initially gave it credit for. I'll say no more, to avoid spoilers, except that it's worth your time.
I started this book thinking it would probably be a relatively light read, and that I'd be able to anticipate the plot as I went along. Not true! It's full of unexpected twists and turns that make it a much better experience than I initially gave it credit for. I'll say no more, to avoid spoilers, except that it's worth your time.
March 22, 2019
Rage and revenge.
I personally don't like going back and forth between Times and people in a novel. That said, this book was perfectly crafted to keep you reading it after you got at least halfway into it.
I personally don't like going back and forth between Times and people in a novel. That said, this book was perfectly crafted to keep you reading it after you got at least halfway into it.
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January 5, 2024DNF
December 11, 2018
Amazon Kindle First for December.
I thought this was an intriguing, intelligent and clever book which may well become quite a significant read although I fully appreciate that this book divided opinion. What I really liked was that it made me think and challenged opinions.
The book started with an archeological dig and I thoroughly enjoyed the Etruscan background which was woven effortlessly into the storyline. The characters were interesting and from wide ranging backgrounds which was also fascinating. Throughout the book there were references to Moby Dick, a book which several characters loved and was a unifying factor. I liked the way the story went backwards and forwards in order to tell the stories of Angela/Laurel and Bella. I know some readers found this confusing but I didn’t find it so, in fact the opposite. I felt it made the story come together well especially at the conclusion.
Although he was only a peripheral character as a ‘coolly detached Brit’ I appreciated Nigel although it does slightly worry me that this is the way we are seen!! I’m not sure what an ‘overclass Brit’ is but from his description assume he is upper class and I loved his joke and genuinely laughed out loud!
I think it’s possible that people found the Muslim element of the story uncomfortable reading but in parts the storyline made me feel sad. In particular the hounding of Elin’s innocent Lebanese father as for every Muslim who is tempted to the path of Jihad there are thousands of peaceful and law abiding citizens. The parts of the story that dealt with what Perry White described as our Age of Destruction also made me sad for the world although in the light of events in Syria his assessment is valid.
Bella and Laurel had so many parallels in their lives and faced many difficulties. Bella was abandoned and neglected which led to her having no ‘inner compass’ as what example was she set? Like many other teenagers she didn’t know what she really wanted but because she was alone it led her into a dangerous world. I loved Laurel’s tenacity and courage to change and adapt to whatever life threw at her.
Yes, this book takes concentration but I thought it was well worth the effort. It is well written, confronts some uncomfortable issues and makes you think. I liked the ending and it left you with some reasons to be optimistic.
I thought this was an intriguing, intelligent and clever book which may well become quite a significant read although I fully appreciate that this book divided opinion. What I really liked was that it made me think and challenged opinions.
The book started with an archeological dig and I thoroughly enjoyed the Etruscan background which was woven effortlessly into the storyline. The characters were interesting and from wide ranging backgrounds which was also fascinating. Throughout the book there were references to Moby Dick, a book which several characters loved and was a unifying factor. I liked the way the story went backwards and forwards in order to tell the stories of Angela/Laurel and Bella. I know some readers found this confusing but I didn’t find it so, in fact the opposite. I felt it made the story come together well especially at the conclusion.
Although he was only a peripheral character as a ‘coolly detached Brit’ I appreciated Nigel although it does slightly worry me that this is the way we are seen!! I’m not sure what an ‘overclass Brit’ is but from his description assume he is upper class and I loved his joke and genuinely laughed out loud!
I think it’s possible that people found the Muslim element of the story uncomfortable reading but in parts the storyline made me feel sad. In particular the hounding of Elin’s innocent Lebanese father as for every Muslim who is tempted to the path of Jihad there are thousands of peaceful and law abiding citizens. The parts of the story that dealt with what Perry White described as our Age of Destruction also made me sad for the world although in the light of events in Syria his assessment is valid.
Bella and Laurel had so many parallels in their lives and faced many difficulties. Bella was abandoned and neglected which led to her having no ‘inner compass’ as what example was she set? Like many other teenagers she didn’t know what she really wanted but because she was alone it led her into a dangerous world. I loved Laurel’s tenacity and courage to change and adapt to whatever life threw at her.
Yes, this book takes concentration but I thought it was well worth the effort. It is well written, confronts some uncomfortable issues and makes you think. I liked the ending and it left you with some reasons to be optimistic.
December 13, 2018
There were some beautifully written passages in this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to provide a cohesive story. I almost gave up in the first chapter. It was like reading a history textbook on Etruscan civilization. It seemed like every time I'd start to get interested in the story or a character, something would happen to make me lose interest again. I usually like stories that jump back and forth in time, but the time hopping in this book was over the top. Not only was it done too frequently with no reference for the reader, it was also done in the middle of chapters. The dialog between characters was formal and stiff, it felt uncomfortable and unrealistic. There were too many back stories and they were told in bits and pieces throughout the book. It made for some pretty confusing characterizations. There was just too much going on in this book: Etruscan history, familial dysfunction, characters with abandonment issues, adventure and mystery....and then we are slapped in the face Islamophobia. Maybe this would have made a good TV mini-series, but in book form it was just too scattered, too disorganized and too much! And it's too bad, because I could see the writer's talent underneath all the confusion. I would not recommend this book.
February 23, 2019
‘One girl missing, one woman searching, both equally lost. Will a shared tragedy help them find their way home—even in the face of imminent danger?
Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead.
Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections—and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own. Born Laurel Springfield, Angela now spends her days digging up the origins of a lost civilization while struggling to keep her own past buried. But will the search for Bella expose Angela’s carefully disguised identity—and will she find Bella before she’s lost forever?’
I’m in two minds about this book – on the one hand, I really enjoyed the story, and I was gripped by the events that unfolded throughout the book. However, how the story unfolds is messy and complicated to follow, as it takes place through various person narratives and different timelines, featuring flashbacks to the near and further past.
Usually various narratives don’t bother me, nor do flashbacks, but unfortunately I just feel that they weren’t done very well in this book. There was little to no indication of just what timeline we were in, or who was narrating it, it was only when a few details were revealed further into each chapter that it was obvious. Maybe I just like things spoon fed to me, but I felt that a little detail at the top of each chapter just indicating who we were with and when would have made the story easier to follow.
The story itself was interesting. From an archaeological dig in Crete to the darker world of New York, we encounter hitmen, drug taking parents, neglected children, and a chilling look into the world of ISIS and the racism and fear that can be so prevalent amongst people.
There was a lot going on in this story, and it takes a long time to get to know the main character, Angela, and to find out exactly what happened in her past. The mystery around her and her story is well written, it’s tense, and I found I really wanted to find out just who she was.
Bella, who in many ways is a similar character to Angela, which is touched upon many times in the book, is a much more sympathetic character, a teenager who doesn’t get the love or affection she needs from either of her parents, the absent father and the mother who just never seemed able to bond with her. She is flailing through her life, and needs to find something or someone solid to cling onto. Her story is also very interesting to watch unfold.
Overall, I did enjoy this book – the story was gripping, the characters were interesting, and there were some parts of it that were genuinely chilling, and very reflective of the events happening in the world right now, which perhaps adds to the tension and uneasy feeling in the book. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is, like I said before, the slightly messy and hard to follow way it was written.
I would recommend it, especially to people who like a chilling mystery novel, and interesting female characters.
*I received this e-book from Netgalley in return for an honest review
Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead.
Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections—and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own. Born Laurel Springfield, Angela now spends her days digging up the origins of a lost civilization while struggling to keep her own past buried. But will the search for Bella expose Angela’s carefully disguised identity—and will she find Bella before she’s lost forever?’
I’m in two minds about this book – on the one hand, I really enjoyed the story, and I was gripped by the events that unfolded throughout the book. However, how the story unfolds is messy and complicated to follow, as it takes place through various person narratives and different timelines, featuring flashbacks to the near and further past.
Usually various narratives don’t bother me, nor do flashbacks, but unfortunately I just feel that they weren’t done very well in this book. There was little to no indication of just what timeline we were in, or who was narrating it, it was only when a few details were revealed further into each chapter that it was obvious. Maybe I just like things spoon fed to me, but I felt that a little detail at the top of each chapter just indicating who we were with and when would have made the story easier to follow.
The story itself was interesting. From an archaeological dig in Crete to the darker world of New York, we encounter hitmen, drug taking parents, neglected children, and a chilling look into the world of ISIS and the racism and fear that can be so prevalent amongst people.
There was a lot going on in this story, and it takes a long time to get to know the main character, Angela, and to find out exactly what happened in her past. The mystery around her and her story is well written, it’s tense, and I found I really wanted to find out just who she was.
Bella, who in many ways is a similar character to Angela, which is touched upon many times in the book, is a much more sympathetic character, a teenager who doesn’t get the love or affection she needs from either of her parents, the absent father and the mother who just never seemed able to bond with her. She is flailing through her life, and needs to find something or someone solid to cling onto. Her story is also very interesting to watch unfold.
Overall, I did enjoy this book – the story was gripping, the characters were interesting, and there were some parts of it that were genuinely chilling, and very reflective of the events happening in the world right now, which perhaps adds to the tension and uneasy feeling in the book. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is, like I said before, the slightly messy and hard to follow way it was written.
I would recommend it, especially to people who like a chilling mystery novel, and interesting female characters.
*I received this e-book from Netgalley in return for an honest review
January 14, 2019
Twists and turns. Multiple flashbacks for multiple characters. Organized crime. Archaeology. Dysfunctional families. Assumed identities. Mystery. Terrorism. Love. Hate. Fear. Death. What’s not to love about THE GIRL AT THE BORDER?
Leslie Archer (the nom de plume of a New York Times bestselling author) has written a smart, absorbing mystery that starts on an archaeological dig with Angela Chase meeting Richard Mathis, a real-life Indiana Jones in the world of antiquity finds. Richard’s arrival in Crete sets the stage for the discovery of not only a rare Etruscan figure, and possibly the unraveling of a centuries-old enigma regarding what ever became of the race, but also a domino of flashbacks that reveal the backstories of Angela and Richard.
The reader learns in an early recollection that the seemingly pulled-together and bright Angela comes from a very troubled and storied background. She entered the world as Laurel Springfield, a quickly orphaned child who spent her youth reading all that she could get her hands on, while struggling to survive a lonely existence. She becomes embroiled in a large, loving but questionable Italian family, and must escape that life to reenter as Angela.
Richard has left behind a broken marriage to a tragic woman dependent on chemicals to keep her going. Together they have a child, affectionately nicknamed “Rabbit,” who is being raised by a nanny not much older than she is. Richard spends more time working than with his daughter, and acutely feels the guilt of that.
When the phone rings one day to alert Richard that his Bella has gone missing, he leaves Angela behind to find her. The book jacket reveals that Richard is dead within two days. Angela, who has lost her good friend and confidante, decides to find Bella for him.
The expression “page-turner” was coined to describe exactly what Archer offers in THE GIRL AT THE BORDER --- rapid-fire flashbacks and revelations about all the characters that drive the story forward with great momentum.
Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara
Leslie Archer (the nom de plume of a New York Times bestselling author) has written a smart, absorbing mystery that starts on an archaeological dig with Angela Chase meeting Richard Mathis, a real-life Indiana Jones in the world of antiquity finds. Richard’s arrival in Crete sets the stage for the discovery of not only a rare Etruscan figure, and possibly the unraveling of a centuries-old enigma regarding what ever became of the race, but also a domino of flashbacks that reveal the backstories of Angela and Richard.
The reader learns in an early recollection that the seemingly pulled-together and bright Angela comes from a very troubled and storied background. She entered the world as Laurel Springfield, a quickly orphaned child who spent her youth reading all that she could get her hands on, while struggling to survive a lonely existence. She becomes embroiled in a large, loving but questionable Italian family, and must escape that life to reenter as Angela.
Richard has left behind a broken marriage to a tragic woman dependent on chemicals to keep her going. Together they have a child, affectionately nicknamed “Rabbit,” who is being raised by a nanny not much older than she is. Richard spends more time working than with his daughter, and acutely feels the guilt of that.
When the phone rings one day to alert Richard that his Bella has gone missing, he leaves Angela behind to find her. The book jacket reveals that Richard is dead within two days. Angela, who has lost her good friend and confidante, decides to find Bella for him.
The expression “page-turner” was coined to describe exactly what Archer offers in THE GIRL AT THE BORDER --- rapid-fire flashbacks and revelations about all the characters that drive the story forward with great momentum.
Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara
January 22, 2019
Richard Matthis is a renowned archaelogist and he has discovered Etruscan remains on the island of Crete. Angela Harris is working for him very happy in her job. She is also escaping from her past and feels safe in Crete, thinking that no one would link her to this remote site.
When Bella, Richard's daughter goes missing Matthis drops everything and flies back home to help in the search. Four days later he dies in a strange accident. The relationship between Richard Matthis and his daughter has been tense and Angela over a very short period of time, pretended to be Richard and started a message conversation with Bella, hoping to make the relationship between father and daughter a warmer one.
With Richard's death, Angela has a compulsion to return to the scene of Richard's death and find Bella on her own. She has a feeling Bella needs her, and compromises her own safety because there are people out there who want Angela found.
A rather convoluted tale, including ISIS, a spy network amongst other things it was rather fragmented when all the other stories got in the way. My personal view was that there were too many strands to connect and this led to a lot of confusion. I also felt the cover was awful.
When Bella, Richard's daughter goes missing Matthis drops everything and flies back home to help in the search. Four days later he dies in a strange accident. The relationship between Richard Matthis and his daughter has been tense and Angela over a very short period of time, pretended to be Richard and started a message conversation with Bella, hoping to make the relationship between father and daughter a warmer one.
With Richard's death, Angela has a compulsion to return to the scene of Richard's death and find Bella on her own. She has a feeling Bella needs her, and compromises her own safety because there are people out there who want Angela found.
A rather convoluted tale, including ISIS, a spy network amongst other things it was rather fragmented when all the other stories got in the way. My personal view was that there were too many strands to connect and this led to a lot of confusion. I also felt the cover was awful.
October 25, 2020
What to say about The Girl At The Border other than I have been left completely frustrated. It started off so well, drawing me in and wondering just where the story would end. There was so much potential and intrigue. Then, somewhere about a third of the way through, it lost the plot - or I did, I don't know which. It just took one turn, then another, that I couldn't keep up with. There was a missing girl and a dead father, a back story involving some very bad people in New York and a man who could work miracles with new identities, before a trip to Michigan and a story involving the impact of 9/11 on the Muslim community and the rise of ISIS. I'm sorry if that leads to spoilers but it's the only way to describe how confused I was by the whole thing.
Why three stars then? Because I liked the way it was written and I think there were some beautiful moments where I did get lost in the book, where I could picture the archaeological dig or the young girl struggling with a missing mother. There was just too much going on and too many times when I was being asked to follow the characters on a journey I no longer believed in. Sorry!
Why three stars then? Because I liked the way it was written and I think there were some beautiful moments where I did get lost in the book, where I could picture the archaeological dig or the young girl struggling with a missing mother. There was just too much going on and too many times when I was being asked to follow the characters on a journey I no longer believed in. Sorry!
February 3, 2019
An enjoyable read and very thought-provoking. The author has tried to touch upon a lot of important issues. However, I felt that the author could have done a better job with the setup of the plot for a smoother flow of events in the story. There is a lot of jumping back and forth in time.
It’s an interesting story, nevertheless, about two young women who cross paths in life when one is missing and other decides to search for her. They had both faced difficult childhoods experiencing parental neglect. The parallelism and similarities in their life details is a great literary mechanism used in the book that draws the reader’s attention to these two characters and explains the “why” behind their actions. As a reader, you sympathize with them for what they have been through and you admire their resilience and determination to overcome many difficulties. They finally find each other and decide to move on with their lives following their dreams. The story ends on a positive note and this is what makes the book an enjoyable read (at least it was for me).
It’s an interesting story, nevertheless, about two young women who cross paths in life when one is missing and other decides to search for her. They had both faced difficult childhoods experiencing parental neglect. The parallelism and similarities in their life details is a great literary mechanism used in the book that draws the reader’s attention to these two characters and explains the “why” behind their actions. As a reader, you sympathize with them for what they have been through and you admire their resilience and determination to overcome many difficulties. They finally find each other and decide to move on with their lives following their dreams. The story ends on a positive note and this is what makes the book an enjoyable read (at least it was for me).
November 14, 2023
Good story, thought provoking although didn't enjoy reading all of it
“This wonderful debut is a thought-provoking thriller and a beautifully written examination of a woman’s journey toward identity. The Girl at the Border defies and exceeds expectations.” ―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead. Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections―and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own. Born Laurel Springfield, Angela now spends her days digging up the origins of a lost civilization while struggling to keep her own past buried. But will the search for Bella expose Angela’s carefully disguised identity―and will she find Bella before she’s lost forever?
“This wonderful debut is a thought-provoking thriller and a beautifully written examination of a woman’s journey toward identity. The Girl at the Border defies and exceeds expectations.” ―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead. Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections―and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own. Born Laurel Springfield, Angela now spends her days digging up the origins of a lost civilization while struggling to keep her own past buried. But will the search for Bella expose Angela’s carefully disguised identity―and will she find Bella before she’s lost forever?
December 5, 2018
Absorbing
I was reeled in almost from page one. I like how the story is told from different characters' perspectives and not in chronological order. I was only able to put this down when I was too physically tired to stay awake. Loved it.
The reason I couldn't give this 5 stars is because the author sometimes strangely inserts unnecessarily complex words when a more common word would be more appropriate. There was also the odd sentence here and there that was so awkward I had to read it several times to make sense of it.
I think the negative reviews come mostly from people who wanted and expected the book to be something it wasn't. And the Amazon blurbs aren't always the best to understand what a book is about or how it will be presented, so I can understand how it can be disappointing. It wasn't what I expected, either. But I'm a weirdo and like following stories that are told in unexpected ways and that lead to unexpected places.
I was reeled in almost from page one. I like how the story is told from different characters' perspectives and not in chronological order. I was only able to put this down when I was too physically tired to stay awake. Loved it.
The reason I couldn't give this 5 stars is because the author sometimes strangely inserts unnecessarily complex words when a more common word would be more appropriate. There was also the odd sentence here and there that was so awkward I had to read it several times to make sense of it.
I think the negative reviews come mostly from people who wanted and expected the book to be something it wasn't. And the Amazon blurbs aren't always the best to understand what a book is about or how it will be presented, so I can understand how it can be disappointing. It wasn't what I expected, either. But I'm a weirdo and like following stories that are told in unexpected ways and that lead to unexpected places.
January 19, 2019
Good but Chaotic
Such a richly written story, weaving through the lives of Laurel and Richard, Bella and Elim, Maggie, Gabriel, Orfeo, and others. How do they react to adversity? Love? Despair? Life?
The Girl at the Border pits the petty with the profound. A glimpse of the split in the world between our American Christian values and those of the more radicalized Islam. The book is more about loneliness and reaching for connection and longing for love.
My one complaint is that the book jumps back and forth in time without notice or any sort of cue. Often I had to reread a couple of pages (Kindle pages) once I realized that the new section was a completely different time period than the previous section. If this were a movie, there would've been visual cues to signal the change in time, but it was not always as clear in the book.
For those who like advance warning, there is a fair amount of foul language in the book.
Such a richly written story, weaving through the lives of Laurel and Richard, Bella and Elim, Maggie, Gabriel, Orfeo, and others. How do they react to adversity? Love? Despair? Life?
The Girl at the Border pits the petty with the profound. A glimpse of the split in the world between our American Christian values and those of the more radicalized Islam. The book is more about loneliness and reaching for connection and longing for love.
My one complaint is that the book jumps back and forth in time without notice or any sort of cue. Often I had to reread a couple of pages (Kindle pages) once I realized that the new section was a completely different time period than the previous section. If this were a movie, there would've been visual cues to signal the change in time, but it was not always as clear in the book.
For those who like advance warning, there is a fair amount of foul language in the book.
January 30, 2019
Leslie Archer is a nom de plume? Would I be interested in reading her other works?
Anyway, I was at first slightly put off kilter by the bouncing back and forth between time periods. But the end flowed along the string of time, as it were, as the story barreled to its neat conclusion.
I like that the parallels between Laurel’s and Bella’s lives were exposed slowly, and on,y very briefly confirmed at the end. I.e., the story didn’t pummel you over the head repeatedly by making more overt side-by-side comparisons.
The opening scenes in Crete, I suppose, were to establish the relationship between Richard and Angela/Laurel (& between her & Bella, too) that would drive her in the rest of the story. But the discussions of the dig’s revelations and Kieros ... they just seemed extraneous in hindsight. Oh, well, I enjoyed the resolution well enough.
Thanks, Kindle Unlimited, for recommending it!
Anyway, I was at first slightly put off kilter by the bouncing back and forth between time periods. But the end flowed along the string of time, as it were, as the story barreled to its neat conclusion.
I like that the parallels between Laurel’s and Bella’s lives were exposed slowly, and on,y very briefly confirmed at the end. I.e., the story didn’t pummel you over the head repeatedly by making more overt side-by-side comparisons.
The opening scenes in Crete, I suppose, were to establish the relationship between Richard and Angela/Laurel (& between her & Bella, too) that would drive her in the rest of the story. But the discussions of the dig’s revelations and Kieros ... they just seemed extraneous in hindsight. Oh, well, I enjoyed the resolution well enough.
Thanks, Kindle Unlimited, for recommending it!
January 27, 2019
First of all, I couldn’t even complete this book. It truly, without exaggeration, was one of the worst pieces of literature I’ve ever read. It ambled, lazily with no rhyme or reason. It’s story was cliched and shall I say, had more than a hint of casual racism?
I was already put off by the main character saying:
“I get treated like a third world worker” which I found an abhorrent way to describe anything in 2019 but then lo and behold the one character in any way connect to American Muslims gets radicalised?!!!!!! I have a number of close friends, known over 15 years, who are Muslims and I’ve never even heard whispers of anything like that. Ughhh. And the lack of compassion and empathy for the mother character who is clearly very mentally unwell, going through very severe untreated post-natal depression was also too much for me to swallow.
The idolising of the male archaeologist by the Angela was simply ridiculous? He was male chauvinism at its worst. It was like I was supposed to give him a cookie for not sleeping with his colleague 20 years his junior when she came into his tent to sleep there...like wow. He showed basic human decency, how radical. Anyway avoid this book like the plague.
I was already put off by the main character saying:
“I get treated like a third world worker” which I found an abhorrent way to describe anything in 2019 but then lo and behold the one character in any way connect to American Muslims gets radicalised?!!!!!! I have a number of close friends, known over 15 years, who are Muslims and I’ve never even heard whispers of anything like that. Ughhh. And the lack of compassion and empathy for the mother character who is clearly very mentally unwell, going through very severe untreated post-natal depression was also too much for me to swallow.
The idolising of the male archaeologist by the Angela was simply ridiculous? He was male chauvinism at its worst. It was like I was supposed to give him a cookie for not sleeping with his colleague 20 years his junior when she came into his tent to sleep there...like wow. He showed basic human decency, how radical. Anyway avoid this book like the plague.
January 23, 2019
I didn’t start out with high hopes for the quality of this book. I thought of it as the sort of brain candy that I used to take respite from the more literary things I commit to reading with books I hold in my hands, pages I turn, and tuck things in between the pages and use as unlikely bookmarks. Then, somewhere around what I thought was the middle of the book, I got totally engaged in the plot and couldn’t stop reading. I had to know Bella’s fate! Unfortunately, to quote one of my best teachers, the author totally “copped out and used a cheap tactic to end the story.” I would’ve read another hundred pages for this book to come to a satisfying conclusion. Instead, because of limited writing or terrible editing, I was left somewhat disappointed in what could have been a novel elevated from my usual brain candy.
February 21, 2019
Another amazon first read I wish I hadn't chosen.
It started off well on an archaeological dig and i was enjoying the characters, the next thing we are suddenly post 9/11 and radicalized people all over the place and no archaeology in sight.
Angela's attempts to befriend Richard's daughter Bella are very strange and quite creepy. This book also jumps about randomly, not just between time a and time b but within each of those time frames as well which makes it disjointed. The introduction of Jimmy and what would appear to be Mafioso from the Italian connections and is never satisfactorily explained.
The end is just incredible in tne true meaning of that word, i certainly won't be reading any more by this author.
It started off well on an archaeological dig and i was enjoying the characters, the next thing we are suddenly post 9/11 and radicalized people all over the place and no archaeology in sight.
Angela's attempts to befriend Richard's daughter Bella are very strange and quite creepy. This book also jumps about randomly, not just between time a and time b but within each of those time frames as well which makes it disjointed. The introduction of Jimmy and what would appear to be Mafioso from the Italian connections and is never satisfactorily explained.
The end is just incredible in tne true meaning of that word, i certainly won't be reading any more by this author.
April 7, 2020
I would have given this book five stars, because it was well-written and engrossing, but the author didn’t seem to know whether this was a psychological thriller, a murder mystery, action-adventure or something else entirely. It didn’t help that we jump without warning between the main characters, not only in distance but time. I enjoy modular stories like that, but usually there’s some indication at the beginning of a module that there’s been a change. The blurb begins: Renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he's on his way back to the States. Two days later, he's dead. But in the end, it’s really about the parallels between Richard’s assistant Angela and Bella.
December 9, 2018
A great story
This is a complex story with the main character having 2 additional alternative aliases, but it is mainly about the sense of loss she feels from her mother's abandment, the grief that ultimately takes her father from her and the connection she feels with the daughter of the charismatic archaeologist she meets at a dig. The parallels drive her to save this young vulnerable woman and to fulfil her promise to the archaeologist. There are themes around the treatment of Muslims in America post 9/11 and the effect this has had in the increasing of radicalisation for young disaffected and isolated young people. Would recommend this engrossing novel wholeheartedly.
This is a complex story with the main character having 2 additional alternative aliases, but it is mainly about the sense of loss she feels from her mother's abandment, the grief that ultimately takes her father from her and the connection she feels with the daughter of the charismatic archaeologist she meets at a dig. The parallels drive her to save this young vulnerable woman and to fulfil her promise to the archaeologist. There are themes around the treatment of Muslims in America post 9/11 and the effect this has had in the increasing of radicalisation for young disaffected and isolated young people. Would recommend this engrossing novel wholeheartedly.
February 5, 2019
I kind of liked it but I felt so confused! I felt like the author was trying too hard to be everything and didn't focus on only one plot.
I liked it because it felt so mysterious. This is the only book that I've read that involved archeology. Quite frankly, I wanted to read more about it and I wish that the author pursued that light. I didn't like the short involvement of Richard in the story. He was built up to be an interesting character and it was cut too short. I would have liked it if somehow, he stayed until the end.
Overall, I think I would give the author another chance. I just hope that her future books would be more coherent.
I liked it because it felt so mysterious. This is the only book that I've read that involved archeology. Quite frankly, I wanted to read more about it and I wish that the author pursued that light. I didn't like the short involvement of Richard in the story. He was built up to be an interesting character and it was cut too short. I would have liked it if somehow, he stayed until the end.
Overall, I think I would give the author another chance. I just hope that her future books would be more coherent.
December 8, 2018
Beautiful and emotional
The glimpse into an archaeological excavation of importance was so wonderful. I actually felt like I was in that tunnel with a paintbrush. It was a magical mind trip for me. The pilot, story, scenes and characters made me feel for them. I became friends with some of them and others I in New I hated. The layers of real life are really reflected in this book.
The epic feel of this novel breathes a new dimension a and insight into the struggles of being Islamic and Muslim in the post 9/11 America.
The glimpse into an archaeological excavation of importance was so wonderful. I actually felt like I was in that tunnel with a paintbrush. It was a magical mind trip for me. The pilot, story, scenes and characters made me feel for them. I became friends with some of them and others I in New I hated. The layers of real life are really reflected in this book.
The epic feel of this novel breathes a new dimension a and insight into the struggles of being Islamic and Muslim in the post 9/11 America.
December 23, 2018
Frustrating
I could see what the author was trying to do with the story, but I found it hard work. The jumping if timelines were badly signalled and made the overall story hard to get drawn into. The use of language was overly sophisticated and distracting in places. Although I think I understand what the author was trying to do with the discussions on religion, etc it came across as crass and unnecessarily inflammatory at times. I just couldn't empathise or connect with any of the characters in the end.
I could see what the author was trying to do with the story, but I found it hard work. The jumping if timelines were badly signalled and made the overall story hard to get drawn into. The use of language was overly sophisticated and distracting in places. Although I think I understand what the author was trying to do with the discussions on religion, etc it came across as crass and unnecessarily inflammatory at times. I just couldn't empathise or connect with any of the characters in the end.
January 9, 2019
Incredible Story
This is a fascinating book with much thought-provoking detail. There is no way for me to begin in an adequate way to describe the plot. Simply, read this and begin to understand the epic Moby Duck as played out through the characters. The reader will still have questions, but the basic situations will be resolved satisfactorily. All of this to say, read this as a literary offering to understand current situations of family dysfunction, national divisions, and so much more..
This is a fascinating book with much thought-provoking detail. There is no way for me to begin in an adequate way to describe the plot. Simply, read this and begin to understand the epic Moby Duck as played out through the characters. The reader will still have questions, but the basic situations will be resolved satisfactorily. All of this to say, read this as a literary offering to understand current situations of family dysfunction, national divisions, and so much more..
January 13, 2019
A Read for our modern day.
I started reading this as a book different from my normal ones The book entwined lives that were a parallel to each other. It started like many. A young woman on a dig with no real qualifications unused a d untaught. Along comes Richard. Who is as lost for different reason s. It is a page Turner for me. A modern day book. Modern difficulties and problems but with the real human elements to it. A love story but not as you know it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be looking for different genre's. You never know when a gem will be available.
I started reading this as a book different from my normal ones The book entwined lives that were a parallel to each other. It started like many. A young woman on a dig with no real qualifications unused a d untaught. Along comes Richard. Who is as lost for different reason s. It is a page Turner for me. A modern day book. Modern difficulties and problems but with the real human elements to it. A love story but not as you know it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be looking for different genre's. You never know when a gem will be available.
January 19, 2019
This is one of very few books I didn’t want to finish. But I made myself read to the end incase it got interesting! It really didn’t. It jumped about so much, with no clear identity.
A very slow story line that could have been so much better with Laurel as an interesting character. I liked the sound of her past and wanted it to really go somewhere, but unfortunately it didn’t.
I gave this book a chance as it came up first on Goodreads. I was trying to read different authors from my usual.
A very slow story line that could have been so much better with Laurel as an interesting character. I liked the sound of her past and wanted it to really go somewhere, but unfortunately it didn’t.
I gave this book a chance as it came up first on Goodreads. I was trying to read different authors from my usual.
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