"The French Girl" (Berkley), by Lexie ElliottFriendship, love, murder, drugs: What could go wrong? It should have been a carefree week in a French farmhouse for Katie, her boyfriend and four university friends, but when Severine, the strikingly beautiful girl next door, appeared, her presence exposed cracks in the group's bond. Lexie Elliott's "The French Girl" commands attention. Prose comes dappled with twists of phrases, expertly sinking readers deep into scenes, and Katie's teetering career combined with shaky love life carries its own plot-worthy weight. You'll be well-served to carve out a lofty chunk of time for this tangled mystery, as "The French Girl" demands a one-sit read.

Source: ABC News February 20, 2018 17:15 UTC