Author: Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: July 2018
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: For estranged friends Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren, it’s time to heal the old wounds between them. Where better to repair those severed ties than on a girls’ getaway to the beautiful paradise of Tulum, Mexico? But even after they’re reunited, no one is being completely honest about the past or the secrets they’re hiding. When Ashley disappears on their girls’ night out, Natalie and Lauren have to try to piece together their hazy memories to figure out what could have happened to her, while also reconciling their feelings of guilt over their last moments together.
Was Ashley with the man she’d met only days before? Did she pack up and leave? Was she kidnapped? Or worse—could Natalie or Lauren have snapped under the weight of her own lies?
As the clock ticks, hour by hour, Natalie and Lauren’s search rushes headlong into growing suspicion and dread. Maybe their secrets run deeper and more dangerous than one of them is willing—or too afraid—to admit.
My Thoughts: Hold on to your knickers, folks, you’re in for one wild ride with Girls’ Night Out by new to me author team Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. Who is better to write a story about friendships, the good, bad and the ugly, than two friends? This book drew me in right from the start and I was almost frantic to find out what happened. The book begins after Ashley has disappeared while on holiday in Tulum, Mexico with Natalie and Lauren, her alienated best friends. Ashley asked them to come to Mexico to repair and rebuild their friendship and the story is told in both the present and the past with the chapters broken up by different perspectives and time periods.
Natalie wakes up on the beach with no memory of what happened, but knows she is one of the last people to see Ashley before she disappears. She and Ashley own a beauty product business together that is being approached by Revlon to buy. Natalie wants to sell, Ashley does not.
Lauren has barely spoken to Ashley over the last year since her husband, Geoff, died and she and Ashley had a blowup at the funeral, with Lauren blaming Ashley for his death.
Adding to the above conflicts and resentments is Ashley spending a large quantity of time with a local man, Marco. Natalie and Lauren resent his presence and perceived interference. If Ashley asked them to come to Mexico to repair their friendship, why is she forcing Marco’s presence on them? I had a huge problem with that, myself. I thought Ashley was very selfish in that regard.
Another curious feature of this trio is the underlying competition between Natalie and Lauren to be Ashley’s favorite. I found it interesting that they both allow Ashley to manipulate and control their lives, but instead of drawing them closer to one another, it pulls them closer to Ashley.
Ashley’s disappearance is also an interesting dynamic. Did she run away with Marco, to escape her life, her unhappy marriage? Did Marco kidnap her? Is she being held against her will or likely murdered?
I felt a lot of empathy for all three women and the pressure they are all under with the friendship that is unraveling faster than they can tie off the loose ends. I kept thinking that Ashley would eventually show up, days later, tanned and glorious, claiming she needed some Ashley time and didn’t think it would be a problem. Marco was a complex character that also added to the mix. Is he a threat or is he really a simple man who is just at one with the universe?
This story is much darker than that as more secrets are revealed, more lies are covered up and when the truth finally comes out, I was left in shock. Major kudos go to Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke for their expert ability to weave a tale so twisted and convoluted that draws the reader in, not realizing the danger that awaits these characters. The setting they create in and around the resort, the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and the El Castillo pyramid is amazing in its detail, I felt I was there too. For anyone considering a trip to Mexico, this is definitely something to add to your bucket list.
My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to fans of thrillers, mysteries and suspense who enjoy a twisted and bumpy ride to the end. Fans of women’s fiction will enjoy this story too as this story is also very relationship driven and shows how fragile these relationships can be if they are not nurtured. I will be on the lookout for more of this writing team’s work and if they have written anything as good as this one, I am definitely in for a treat.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Girls’ Night Out from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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