The Quarry Girls

How it reads

The Quarry Girls is historical fiction (historical mystery thriller, specifically), and its dominant mood is dark. It goes to difficult places and doesn't look away. It moves fast: plot-driven and hard to put down, the kind of book that carries you along even when you're tired.

It's set in a small town setting, in the historical past, told in the third person across several viewpoints. Its central concerns are friendship, secrets and justice. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending resolves happily. It's moderately known: read by plenty of people, but not a household name.