THE LIBRARY OF LOST GIRLS

“Keep to the light. Avoid the shadows.”

The Delphi School for Girls hides its darkest secrets behind towering bookshelves. When Gwen Donovan’s sister, Izzy, returns from the finishing school as a hollowed-out version of herself, Gwen arranges to leave New York City for Delphi, which is located on a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia, to discover what happened. The headmistress informs her that they have a regimen that works to “pull the evil” out of “troubled girls.” The walls are lined with books, each bearing a girl’s name, there are few windows, and the dimly lit halls teem with shadows that seem to move on their own. Girls who break the rules are sent to the ominous Writing Room, returning weak and unable to remember what transpired. Guided by Izzy’s hidden letters, Gwen bands together with classmates to investigate. Armed with lanterns and candlesticks, they navigate the halls by night, dodging the shadows that whisper and reach for them. What they uncover is a chilling conspiracy, one far more sinister than they ever imagined. Astute readers may unravel the mystery early on, but the gothic atmosphere and slow-building romance between Gwen and another student sustain the tension. This is a tale of girls’ power, exploited by those who seek to control it, and of the resistance that rises in response. Main characters are cued white.

A chilling, feminist debut in which friendship, love, and truth become weapons against the darkness.