Title: Island of Lost Girls
Author: Jennifer McMahon
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Paperback: 272 pages
ISBN: 978-0061445880
Genre: Fiction
While parked at a gas station, Rhonda sees something so incongruously surreal that at first she hardly recognizes it as a crime in progress. She watches, unmoving, as someone dressed in a rabbit costume kidnaps a young girl. Devastated over having done nothing, Rhonda joins the investigation. But the closer she comes to identifying the abductor, the nearer she gets to the troubling truth about another missing child: her best friend, Lizzy, who vanished years before.
From the author of the acclaimed Promise Not to Tell comes a chilling and mesmerizing tale of shattered innocence, guilt, and ultimate redemption.
My Review:
Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon is a mystery suspense novel where fairy tales, imagination and plays, trademarks of innocent childhood, are intermixed with not one, but two disappearances of little girls in Pike’s Crossing along with a person in a rabbit suit, the first occurring in 1993 and the second, witnessed by Rhonda Farr in 2006. Separated by a span of 13 years, could this be a bizarre coincidence in Pike’s Crossing or is there a connection between the 1993 disappearance of Rhonda’s best friend and her witnessing the 2006 abduction of Ernie Florucci? Maybe more important to ask oneself, why did Rhonda watch a person dressed as a white rabbit walk up to the Florucci’s car, which was parked in Pat’s Mini Mart, and abduct Ernie without anyone, especially Rhonda, trying to save Ernie? While the answers to these questions would constitute spoilers, by about halfway through the book, I had lost a sense of desire to discover the answers. Perhaps it was the number of unlikely coincidences, or simply the trite bunny references in many of the character’s names that swayed my opinion, however I am glad I did continue reading on, as the ending was well done. McMahon’s writing captures the innocence of childhood beautifully, her characters are plentiful, although not altogether enjoyable, which is not necessarily a bad thing, and yet I was surprised by the Island of Lost Girls as I truly enjoyed McMahon’s previous novel Promise Not to Tell and am anxious to begin Don’t Breath a Word. I recommend that readers seek other opinions on Island of Lost Girls as this one simply was not what I was hoping it would be.
Jennifer McMahon is the author of Dismantled, the New York Times bestseller Island of Lost Girls, and the breakout debut novel Promise Not to Tell. She grew up in suburban Connecticut, and graduated from Goddard College. Over the years, she has been a house painter, farm worker, paste-up artist, pizza delivery person, homeless shelter staff member, and has worked with mentally ill adults and children in a few different capacities. Currently, she lives in Vermont with her partner, Drea, and their daughter, Zella.
Further information about author Jennifer McMahon may be found on her website or Twitter.
For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.
I received an copy of Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.
Thanks for the honest review. I certainly feel that way if I have expectations going in.
You are welcome. My hopes may have been set too high as I really enjoyed Promise Not to Tell. I will be reading Don’t Breathe A Word soon and I am looking forward to it.
I’ve recently read DON’T BREATHE A WORD and PROMISE NOT TO TELL. Interested in hearing your opinion of this one as it is on my shelf, along with DISMANTLED. It seems this author writes about missing children a lot. Wonder if that will continue. DON’T BREATHE A WORD is quite good, I think.
I adored Promise Not to Tell and I am looking forward to Don’t Breathe a Word, which I will review soon. I really wanted to like Island of Lost Girls more than I did.
Sorry to see this wasn’t your favorite. I have to admit that I find the cover a little disturbing.
It is okay, I cannot adore every book I read. Promise Not To Tell was wonderful and I am eager to begin Don’t Breathe a Word. Island of Lost Girls was different…to many plays on the rabbit theme, especially with peoples names, not calling 911 and instead watching an abduction, etc.. Jennifer McMahon does catch the innoncence of children and their imaginations beautifully and the ending was well worth it.
Darn, it’s a shame this one wasn’t able to keep your interest. I hope that your next read is better at capturing and holding your attention.
Thanks for being on the tour.
I read it to the end and loved the twist.
I am looking forward to the next book of Jennifer McMahon’s that is on my shelf. 
Thanks for your honest review! Maybe I’ll check out her other books that you mentioned
Rebecca
Oh yes, definitely. I adored Promise Not to Tell and next I am reading Don’t Breathe a Word.
I read Don’t Breathe a Word a few weeks back and while I thought it was well written, the subject wasn’t for me. I do have to admit that she can keep a reader reading though. I’ve been thinking about trying another of her books but this doesn’t appeal to me. Maybe Promise Not to Tell would be better.
I really enjoyed Promise Not to Tell and in June I will be reviewing Don’t Breathe a Word.