The Quarry Girls

When you need to read something that takes your mind off the fact that you're lying in an emergency room bed waiting for test results, pick up a copy of Jess Lourey's The Quarry Girls. In reading the history of "Pantown", Minnesota, I learned that a factory owner built his factory as well as a town for his workers to live in. To prevent any work stoppages during the often brutal winter weather, he also built a series of tunnels between the factory and the housing development. I don't like being underground, so that was the first time my mental "red alert" siren went off. Then I learned that an "underground maze connected everybody's basements." With the addition of a few more little tidbits, my imagination went to town, and I read the show more rest of the novel feeling-- for the lack of a better term-- creeped out.

The Quarry Girls is told from the point of view of teenage Heather, who has a twelve-year-old sister, Junie, a manic-depressive mother who's zoned out more than she's zoned in, and a father who's the district attorney and spends most of his time at work. Heather has been the real caregiver of the family. She makes sure meals are on the table, the laundry is done, and Junie is doing what she should be, as well as keeping an eye on her mother. This young girl is not only the caregiver of her family but she also feels the need to protect her friends. That's an awful lot of responsibility for such young shoulders.

When her friends go missing, Heather waits for the police to do their job, but when they don't, she starts searching for answers. She must save her friends. The truth that she finds isn't very palatable. The people she thought she knew and could trust aren't who they seem to be. She learns that Pantown is the type of place where "If we didn't like something, we simply didn't see it." The more she learns, the more she realizes that "You can't live in the dark and feel good about yourself." The moment she weighs everything she learns and decides enough is enough almost made me cheer. Heather is that kind of character.

However, The Quarry Girls isn't only about Heather. Throughout the story, readers catch glimpses of a young woman named Beth, who's been kidnapped and knows her time is running out. With the underground layout of Pantown, Heather's search for the truth, and Beth's desperate situation, there were times that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Lourey did an excellent job of keeping me guessing-- and I didn't always guess correctly.

If you're in the mood for a thrill ride of a novel, The Quarry Girls just may be the answer for you. show less

It is the summer of '77, and a teen waitress, Beth, goes missing. Teens Heather, Brenda, and Maureen are best friends and in a band. Heather notices that Brenda and Maureen seem to be growing up without her, and their interest in sketchy boys concerns her. Her 12 y.o. sister, Junie, also is becoming interested. Heather is taking on a lot of responsibility at home, with her mother very depressed. Her dad, is the district attorney, but when Heather and Brenda witness their friend Maureen doing something questionable, Heather and Brenda don't mention it to her dad. Then Maureen goes missing at the quarry.
What follows is a tense thriller about town secrets, family secrets, growing up and losing your innocence in the saddest way. Enjoyed show more this novel, and will read more by Lourey. show less

Um, this might be one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books you wish you could erase from your memory, just so you can experience it again for the first time.

Set in Minnesota in 1977 when teenage girls disappeared, and the police were hesitant to fully investigate.

This is the kind of thriller that doesn’t just have a good atmosphere and pace, it’s also the kind that feels real in the most upsetting ways. But that’s what makes it stand out so much. The mystery itself is haunting and suspenseful.

It touches on the bigger themes of this book, specifically the fact that in greater society, sometimes women are victims and sometimes men are either enablers and abusers themselves, and we don’t necessarily show more REALLY know all sides of a person, even when we care about them or trust them.

A searing, heartbreaking thriller about small town secrets, violent misogyny, and having to grow up too fast under horrible circumstances while trying to persevere, The Quarry Girls is emotional, raw, and yet somehow hopeful. show less

As someone who graduated from high school in 1977 and lives in Minnesota, this book caught my attention. Not only was it a fantastic mystery/thriller, but it was also a fun walk down memory lane.
Hash jeans, the Johnny Holm band, the songs, the TV shows, the hairstyles, and the clothes... brought back great memories.
And the story? It kept me invested and kept me guessing. There are so many potential suspects in this story, told from a teenage girl's (Heather) POV for most of the chapters.
And knowing of some of swept-under-the-carpet secrets of that generation, especially in small towns, and of the real-life murder mysteries in Minnesota, made the story even more intriguing.
Highly recommend this story full of plot twists!

I’ve loved Jess Lourey’s thrillers ever since I read Bloodlines. She has a knack for writing that keeps you engaged and wanting to turn the pages, wide-eyed and eager to know what happens next. This was no exception. Started with a bang and did not let up until the end, the mystery and “oh shit” factory building into the reveal.

This was my one of my Kindle FirstReads picks for October.

Even creepier that this is based on a true story.

This is the story of Heather Cash, a 16-year old girl who lives in small Pantown, Minnesota. She and her best friend, Brenda, are exploring the quarries one night and see something they shouldn’t have…which may or may not tie to the disappearance of two girls in her town. There are two sets of show more suspects- and plenty of small town and family secrets that made my jaw drop (and I’ve read quite a few thrillers and psychological & domestic suspense stories!).

The story is told in first person from Heather’s POV, and while she is 16, a YA book this is NOT. There are some get dark themes explored. Her two friends are outgrowing her and she’s forced to grow up quickly, helping to care for her mother and looking out for her little sister, who’s also growing up fast and starting to attract the wrong kind of attention. There are also chapters interspersed within from Beth, a girl who is kidnapped in the first chapter.

The characters feel like real people. I felt like I knew them intimately and shared in their sorrows, shock, and fears. The ending was satisfying and loose ends were tied up. Writing flowed and was easy to read.

This was a haunting tale of innocence lost and the monsters who walk along us. Jess Lourey is clearly a talented storyteller and I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future! show less

Because of whom the characters are, this book should be in every high school library.
Jess Lourey, the author behind "The Quarry Girls," has written a captivating mystery thriller that takes readers on a journey into the heart of a small, isolated town. I found this book to be incredibly enjoyable, and I couldn't put it down, finishing it within just two days.
The novel begins by drawing readers into the enigmatic world of a tight-knit community, where the bonds between its inhabitants run deep. Lourey taps into the universal theme of hometown secrets, making it relatable to those who, like me, have grown up in such an environment.
One of the book's most notable aspects is its exploration of the challenges faced by teenagers as they show more transition into young adulthood. The Quarry Girls experiences the trials and tribulations of adolescence that resonate with teens from both small towns and big cities alike.
As someone who lived through the 70s era, reading about it evoked a strong sense of nostalgia. Lourey's attention to detail in recreating the ambiance of the '70s transported me back to my own teenage years, complete with the music, fashion, and cultural references of the time. This added to my reading and made me feel even more connected to the story.
The plot has unexpected twists and turns, which kept me turning the pages. The tension builds gradually. I was forming my own opinion as to who the murderer was while reading.
What stands out the most, in my opinion, is the central character, a 15-year-old girl who takes it upon herself to investigate the mysterious murders of her friends while simultaneously shouldering the responsibilities of her own family. This young protagonist's determination, courage, and resourcefulness make her a compelling character. Her journey of self-discovery and growth is a central theme of the story, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength that can be found in unexpected places. show less

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook through Amazon First Reads.

Thoughts: This was an interesting read. I am not generally a huge fan of serial killer/thriller types of books. I was intrigued by the Minnesota setting here and I really did end up enjoying that Minnesota setting. There is a lot of background here on the late 1970's in the St. Cloud area, particularly Pantown. I had no idea that so many awful things were happening in that time frame in St. Cloud. I also didn't know the urban myths around the Pantown tunnels.

The story follows Heather as she and her two girlfriends get an amazing opportunity for their all girl band to perform at the county fair. This is overshadowed some by the fact show more that a girl named Beth has recently gone missing. Their first performance at the fair goes awesome and they are pumped for their next until one of their band members, Maureen, goes missing. Heather is smart and she is sure that Beth isn't a runaway and neither is Maureen, so Heather starts digging. What she finds reveals a nasty underside to their idealistic small town.

This was a well done story. I enjoyed Heather as a character, although her home life was seriously messed up and got more so as the story continued. It was an interesting look back in time and really drove home how in a lot of ways a "woman's" place in society has improved. However, it also drove home how far we still have to go. It was scary how easily society accepted the disappearance of these girls and how readily trusted figures in society accepted and even participated in what was happening.

This was easy to read and hard to put down. It is definitely a page-turner and the story kept me guessing. The conclusion wasn't as surprising as I had hoped, but I did enjoy how the story wrapped up. It ends on a hopeful note and I really admired how Heather and Beth handled everything.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed learning about the history of the St. Cloud area and enjoyed the mystery behind this story. This was well written, easy to read, and not too scary. Will I pick up more Lourey books in the future? Well, as I said, I am not a huge fan of this genre but if another Lourey book comes up in a Minnesota setting and it sounds intriguing I would definitely consider it. This was an interesting read and very well written. show less