The French Girl

Ten years ago, six university friends from Oxford enjoyed a week in the French countryside where they met Severine, the girl who lived next door to their farmhouse. Kate, distracted and angry after a huge row with her then-boyfriend, failed to register Severine's presence as important, even when Severine went missing shortly thereafter. In the present, the friends are ensconced in their daily lives when a French detective shows up in London bearing the news that Severine's skeleton has been discovered on the vacation property. This makes Kate start to wonder how well she knows her friends. As the narrator, Kate is smart, funny, and attractive, with some confidence issues, making her relatable. The friends fill the archetypes of supporting characters: the nemesis, the BFF, the ex, and the buddy, but Elliott fleshes them out so well they aren't stereotypical. As the detective continues to dig, the shifting dynamics within the group will keep the reader guessing until the end.