The Quarry Girls

By Jess Lourey

5/5

Synopsis

Minnesota, 1977. For the teens of one close-knit community, summer means late-night swimming parties at the quarry, the county fair, and venturing into the tunnels beneath the city. But for two best friends, it’s not all fun and games.

Heather and Brenda have a secret. Something they saw in the dark. Something they can’t forget. They’ve decided to never tell a soul. But their vow is tested when their friend disappears—the second girl to vanish in a week. And yet the authorities are reluctant to investigate.

Heather is terrified that the missing girls are connected to what she and Brenda stumbled upon that night. Desperately searching for answers on her own, she learns that no one in her community is who they seem to be. Not the police, not the boys she met at the quarry, not even her parents. But she can’t stop digging because she knows those girls are in danger.

She also knows she’s next.

Genre

Mystery/thriller/coming of age

Content Warning

Sexual assault, violence, rape, child abuse, kidnapping

I thought this was one of the most beautiful coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read. It’s dark and gritty and really captures what it is like to grow up as a girl. While I didn’t grow up in the ‘70’s, and even though so much has changed, at the core, a lot hasn’t. The vibe I got was kind of a darker (with zero aliens) “Super 8”.

What I Liked

Characters

Heather was a great main character; she wasn’t living a fairy-tale life, and she didn’t try to pretend she was. Specifically, because she sadly had to grow up and be the woman of the house before she even realized she was doing it. Seeing the world through her eyes was a perfect choice. As for the other characters, I thought they were all well written

Ant was one character my heart ached for. There are always those kids who look for acceptance in the wrong place, and I wish he’d made better choices. Every character brought something to the story, and their stories wove together beautifully. I loved that in the end, Heather recognized it wasn’t just the girls who needed protection and guidance, but all of them.

“The people in this room would make sure it was different for Junie’s group, the girls and the boys.”

Plot

The plot sounded pretty typical for a thriller when I picked it up, but boy, I’m glad I gave it a go. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any means, which was fine with me. I thought it was fantastic. I thought I had things figured out, and then in the end, I was wrong. As I’ve mentioned in my other posts, I love it when I’m surprised by the ending! 

Setting

The setting, as usual, was essential to the story. I loved the era, and the use of the tunnels leftover from an old factory was brilliant. From what I’ve read online, some believe them to be urban legend, but that’s so my cup of tea. I’m choosing to believe they exist, or did at one time. They really bring a great creepy atmosphere, thinking that anyone can walk in and out of your basement…chills. 

“The truth was that the tunnels, though as familiar as my own knees, always made me feel swallowed.”

Theme

Theme–wise, once again, beautifully done. Growing up, growing up as a girl, and all that comes with it…Lourey really nailed it. While all girls may not have the same experiences as the girls in this story, there is still a lot that can be taken away from it, including the knowledge that none of us are alone. 

“The law might not recognize it, but fifteen’s a girl and sixteen a woman, and you get no map from one land to the next.”

Mental health takes center stage throughout the whole story, and how people would rather just ignore it and pretend it isn’t happening, instead of stepping up and walking alongside those who are struggling. Things have improved, sure, but the stigma is still there, and so many struggle in silence. 

“Every one of you bears responsibility.
Every. One. Of. You.”

Sometimes people aren’t who we think they are, and it can be so crushing when they reveal their true colors. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who was bad and who was not. Who was responsible, and who was not. But, in the end, the responsibility lies with all the adults. The adults who should know better, who should take the time to nurture and love the children around them. But sometimes they can’t. And that’s heartbreaking.

Knowing that some of these parents aren’t capable of giving their children what they need. The knowledge that those kids are going to get lost in the system, lost in the thrills of those who give them what they’re searching for, and then end up down a dark, terrifying path is crushing.

“I saw him, really saw him for the first time. It unhinged something in me, allowing the flame he’d ignited to suddenly tear through all the paper truths he’d built.”

I could write about this book until my fingers bleed. I loved it so much, but I will leave you with this final thought. This was the type of book that I couldn’t wait to finish and get the answers I was looking for, but at the same time, I wanted to read it forever; it was so good. 

What I Didn’t Like

Nothing! 5/5, I will recommend this book to everyone.

If you liked this, I invite you to check out my own book All That Remain.

If you have a book you’d like to recommend, please leave a comment below. Happy Reading!