The Cursed Girls by Caro Ramsay
Megan Melvick has spent years avoiding her inheritance, the dark and disquieting family estate Benbrae, now home only to her distant, aristocratic father, and her sister Melissa, dying quietly in an upstairs bedroom. Trapped behind her unreliable hearing aids and vulnerable to what others want her to see, Megan is unable to find the answers she wants: why is there a new woman on her father’s arm? And why has their absent mother not returned to say a final goodbye to Melissa?
Benbrae has always been a place of loss and misfortune for Megan, but as the Melvick family diminishes still further, she must ask one final question. If there is a curse on the house, will she be its next victim?
About the author.
Caro Ramsay is the Glaswegian author of the critically acclaimed Anderson and Costello series, the first of which, Absolution, was shortlisted for the CWA's New Blood Dagger for best debut of the year. The ninth book in the series, The Suffering of Strangers, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2018.
@CaroRamsayBooks | caroramsay.com
Review.
’The Cursed Girls’ just bled old school crime at every turn, from the ‘big house’ setting, the psychological tricks, the nods to Agatha Christie and even the weather - that long hot summer! This was a stunningly clever novel from Caro. I devoured it in one sitting and still feel a week later as if I am in that world. The pacing was terrific, the chapters jumping back and forth between the two girls, kept us guessing right until the end!
Megan Melvick has hidden herself away from her family over the past few years, but now that her older sister Melissa is on her death bed she has been summoned home by her father. Reluctantly she heads home to ‘The Italian House’ hoping that the memories don’t overwhelm her. She uses her hearing loss and aids to hide away from situations and feelings but one thing she is sure of. Her mother Beth will return now her sister is dying. A woman who walked out on her marriage and children for another man and hasn't been heard from since.
This is definitely a family that tragedy follows - a death at Melissa’s wedding, Beth missing, madness and they also have their own suicide tree! As readers, we see the action from Megan and her childhood friend, Carla, perspectives. The chapters jump between the two of them and it really helps to ramp the tension up. As Megan begins to look more closely into past events, we see that it begins to revolve around Melissa’s wedding and her sister's treatment of her growing up. Carla is the same age as Megan but comes from a very different background. She has been branded as a ‘troubled teen’ by authorities and comes from a deprived area just done the road from Megan’s family estate. Her Father works for the Melvicks as their gardener and Carla has always been interested in the family but it soon becomes apparent that both girls feel like outsiders and naturally are drawn to one another.
I loved both girls characters but I also found the mental health aspects of both of them fascinating. I have read some reviews saying that this is a storyline that has been done a lot recently, but this book was originally published under the name ‘Mosiac’ so Caro was one of the first to use this. Anyway, does it matter when something has been executed as well as it has been here? It's clear that Caro has done her research and as someone who has a close family member suffer from disassociation disorder so much of it rings true!
Now, as someone who makes her living selling vintage Agatha Christie books, I ADORED all the nods to the Queen of Crime. From the setting, the ‘upstairs, downstairs’ distinctions, having an overlooking portrait of an old ancestor named Agatha, to that final reveal all in the drawing-room! Oh my, it was delightful and comforting. I can see there has been a lot of inspiration taken from her novels but I can't go into it without giving away spoilers. But, if you end up reading this book you will know! Also, like a Christie book, I didn't guess the ending which is refreshing and entertaining but also frustrating in equal measures.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book and if you end up liking the writing style you will be pleased to know there is a police procedural series set in Glasgow that the author also writes. I love the Anderson and Cooper series as well. Basically, just read everything Caro has written!
