The Girls of Summer

Journalist Bishop’s promising first novel is a timely exploration of the way predatory older men seduce and manipulate young women. After Greek island hopping for seven weeks with her friend Caroline, 17-year-old Rachel meets 30-ish Alistair and becomes obsessed with him. Soon, Alistair invites the insecure Rachel to parties at a wealthy friend’s villa with her friends, who enter into affairs that slowly descend into drug-fueled disaster. Alistair conceals his practiced procurement of women on this “orgy island”—the real-life parallels are unmistakable—with protests to Rachel that he loves her. She remains in Alistair’s thrall for more than a decade, ultimately destroying her marriage to another man before shocking revelations from her friends about Alistair finally open her eyes. The sense of place is ultra-vivid, though the narrative sags at points and the characters verge on stereotypes. Still, the author’s unflinching dissection of male abuse of power and the strength of female solidarity deserves attention. (June)