One of the Girls

A trip abroad for six 30-something British women leads to tragedy, in this decent if flawed psychological thriller from Clarke (The Blue). Professional dancer-turned-yoga instructor Lexi Lowe is getting married to Ed Tollock in a month, so her close friend and maid of honor, Bella Rossi, throws a bachelorette weekend on the Greek Island of Aegos. Bella’s girlfriend, Fen, has an aunt who allows the women to use her secluded villa on the island while she’s away. Ed’s quirky sister, Eleanor, accompanies them, as do a childhood friend of Lexi and Bella’s, Robyn Davies, and Lexi’s yoga student turned friend, Ana. Alternating chapters explore the innermost thoughts of the women, each of whom has juicy secrets involving the others in the group. Gradually, jealousy and resentment surface, and someone ends up taking a fatal tumble. The plot, which takes several colorful if farfetched twists, builds to a rushed conclusion followed by an epilogue that wraps up things a tad too neatly. Clarke keeps the pages turning, but this character-driven story focuses more on the relationships among the women than the whodunit aspects. Liane Moriarty fans may want to check this one out. Agent: Gráinne Fox, Fletcher & Co. (June)