These past few years have been intense, scary and life-changing for most people on the planet. As a result, many authors have composed works of both fiction and nonfiction that serve as a testimony to these tumultuous times. I tip my hat to these efforts; they allow readers to escape through the pages of a good book and connect with people and ideas they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.

"Alex Marwood is the pseudonym of a former journalist who has worked extensively in the British press, which is what makes the novel’s controversial subject matter ring so true.... [THE ISLAND OF LOST GIRLS is] an intense and unsettling read."

THE ISLAND OF LOST GIRLS is just such a book. Alex Marwood is the pseudonym of a former journalist who has worked extensively in the British press, which is what makes the novel’s controversial subject matter ring so true. To begin with, I am sure that the idea for the book sprang from a wealth of research. When you are dealing with both human trafficking and the abuse and murder of young girls, it makes one pause in disgust. I immediately thought of Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, the latter of whom I am confident served as “inspiration” for one of the characters here.

The backdrop for this shocking novel is, ironically, paradise. La Kastellana is an island in the Mediterranean near Greece and quickly becomes the go-to destination for the wealthy and famous. The local rulers, as well as their law enforcement, seemingly turn a blind eye to what their affluent guests do, as they single-handedly fund the tourist trade and keep many businesses financially afloat as a result.

It is 1985, and 12-year-old Mercedes and her family, who run a restaurant on the mainland, are directly impacted by those who visit the island. Multimillionaire Matthew Meade effectively buys the services of Mercedes for the summer to be a companion to his snotty and evil daughter, Tatiana. Following the tragic death of her older sister, Donatella, Mercedes learns that Tatiana is to blame, and she vows to get revenge.

Thirty-one years later, Mercedes is the personal contact for Tatiana and her family to find locations for their visits and gatherings. A specific celebration is planned on La Kastellana, and Mercedes is responsible for making the arrangements. When Tatiana arrives with a harem of young teen girls --- supposedly all members of her modeling agency --- Mercedes begins to connect the dots. She realizes what is really going on here, and she doesn’t like it one bit.

At this point, another narrative is brought into the novel. Gemma is a 17-year-old runaway who has deserted her mother, Robin, in the UK to travel to La Kastellana with this so-called modeling agency. Through the eyes of the crazed and helpless Robin, we experience the horrors of desperately trying to find your child before she is lost forever. Robin learns that Gemma is on the island, and we feel her frustration when no authority figure is willing to help in her search.

Mercedes not only must get revenge for herself and her family, she has to find a way to stop these young women from being used and tossed aside like they’re garbage. It will not be easy, but this is what propels the action in THE ISLAND OF LOST GIRLS and makes for such an intense and unsettling read.