It’s been said that secrets have a way of seeping through the cracks, no matter how tightly you think you’ve sealed them. Wendy Corsi Staub’s The Fourth Girl is a book that digs into this unsettling reality, intertwining suspense, guilt, and a delicate thread of redemption. As a New York Times bestselling author, Staub knows how to craft a story that grips readers, and this novel is no exception. At its heart is a mystery—the sudden disappearance of teenager Caroline Winterfield on prom night—and decades later, her three closest friends must confront haunting truths they’ve long tried to bury.
The Premise of The Fourth Girl
The Fourth Girl follows two main timelines: the past, in the early 2000s, and the present, marking the 25th anniversary of Caroline Winterfield’s disappearance. In 2000, Caroline vanished during an after-prom gathering at Haven Cliff, a creepy abandoned mansion that seemed made for ghost stories. Her three best friends—Midge, Kelly, and Talia—went home that night with a heavy secret, one that their idyllic suburban lives couldn’t shield them from.
In the present day, these women return to their hometown, their reunion spurred by both the anniversary of Caroline’s disappearance and the restoration of Haven Cliff. What should be a time of nostalgia instead pulls them headfirst into the shadows of their fractured past.
Caroline Winterfield’s Disappearance
Caroline wasn’t just another name in the crowd. She was larger-than-life, effortlessly charismatic, and the type of person whose absence left a gaping hole. Her choice to explore Haven Cliff on prom night wasn’t shocking—just deeply unsettling once she never came back. This abandoned mansion, with its history of crime and whispered hauntings, served as the ominous setting for her disappearance. Staub uses this crumbling estate to mirror the hidden fractures in her characters’ lives, making Haven Cliff more than just a backdrop—it’s practically alive with tension and dread. Read more about Haven Cliff’s significance here.
The Reunited Friends
Fast forward 25 years, and Midge, Kelly, and Talia are adults each wrestling with their personal demons. Life has gone on for them, but never without the echoes of that fateful night in 2000. Their reunion isn’t fueled by nostalgia but by necessity; the unraveling threads are pulling tighter, and the dirty truths about where they’ve been—and who they are—are demanding to be faced. Staub pieces together their shared fractures delicately, showing how secrets can hold a friendship together but also slowly poison it.
Themes and Emotional Undercurrents
At its core, The Fourth Girl is more than a thriller. Staub taps into deeply relatable human emotions—friendship, betrayal, guilt—and shows us how they simmer, evolve, and eventually combust. If you’ve ever felt the weight of hiding something too big to confess, you’ll feel this book in your bones.
Friendship and Betrayal
The trio’s camaraderie is equal parts heartbreaking and unsettling. Can a bond that has survived years of silence really count as unbroken? The shared secret of Caroline’s disappearance acts like glue, but it’s a glue born of fear, not love. Watching Midge, Kelly, and Talia navigate their renewed connection forces readers to reflect on their own friendships. How much honesty can we handle before the ties that bind us snap?
The Weight of Guilt
Guilt isn’t just an emotion; it’s a character in this novel. Staub paints it with vivid strokes—an ever-present haze over every choice and memory. For Midge, who has pursued a career in law enforcement, guilt has manifested as a constant need for control. For Kelly and Talia, it’s more subtle but no less consuming, bleeding into their relationships and life choices. The novel sometimes feels like looking into a mirror you’d rather avoid—one that shows what could happen if you let one secret define you.
The Setting: Haven Cliff and Mulberry Bay
Haven Cliff and Mulberry Bay are as instrumental to The Fourth Girl as the characters themselves. Staub uses these settings to amplify the novel’s mood, creating a contrast that heightens the suspense and dread.
Haven Cliff’s Role in the Mystery
Haven Cliff, with its decayed exterior and darkened halls, isn’t just the site of Caroline’s disappearance—it’s the keeper of truths. It feels less like a location and more like a predator biding its time. Later, when the mansion is restored, its new appearance feels almost mocking, as if hiding its sinister past beneath a shiny exterior. Explore more about Haven Cliff’s unique role here.
The Small-Town Dynamics of Mulberry Bay
Mulberry Bay itself acts as a kind of microcosm for how people handle tragedy. The secrets, rumors, and whispered gossip of a small community bring an additional layer of complexity to the narrative. Everyone seems to know something, though often they know little that’s actually true. The town’s vibe adds tension, making you wonder if anyone is innocent.
Critical Reception and Reader Reactions
Readers and critics alike have praised The Fourth Girl for its strong character development and ability to maintain suspense from start to finish. Some have noted that the dual timelines can feel unbalanced at times, with the past occasionally dragging in service of the present. However, Staub’s knack for weaving emotional depth into her suspense is universally appreciated. Characters feel real—flawed, raw, and heartbreakingly human.
For fans of twisty narratives and layered storytelling, this novel earns its place. It will likely draw comparisons to Wendy Corsi Staub’s earlier works and thrillers like The Girl on the Train. Check out full reviews here.
Conclusion
The Fourth Girl is more than just a story about a crime; it’s a story about consequences and how the past never really lets go. Staub asks us to confront the uncomfortable truth that secrets never sit still—they move, shift, and twist their way into the present. If you’re searching for a story that blends suspense with emotional depth, this book should be next on your list. Could it be the beginning of a compelling series? Only time will tell.