The Lies That Bind

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY MAY 9, 2011

Kate is still recovering from the death of her friend Grace last fall, which she believes may not have been an accident. So when she receives an email from Grace, she is understandably shaken. Kate attends Pemberly Brown Academy, a prestigious private school steeped in tradition and snobbery, where Kate has few allies beyond her smitten and conspiracy theory obsessed friend Seth, and maybe her recent love interest, bad boy Liam. But as Grace's emails become more intense full of pleas, riddles, directions, and warnings Kate is overwhelmed with guilt for not being with Grace on the night she died, and she obsessively seeks the truth about what happened. The Roecker sisters' narrative switches from the events leading up to Grace's death and the present day, effectively building tension and emphasizing the life-altering significance of the event for Kate ("It was like a giant pair of scissors had come along and neatly snipped my life in two"). No character is above suspicion in this chilling, suspenseful, and smart debut. Ages 12 up.