Fragments of the Lost

September 25, 2017
After months of mourning the death of her ex-boyfriend, Caleb, 16-year-old Jessa Whitworth is asked to pack up his room so that his mother and younger sister can move on. Witnesses say that the last time Caleb was seen—before driving off a bridge into a raging river—was at Jessa’s track meet. The two had an awkward moment there, and Caleb left angry. Jessa feels responsible for the accident, and her guilt mounts as she slowly packs away his belongings, each item bringing up a memory of their yearlong relationship. In addition to the memories dredged up by Caleb’s things, Jessa begins to piece together evidence that leads her to believe that Caleb was hiding a big secret. Miranda (The Safest Lies) exhaustively rehashes the ups and downs of Caleb and Jessa’s relationship as the novel unfolds, sapping the story’s forward momentum. Those who persist through the slow buildup will be rewarded with a slight twist at the end, though even this development isn’t entirely unexpected. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.

Narrator Erin Spencer adeptly conveys main character Jessa's mental state as she reminisces about her late ex-boyfriend, who died in an accident. As she packs the items in Caleb's bedroom at the request of his mother, each item reveals an aspect of Caleb that portrays him as drastically different from the boy Jessa thought she knew. Author Miranda's lyrical language translates seamlessly into the audio format, thanks to Spencer's compelling performance. As the story unfolds, Jessa gradually uncovers a mystery surrounding Caleb's accident. As Jessa becomes more desperate to know the truth of what happened, Spencer subtly quickens her pace and ratchets up the tension, leading to a satisfying conclusion. S.P. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine