Get Even

July 7, 2014
Bree, Kitty, Olivia, and Margot are an unlikely group—at least according to students at Bishop DuMaine, a private school where viciousness is regularly meted out by the ruling class. These four girls make up a secret student revenge squad called DGM (Don’t Get Mad), which has been wreaking havoc on the popular crowd and the school’s nastiest teachers on behalf of their victims. In an effort to discover the students behind DGM, principal Father Uberti has assigned a group of bullies called the ’Maine Men to rout its members out. When one of DGM’s targets turns up dead, the killer makes it look like the work of DGM, and suddenly the girls are receiving mysterious clues related to the murder. With a dizzying number of characters and suspects, it can be difficult to keep track of who’s who, but as DGM gets close to catching the killer, and the girls threaten to turn on one another, the suspense that McNeil (Ten) builds should keep readers curious to discover what happens next in this planned series. Ages 13–up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown.

August 1, 2014
A new series aiming at the Pretty Little Liars sweet spot kicks off. Bullies run rampant at prep school Bishop DuMaine, ignored by principal Father Uberti. That is, until a group called Don't Get Mad begins giving the worst offenders their just deserts. No one knows who is in DGM-no one would suspect it's four very different girls with no apparent ties of friendship. Student body vice president Kitty initially brought together actress Olivia, invisible Margot and rebellious Bree after a freshman year class project, and since then, they've successfully neutralized some of the worst offenders at Bishop DuMaine. But then their latest target ends up dead-holding evidence that implicates DGM in his death. With the sadistic Coach Creed and the 'Maine Men, a "school-sanctioned goon squad," determined to reveal DGM's members, the team's bonds begin to fray, especially when they begin receiving anonymous photos that hint at the girls' secrets. Will they be able to discover the murderer's identity without revealing their own? That question is regrettably left unanswered. Although some characters are well-rounded-Kitty and Margot and some minor characters-others are less successful. Bree's rebelliousness exists only to exist, it seems. The plot slowly and inexorably increases the tension, only for the cliffhanger to act as an unwanted pin in the balloon. A compelling contemporary thriller for readers who don't mind waiting for Volume 2. (Suspense. 12-16)

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July 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-A popular actress, a super brain with sheltered home life, a senator's rebellious daughter, and a top athlete/student leader-Olivia, Margot, Bree, and Kitty are all juniors at a prestigious prep school. They have nothing in common, or so they'd like their classmates to think. The four girls are DGM, (Don't Get Mad) a secret society that enacts revenge for bullied students. They take on everyone, even teachers. The four members' lack of connection helps the group stay anonymous, but when one of their targets is killed, DGM is suddenly in the spotlight, and the girls work to find the real killer before they are exposed. McNeil gives each character a unique voice and point of view and as the narrative switches among them all, the story moves along quickly. The tone is reminiscent of a 1980s teen movie: despite the bullying and murder, the story is rather light and unbelievable. The school administration is dead set on outing the members of DGM, even in the midst of a murder investigation. The principal and one teacher are caricatures of an evil, scheming leader and a bloated, militaristic gym coach. One of the girls has hacking skills that rival the NSA. There are interesting twists, and the mystery is doled out in intriguing tidbits, but once the climax hits there is no payoff, and the complete lack of resolution may make readers feel off balance and unwilling to continue the story in the inevitable sequels.-Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Grades 8-11 The ever-enjoyable McNeil returns with her take on the bullying-revenge-gone-wrong theme. Popular Kitty, tough-talking Bree, thespian Olivia, and invisible Margot don't cross paths much in school, but that's by design: they're the four members of DGMDon't Get Mada secret club that doles out justice to any teacher or student who goes too far. Their latest target is the new kid, a sexual predator named Ronny, but shortly after DGM breaks into his house to nab his hard drive, Ronny turns up dead. And guess who is on top of the suspect list? Soon the entire community is after the identities of DGM, and, fueled by paranoia, the formerly tight quartet begins to splinter. Though the cute-boy swooning often feels misplaced, McNeil has a screenwriter's instincts and pulls off a neat trick: while her third-person POV follows each girl in turn, she holds back just enough, leaving the possibility that any of the four might be the killer. But heed this frustration alert: this is the start of a series, so nothing is solved by the end.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)