People Like Us

November 27, 2017
Soccer captain Kay Donovan gets caught up in a game of murder and revenge in this sharp psychological thriller, Mele’s debut. Kay is at the center of a group of seniors who rule their girls’ boarding school. The girls find the body of fellow student Jessica Lane in a nearby lake, and as the school reels from her death, Kay receives an email—purportedly from Jessica—that forces her to expose her friends’ sins in order to keep her own secrets buried. As evidence mounts against Kay in Jessica’s apparent murder, the school turns against her, and Kay learns that cruelty does not go unrepaid. Feeling unmoored, Kay turns to Nola, a former target of the group’s bullying, but none of Kay’s relationships is without agenda, and Kay finds herself in the killer’s sights. Mele creates a cast of sharp-edged, prickly students; the fluid sexuality of various characters is handled well, and themes of betrayal and bullying are front and center. An eerie, unsettling thriller with deadly consequences. Ages 12–up. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger.

Narrator Erin Spencer creates a crisp, powerful voice for Kay, a Bates Academy student who is tasked with completing a revenge project requested by a dead classmate, a possible murder victim named Jessica. If Kay doesn't complete the task, secret information will be released that could jeopardize her soccer scholarship. Spencer develops unique voices for each of the secondary characters, who are introduced as Kay chats with potential suspects. The coarse voice crafted for Detective Morgan perfectly portrays the character and heightens the intensity of the police interrogations. Mystery fans will be engaged by a plot brimming with shady characters and intrigue. M.D. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine