Three Truths and a Lie

May 16, 2016
A weekend at a remote cabin turns deadly for the teenagers in Hartinger’s (The Elephant of Surprise) psychological thriller, which is rife with sexual tension. For narrator Rob, the trip is a chance to spend some quality time with his boyfriend, Liam, and prove that he fits in with Liam’s best friend, Mia, and her boyfriend, Galen. The four set off for Mia’s family’s lake cabin near the isolated Washington State town of Marot, but the townspeople they encounter are surly, and the rickety house leaves much to be desired. But the group makes do, with Galen even suggesting a skinny-dipping excursion. When the group gathers in the evening for the eponymous game, they start noticing things are askew, like the missing satellite phone. The pranks get more ominous until the group is trapped at the cabin, and what began as harmless fun turns fatal. Though the ultimate twist is both hard to swallow and somewhat easy to see coming, Hartinger’s depiction of the complexities of teen relationships, particularly gay ones, is on point. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennifer De Chiara, Jennifer De Chiara Literary.

June 1, 2016
Anyone who's ever watched a horror movie knows: don't go into the woods. Rob adores his boyfriend, Liam, but is having trouble getting along with Liam's best friend, party-girl Mia, and her handsome, troubled boyfriend, Galen. Rob makes some unwise decisions to get along, but the most dangerous is going with them to a remote cabin on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Hartinger gleefully piles up the horror-movie cliches. Along the way, they encounter a menacing old woman carrying a crossbow, and she's far from happy to see Mia. After the drive along muddy back roads, Mia realizes the woman is angry that her family has sold land to clear-cutters, ruining property values. The teens make the best of it with skinny-dipping, drinking, and a game of "Three Truths and a Lie." Mia reveals a disturbing secret, which she says is a lie, but Rob is unsettled. Then the outhouse is knocked over and their gas tank punctured, all after their satellite phone has disappeared. It's not long before the paranoia spirals until they all suspect one another, and not everyone makes it out alive. Though the cast is not particularly diverse racially (Galen's "golden-brown" skin notwithstanding, there's no solid indication that these teens are anything but white), placing a couple of gay boys at the center of a psychological thriller is a refreshing spin on a very old trope. The story is suspenseful, with excellent pacing, self-aware humor, and a twist that Hartinger pulls off as well as the best slasher films. (Thriller. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Mia is spontaneous, brash, and gorgeous, while Liam is a predictable honor student. Liam and his boyfriend, Rob, belong to radically different social spheres than Mia and her Adonis-like boyfriend, Galen. After Galen has a brush with someone trying to settle a score, the friends retreat to Mia's family cabin. A lakeside getaway is the perfect place to celebrate their upcoming graduation and to indulge in some romance. What should be a fun weekend soon dissolves into a fight for survival. A satellite phone, their only means of communication, is missing, and their car is sabotaged. Someone wants the teens to be isolated and vulnerable, but who would maliciously terrorize them? When Mia lets slip a terrible secret from her youth, Rob wonders if a childhood blunder could compel a person to commit murder. Although the plot is a classic horror movie setup, the story does not feel derivative. The gay relationship and the impact of Galen's insidious bullying are issues not typically dealt with in this genre. Hartinger's novel is a gripping mystery written in a straightforward way that will appeal to reluctant readers. The unadorned language propels the plot swiftly forward and keeps readers engaged. The descriptive sex scenes make this book suitable for a mature high school audience. VERDICT An intense mystery perfect for reluctant readers.-Jocelyn Charpentier, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.