The Good Girls

October 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-High school student Emma Baines is missing and presumed dead, and police have their eyes on three of her classmates: Claude, the smart-mouthed rebel; Avery, the preppy cheerleader; and Gwen, the academic rival. But secrets run deep in this Colorado mountain town, and appearances are deceiving. As each suspect struggles to prove their innocence, evidence builds against them. The narration is punctuated with blog entries, interview transcripts, chat logs, and news articles. Though the feminist overtones of the story are a welcome addition to the YA thriller genre, the book as a whole does not stand out within the saturated arena. The four protagonists are indistinct and easily confused with one another, and certain plot elements, such as the addition of an anonymous blogger, seem disconnected from the story. Though fans of Karen M. McManus and Courtney Summers will see familiar themes throughout the narrative, the book misses key elements of suspense that would have made it a compelling thriller. The lead-up to the climax is a jumble, and the final scenes rush to deliver an underwhelming conclusion. No character's race is explicitly stated, and the only cultural signifiers are that Gwen is Welsh. Claude is described as having dark hair and light skin, and Avery, Gwen, and Emma are described as blonde and blue-eyed. VERDICT Though strong in its feminist convictions, a hurried ending, muddied mystery, and unmemorable characters make this book an additional purchase at best.-Madison Bishop, Forbes Lib., Northampton, MA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 19, 2020
Emma Baines is missing. A grainy Facebook video appears to show someone shoving the “ice-blond” 17-year-old off a bridge into a lethal stretch of river known as Anna’s Run. The Jefferson-Lorne, Colo., police department, headed by Emma’s overprotective father, is centering their investigation on three of her classmates: Avery Cross, the airheaded captain of Emma’s cheerleading squad; Claude Vanderly, a “loudmouth slut” and notorious troublemaker; and Gwen Sayer, an acerbic overachiever who is competing with Emma to win a full undergraduate scholarship. According to mysterious blogger Adams West, however, the cops’ focus is misplaced; Emma had a secret that likely got her killed, and he is determined to not only uncover that secret, but expose it to the world. Fantasy author Bartlett (The Winter Duke) takes on society’s toxic attitudes toward teenage girls in this dark and twisty #MeToo thriller. The writing is occasionally overwrought, and aspects of the plot strain credulity, but on the whole, Bartlett delivers an empowering tale populated with nuanced characters of sundry socioeconomic backgrounds and sexual orientations. Ages 13–up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.

October 1, 2020
Someone is breaking the small-town silence in this teen noir. Jefferson-Lorne, Colorado, is a small town, and its girls are labeled: slut (Claude Vanderly), airhead (Avery Cross), and cutthroat academic (Gwen Sayer). As all grapple with their reputations, their complicated romantic relationships, and the dark rumors that plague the high school, cheerleader Emma Baines goes missing after making a bold accusation. When police investigate Emma's disappearance (and apparent death), the three girls come under suspicion even as they secretly seek justice. Not only do they navigate the petty scandals of high school and parental power struggles, the girls also tackle bigger issues like body image, substance abuse, sexuality, and consent. Bartlett, author of The Winter Duke (2020), continues her exploration of queer and feminist issues but grounds it in an all-too-real modern world with real monsters. Clearly attempting to avoid revealing the core crime too early, the novel begins with slow pacing, relentless shifts in narrators, and a minefield of misdirection and distractions before barreling toward a well-calculated and high-stakes climax. The young women's rage and regret are palpable, and their reactions to trauma and drama are realistic even if their solutions are improbably elaborate. The main cast reads as White; they vary in their living situations, income levels, and sexuality, and there is ethnic diversity in the supporting cast. A solid addition to the traumatized teen mystery genre. Revenge served cold. (Mystery. 14-18)

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December 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 Near a small Colorado town, there's a bend in the river that everyone calls Anna's Run, where the water becomes so dangerous that it's not unusual for people to drown there. But when high-achieving high-schooler Emma Baines disappears at Anna's Run, the police suspect a classmate murdered her, and they zero in on three suspects in particular. There's Claude, the girl who likes boys, parties, and trouble a little too much; Avery, the eager-to-please cheerleader, whose bisexuality and friendship with Emma seem to make her friends uncomfortable; and Gwen, whose sister drowned at Anna's Run, and who was Emma's main competition for a life-changing scholarship. In a narrative that rotates between the girls' perspectives and includes transcripts from police interviews, Bartlett picks apart the different labels so often assigned to young women and crafts a layered mystery. The execution doesn't quite live up to its potential, with some plot points becoming muddled, but fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie (2018) will appreciate this socially conscious, character-driven thriller.

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