Pushing Perfect

A young woman whose parents pressure her academically becomes entangled in a web of blackmail in this mystery.Having alienated her friends early on in her high school career due to efforts to conceal both her burgeoning panic disorder and a dermatological condition from them, white, overachieving Kara jumps at the chance to hang out with friendly, smart, Vietnamese-American Alex. When Alex tells her about a new drug that may help her to manage her anxiety during her SAT retake (she fainted during an earlier sitting of the exam), she's desperate enough to try it and buys some illicitly from handsome, charming Raj, a British-Indian student at her high school. It helps her ace the test, but soon Kara begins receiving threatening text messages with photos showing her buying the pills. A by-the-book whodunit ensues, with each clue leading to the next and pulling in a broad and fairly diverse cast of characters. Issues such as family pressure and the stigma around mental health disorders provide a bit of depth, though Kara's anxiety seems to abate conveniently as the well-paced detective work of the group takes over. Despite a too-tidy resolution, readers will be kept guessing until they get there--which will please established mystery fans. (Mystery. 14-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Kara (aka Perfect Kara) is struggling to maintain her perfect grades and become valedictorian while dealing with panic attacks. She has already blown her chance at a National Merit Scholarship by not being able to get through the PSAT. The teen has demolished her old friendships because she was not able to be honest about the stress she is under. When a new friend offers her a drug to calm her down and help her ace the SATs, Kara thinks she has solved her problem. What she doesn't expect is the text from a Blocked Sender who knows what she did and is threatening to blackmail her if she doesn't follow instructions. As she tries to discover the identity of the mysterious blackmailer, she is far from alone-there is a large group of teens, all with secrets of their own, who are being blackmailed. Twists and turns abound as the young people bond in their attempt to uncover the blackmailer. Reminiscent of the novels of Joan Lowery Nixon and Lois Duncan with its methodical uncovering of clues and multiple red herrings, this mystery set in a modern-day well-to-do suburb in California will keep readers turning the pages. And the surprise at the end when Blocked Sender is revealed will keep teens pondering for a long time. VERDICT A good choice for those looking for a compelling mystery.-Deanna McDaniel, Genoa Middle School, OH

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