Like Moonlight at Low Tide

August 20, 2012
Quigley makes her debut with an ambitious story about weighty issues teens face: suicide, alcohol, promiscuity, and bullying. After three years away, Missy Keiser returns to the small Florida town where she grew up. In her middle school years, she was the butt of teasing for her looks. But by the time she returns, she has blossomed into a teenager who catches the attention of the school's most popular boy, her middle-school crush. Missy's home life includes an alcoholic mother who regularly brings home different men and her older brother Robby, a slacker with depth. Josh, the boy next door, becomes her friend and refuge. When tragedy strikes, Missy is grieved, guilty, and confused. Quigley has bitten off a lot and doesn't have the technique to pull everything off convincingly. Her teen point of view doesn't ring true. But she's in her element describing the Florida island setting (Quigley grew up there), and her evocation of teens' response to suicide is poignant. Ages 13âup. (Sept.)\tâ