The Lies They Tell

June 18, 2018
In this thoughtful mystery from French (Grit), 18-year-old Pearl Haskins was one of the last people to see the Garrison family alive the night their house burned to the ground. Pearl’s father was the gatekeeper at the Garrison house; blamed for the tragedy, he has since lost most of his caretaking jobs on Mount Desert Island, a Maine summer retreat. Pearl’s job as a waitress at the local club brings her into contact with the island’s elite, including the enigmatic Tristan Garrison, the lone surviving family member, who has returned for the summer. Pearl is determined to clear her father’s name and get to the bottom of what happened to the Garrisons, despite the warnings from her fellow townies. But what will learning the truth cost her? Pearl is an empathetic character, and French does an excellent job of highlighting the tension between social classes in this slow-burning mystery, as well as the difficulties of navigating family drama. Ages 14–up.