Synopsis
A gripping novel full of unpredictable turns told in the voices of three girls who must learn to live with the lies they tell.
There was a man. He had a knife. He attacked us down by the river. It was just a harmless little lie. Anna, Emma, and Mariah concoct a story about why they are late getting home one Friday night a story that will replace their parents' anger with concern. They just have to stand by it. No matter what. What happens next challenges their friendship, their community, their relationships with their families, and their sense of themselves. Suddenly the police are involved, and the town demands that someone be punished for threatening their children. And then there is the man who is arrested and accused of a crime that never happened. What happens in this novel shows the harm one lie can do. Praise for Dana Reinhardt "An enormously talented writer." KLIATT, starred review
Publishers Weekly
Reinhardt's dramatic novel about three girls who tell a lie to avoid getting in trouble, only to find that the lie has terrible consequences far beyond their original intentions, is even more compelling on audio. Each of the narrators takes on the first-person accounts of one of the girls: jaded, rebellious Mariah; shy, sheltered Anna; moody, introspective Emma. The narrators excel at conveying the girls' anxiety, impulsiveness and guilt, as well as the desire for independence and excitement that led to their initial misbehavior. A slight criticism is that the actresses playing Emma and Anna have very similar voices, so listeners must pay close attention to the name given at the beginning of each section and to the narrative details to keep track of which character is speaking. Otherwise, this is a production that will keep listeners riveted. An exclusive bonus interview with the author is included. Ages 13-up. (Mar.)
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