Synopsis
Everyone thinks I killed Lisa...
I didn't.
I loved her. At least, I thought I did.
But she never loved me--she made that clear the last time we were together. I should have known that a university president's daughter would never fall for a farmer's kid. Now the cops are all over me and everyone else that was at the party and all the weird stuff is coming out.
I guess Lisa and I weren't the only ones keeping secrets...
VOYA
Billy O'Reilly is doomed. He is being led on by the most popular girl in school, Lisa Wells. Mr. Wells hates Billy because he sees him as a threat to the future that he has planned for her. Billy is shackled to his family's farm, but Mr. Wells wants his daughter to go to the local college where he is president. It is apparent from page one that things are not going to go well for Billy-and they do not. When Lisa is found murdered after a break-in at her family's home, he is targeted as the most likely suspect. He knows that it is up to him to clear his name and find her killer. Lisa's father was enraged by the knowledge that she was seeing him. Could he have killed her? And then there is Rodney, her redneck stepbrother who also knows of their affair and has mysteriously disappeared. Was it him? Windy, Billy's friend who has a crush on him, tries to help him find out the truth. Although the characters and plot in this mystery/suspense novel are somewhat clichTd-rich beautiful, sheltered girl seduces average farm boy who later is framed for her murder-Ripslinger knows how to keep a reader hooked. Teens looking for a quick, entertaining mystery will enjoy this book. The writing is slightly better than average. A lot of teens will relate to the characters and the predicament of being trapped in a small town, where everyone knows their neighbors. Language and sexual content make this title more suitable for a public library.