Where Secrets Lie

March 1, 2021
A wealthy old family in a small Kentucky town begins to unravel in the wake of a girl's disappearance. Every summer, talented artist Amy spends three months with her grandparents in rural River Run, Kentucky, far away from her controlling, constantly striving mother. She's always been happiest exploring the river and woods on the family estate with her cousin, Benny, and best friend, Teddy. But River Run, with its long-established families and histories, isn't as idyllic for those without family wealth to fall back on--like Teddy, who does grueling landscaping work for Amy and Benny's grandparents to support his mother's meager income. When Teddy's younger sister goes missing, the distinctions between the trio's lives are thrown into even sharper relief. Amy's narration builds tension through alternating timelines--the dreamy, romantic anticipation of summer 2018 and the guarded intensity of summer 2019--as the three main characters navigate a passionate falling-out, a reunion under devastating circumstances, a clandestine romance, and a desperate investigation that reveals two equally disturbing truths. Refreshingly incisive, this is a poignant, accessible exploration of intergenerational trauma, chosen family, and class privilege with gripping suspense at its center. All major characters are cued as White. A richly layered coming-of-age novel built upon a foundation of conscience. (Thriller. 12-18)

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April 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up-Cousins Amy and Ben have been close their whole lives, even though Amy's mom got out of their small Kentucky town as soon as she could. Every summer, Amy comes from Washington, D.C. to stay with her wealthy grandma and spends every second she can with "her boys," Ben and his best friend Teddy. She's loved Teddy forever, but until recently that hasn't been out in the open. Readers are left in the dark as to the status of their relationship, as the chapters alternate between the summer of 2018 and 2019, a tactic which will unfortunately date the book prematurely for its intended audience. When Teddy's little sister disappears, the relationship between Amy and her boys gets complicated. The mystery of what happened to Nat takes a back seat to the off-and-on romance between Amy and Teddy. The twists and turns and unveiling of family secrets ramp up during the last few chapters with a satisfying surprise ending, but it might come too late for many readers. While the writing style is compelling, the overly adult-sounding repartee and extreme navel-gazing make all three main characters, who are coded as white, hard to relate to. VERDICT This well-written novel could circulate in romance collections.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler M.S., Frisco, TX

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2021
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Amy has spent nearly every summer at her grandparents' home in River Run, Kentucky. This summer, though, there is a rift among Amy and her closest friends--her cousin Ben and their mutual best friend, Teddy--due to the events of the previous summer. It looks as if it will be a long, cold summer, until all differences are thrown aside when Teddy's 10-year-old sister, Nat, disappears. She is found drowned, and Ben refuses to believe that her death was an accident. He doggedly pursues his own investigation, dragging Amy and Teddy along. The more they piece together, the more secrets and lies they uncover about their families and the town itself, leading to a wrenching denouement. Amy's first-person narrative weaves the events of the previous summer through the story, revealing the reason for the rift and adding to the emotional punch of the text. Gibson's aptly titled novel evokes a sleepy small town with terrible buried secrets and a population in possession of a keen sense of social mores undergirded by a skillful deployment of sugar-coated venom. Her writing is rich in imagery and descriptive language, brushed with a touch of Southern Gothic, and while emotions run high, they're authentic in range and scope. The emotional pitch and nuanced details add to the agonizing suspense of this gorgeous and satisfying thriller.

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