The Nearly Reader

From Goodreads: Thirteen-year-old Lizzie Hood and her next-door neighbor, Evie Verver, are inseparable, best friends who swap clothes, bathing suits, and field-hockey sticks and between whom, presumably, there are no secrets. Then one afternoon, Evie disappears, and as a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the balmy suburban community, everyone turns to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, or upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger?

Compelled by curiosity, Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power as the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secret after secret and begins to wonder if she knew anything at all about her best friend.

 

This was the second Megan Abbott book I read, and it was the book that made me realize that Megan Abbott is good at what she does. Really good. She is one disturbing writer and I love it.

This was a quick read and by the time I got to the end I was equally glad that it ended, but still confused and uncomfortable. I still couldn't decide all the people who were involved. I couldn't decide who were the bad guys and who weren't. I wasn't even convinced that Lizzy wasn't involved. It just seemed a little too suspicious.

If you are looking for a creepy mystery story, this is a great choice.