Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets

February 1, 2022
Savannah's sister, Piper, is comatose after falling off a cliff, but was it really an accident? Piper seems perfect: smart, popular, and successful at everything she tries. Savannah is the soccer star of Grayling High, but she feels invisible, stuck in her younger sister's shadow at home as well as at school. When Piper is found unconscious beneath a scenic lookout called Vanderwild Point, some of her classmates suspect she attempted suicide--but Savannah wants to figure out what really happened and whether it was her fault. She discovers a note in Piper's locker asking her to come to a Survival Club meeting at the Point on the day she fell, but why was the club holding a session on a Wednesday when they only meet on Mondays? For that matter, why did Piper even join the Survival Club when she hates the outdoors? Savannah uncovers more strange clues. Who is the mysterious Alex who called Piper's cell three times the day of the incident? Savannah is determined to uncover evidence of wrongdoing before going to the police. This fast-moving mystery focuses on Savannah and her feelings in the aftermath of her sister's accident. The realistically imperfect characters make mistakes and have human flaws. Readers will enjoy the twists and turns as facts that exonerate one person throw suspicion onto others. Main characters read as White. A well-paced page-turner about uncovering the truth at any cost. (Mystery. 14-18)

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April 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-Savannah Sullivan's younger sister, Piper, is in the hospital after a tragic hiking accident left her comatose. But was it really an accident? Despite being a year older, Savannah is used to living life in Piper's shadow. Piper is smart, talented, and finds success in every endeavor she tries, from journalism to Survival Club. Savannah, though a soccer star at school, never measures up to Piper in her parents' or anyone else's eyes. Savannah believes Piper has it all and would not have any reason to end her own life. After finding a note inviting Piper to a Survival Club meeting at the same spot in which she fell-on a day the club never meets-Savannah starts believing someone in her sister's life may have had a reason of their own to want Piper dead. Savannah, desperate to prove her sister's untimely fall was not an accident, joins the Survival Club on a weekend hiking trip to uncover the truth about what really happened the day Piper fell. Ichaso's thriller is exciting, made up of realistically flawed characters. As secrets are exposed, suspicions shift from one character to the next as everyone is a suspect, from Piper's best friend to the mysterious Alex who called her three times the day of her fall. Characters are white. VERDICT This fast-paced thriller will keep readers guessing from the very first page all the way to the final jaw-dropping sentence.-Amanda Harding

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 25, 2022
Grades 9-12 Savannah's sister, Piper, lies in a coma at the hospital from a fall that was rumored to be a suicide attempt, but Savannah doesn't believe that her sister tried to kill herself, convinced that it was an attempted murder. Piper had everything going for her: the grades, extracurriculars, friends, and community service that would get her into any college she wanted. Why would she jump? Savannah takes matters into her own hands, intent on solving the mystery of her sister's "accident" before the authorities find out Savannah's secret--a betrayal so big that she will look suspicious. After finding a mysterious threat in Piper's Survival Club backpack, Savannah joins the club and goes on a weekend campout to find the one who forced Piper's fall. The trip is rougher than she expected, however, especially after secrets are revealed that show motive for hurting Piper. Ichaso has penned another young-adult thriller that is sure to grip readers with a blend of mystery and romance. Readers will appreciate Savannah as she matures while helping her sister. An endearing and engrossing read.

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