"Today at school Lucy Cunningham looked at me like I was something the cat coughed up" writes Str-S-d in her first post to her new blog. In her fourth post she writes, "I want to die. I would kill myself right now if I had the guts." A series of blog posts from different voices begins this gripping suspense thriller. Now for Lucy Cunningham...."from out of nowhere a damp rag smelling strongly of chemical was jammed hard against her nose and mouth....Her hands flew to her face....She flailed feebly at the strong gloved hands holding the rang...Her knees gave out...Lucy Cunningham's heels scraped along the dark, quiet street.... Okay, Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. No, we're in high school and something is very, very wrong. Madison and Tyler were the two kids who answered Lucy Cunningham's call for a Safe Ride home on her last night. They were the last ones to see her...maybe the last ones to see her alive. Now others are beginning to go missing...lives are hanging in the balance. Who can they trust? What is happening in their otherwise privileged and orderly world?
Dark, thrilling and compelling, this is one young adult novel that will capture teen interest. When an anonymous high school blogger wishes some popular students were dead, suddenly people start disappearing. First Lucy is taken. Best friend Madison is beside herself; she gave Lucy a ride home but didn't make sure Lucy was safely inside the house before pulling away. Now Madison feels responsible.
The blogger continues to write, but seems to censor some wishes. As more students read the blog, things start to get even weirder (blogging can be dangerous, after all, wink). Lucy's boyfriend Adam is the next student who disappears; then another friend Courtney is unaccounted for. Madison is getting creepy letters telling her that she's in danger. She wants to trust newcomer Tyler, but doesn't quite trust his dark and brooding looks. The police question students but seem to have no leads.
What if Tyler has something to do with the case? What if he's the kidnapper? Or worse, what if he's a serial killer?Readers will not see the twisted, surprise ending. Strasser has done it again!Highly recommended for high school collections grades 9-up.
Recommended by Pamela Thompson, MLIS, Library Media Specialist
visit her ya novels blog at https://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/
*now a featured blog on the Texas Library Association's homepage at https://www.txla.org/TLA-blog
