CANR
WORK TITLE: The Cheerleaders
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Thomas, Kara
BIRTHDATE: 3/21/1990
WEBSITE: http://karamtaylor.com/
CITY: Long Island
STATE: NY
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME:
http://us.macmillan.com/prepschoolconfidential/KaraTaylor http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-c-reviews/c-plus-reviews/review-prep-school-confidential-by-kara-taylor/ * https://kara-thomas.com/bio/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born March 21, 1990; married.
EDUCATION:State University of New York, Stony Brook, B.A.; attended graduate school.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Warner Brothers Television, pilot writer, 2013. Has worked as a nanny and ice cream scooper.
WRITINGS
Writer for the television pilot, The Revengers.
“Prep School Confidential” series was optioned for television by Warner Bros.
SIDELIGHTS
Kara Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, attended graduate school, and then dropped out to become a writer. Her first novel, the young adult tale Prep School Confidential, was published in 2013 (when Taylor was only twenty-three). On her home page, Taylor stated that she was inspired to become a writer by the “Harry Potter” series, and her debut, like much of the Potter tales, takes place in a boarding school. The book is also the first installment in a proposed series. Protagonist Anne Dowling is expelled from her expensive private school in Manhattan after she accidentally sets fire to it. Her parents send her away to boarding school, but Anne does not want to be there. The Wheatley School is amazing, but Anne misses her old friends. She finally begins to notice her new surroundings when her roommate, Isabella, is found murdered in the woods. The death is quietly swept under the rug, but Anne refuses to go along with the school’s silence. She befriends Isabella’s twin brother, Anthony, and they commence their own investigation.
Discussing her inspiration for the book in a One Four Kid Lit website interview, Taylor explained: “I started with a vague outline for Prep School and filled in all the details as I went to make sure everything fit well. But sometimes a twist would come to me as I was writing the book and I’d have to go back over everything to make sure it made sense!” The author added: “I love the boarding school setting because you have a bunch of kids with almost NO adult supervision. The potential for shenanigans is very high. … I’m also fascinated by the boarding school relationship dynamics.”
Most reviewers agreed with Taylor’s choice of setting, and a contributor to the Books and Makeup website declared: “Overall, Prep School Confidential was a very entertaining read. I flew through the pages and stayed way past my bedtime because I couldn’t stop reading. I loved working through the very tangled mystery along with Anne and, with the exception of her wishy-washy-ness when it came to the boys, I loved Anne’s character. I highly recommend this book to fans of Nancy Drew.” Jenny Maloney, writing on the Criminal Element website, also compared Anne to Nancy Drew: “She picks locks, breaks-and-enters, lies, steals, cheats, and does every possible thing she can to bring Isabella’s murderer to justice. Her tenacity makes her fearsome.” Maloney went on to remark that “Taylor has created a strong leading character for a series. And she leaves a lot of the strings in Prep School Confidential unpulled so the series has somewhere to go.”
According to a critic on the Winged Reviews website, “Anne was extremely well developed,” but “I thought there could’ve been more characterisation of the supporting characters. … That said, if you are a fan of boarding school books or YA murder mysteries, then this isn’t one to miss. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel to read more as I hope the conspiracy theories keep flowing!” Offering more definite praise on the Kacey Vanderkarr website, a reviewer announced: “The dialogue was hilarious and the situations had me laughing all the way through. … Prep School Confidential will keep you on your toes and you’ll fly through the pages trying to figure it out. Anne is a likeable main character and the plot is substantial enough to satisfy even a critical reader.” An equally laudatory assessment was proffered on the Finding Bliss in Books website, where a columnist stated that though “I found Anne a difficult character to deal with at the beginning … Taylor transforms her swiftly into a careful and smart character.” The columnist then concluded: “Highly unpredictable … fabulous plot line and writing, Prep School Confidential redefines murder mysteries. A worthwhile read with a dash of everything: romance, laughter, suspense and tension.”
Anne returns in Wicked Little Secrets. In this volume, she looks into a cold case involving another Wheatley student named Matthew Weaver. A Kirkus Reviews critic described the book as “a solid investigative mystery.”
In Deadly Little Sins, Anne investigates the disappearance of Ms. Cross, one of her teachers. Beth Karpas, reviewer in Voice of Youth Advocates, commented: “New readers who persevere to follow Anne’s investigation through numerous twists and turns and past allusions will be rewarded with a well-crafted, surprising solution.”
The Darkest Corners is the first of a string of standalone novels written under the pseudonym, Kara Thomas. The protagonist of this volume is Tessa Lowell, who is originally from the small town of Fayette. When she hears her imprisoned father is near death, she returns to her hometown. There, she reconnects with Callie, an old friend. When a girl is killed in Fayette, it brings back memories of a similar killing that occurred with Tessa and Callie were young. Tessa testified against a man named Wyatt Stokes, who was convicted of the killing. Now, Tessa worries that she may have helped to put away the wrong person.
Kimberly Giarratano, reviewer in BookPage, suggested: “The Darkest Corners is a suspenseful ride that’s really two mysteries in one.” “This compelling novel won’t linger on the shelf,” commented Jennifer Barnes in Booklist. Genevieve Feldman, critic in School Library Journal, remarked: “As a dark psychological thriller with a compelling story and an unexpected but satisfying ending, this novel is a sure bet.”
Also written under the Thomas pseudonym, Little Monsters tells the story of three close friends. In an interview with a contributor to the Underlined website, Thomas stated: “The main characters in Little Monsters—Kacey, Bailey, and Jade—are an amalgamation of the various girls I knew in high school. Each girl has qualities of real people I knew, for better or for worse. I tend to think of character development in terms of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think it’s important for characters to have qualities that fit into all of those categories. In thrillers especially, characters shouldn’t be 100 percent good or 100 percent evil.” When Bailey goes missing after a botched seance, disturbing secrets about her and her friends are revealed.
A Kirkus Reviews writer suggested: “Red herrings make for a frustrating mystery that comes together in a rush, with too little buildup.” Other assessments of the book were more favorable Voice of Youth Advocates reviewer, Richard Vigdor, remarked: “The conclusion to this mystery will leave readers in awe. This is a good choice for older teens.” “This gritty page-turner will easily hook a broad range of readers,” asserted Sarah Hunter in Booklist. A critic in Publishers Weekly commented: “Thomas’s … twisted and atmospheric dive into the psychology of teenage girls holds a horrifying fascination.” Amy Reddy, writer in School Library Journal, described the book as “a compelling and vivid thriller that even the most reluctant of readers will devour.”
In The Cheerleaders, another book under the Thomas pseudonym, a girl named Monica investigates the deaths of five cheerleaders, one of whom was her sister, Jennifer. The deaths occurred many years in the past and were found not to have been connected. Her stepfather was one of the police detectives assigned to the case. Monica is shocked to find letters addressed to him suggested that the deaths were, in fact, connected. She begins to question her stepfather’s motives and integrity. Monica’s investigation uncovers dangerous secrets.
“Though there is nothing particularly innovative about this thriller, fans of the genre will enjoy the novel,” commented Bethany Martin in Voice of Youth Advocates. A Publishers Weekly reviewer suggested: “The novel brims with well-chosen, telling details in the tradition of strong psychological suspense.” Hunter, the contributor to Booklist, described the volume as “a solid pick for mystery fans.” A Kirkus Reviews writer called it “a busy, but satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise.” Leighanne Law, critic in School Library Journal, remarked: “This deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a must-have for high school libraries.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2016, Jennifer Barnes, review of The Darkest Corners, p. 58; June, 2017, Sarah Hunter, review of Little Monsters, p. 96; May 1, 2018, Sarah Hunter, review of The Cheerleaders, p. 40.
BookPage, May, 2016, Kimberly Giarratano, review of The Darkest Corners, p. 27.
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2013, review of Prep School Confidential; February 1, 2014, review of Wicked Little Secrets; January 1, 2016, review of The Darkest Corners; May 1, 2017, review of Little Monsters; May 1, 2018, review of The Cheerleaders.
Publishers Weekly, May 22, 2017, review of Little Monsters, p. 95; May 21, 2018, review of The Cheerleaders, p. 74.
School Library Journal, March, 2016, Genevieve Feldman, review of The Darkest Corners, p. 160; July, 2017, Amy Reddy, review of Little Monsters, p. 94; May, 2018, Leighanne Law, review of The Cheerleaders, p. 102.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2014, Shanna Miles, review of Wicked Little Secrets, p. 75; December, 2014, Beth Karpas, review of Deadly Little Sins, p. 68; August, 2017, Richard Vigdor, review of Little Monsters, p. 67; August, 2018, Bethany Martin, review of The Cheerleaders, p. 66.
ONLINE
Books and Makeup, http://booksandmakeup.blogspot.com/ (August 12, 2013), review of Prep School Confidential.
Bustle, https://www.bustle.com/ (May 18, 2018), Cristina Arreola, review of The Cheerleaders.
Criminal Element, http://www.criminalelement.com/ (December 7, 2013), Jenny Maloney, review of Prep School Confidential.
Finding Bliss in Books, http://findingblissinbooks.blogspot.com/ (December 7, 2013), review of Prep School Confidential.
Kacey Vanderkarr http://kaceyvanderkarr.com/ (July 28, 2013), review of Prep School Confidential.
Kara Taylor website, http://karamtaylor.com (December 7, 2013).
Kara Thomas website, https://karathomasbooks.wordpress.com/ (September 19, 2018).
One Four Kid Lit, http://onefourkidlit.wordpress.com/ (July 30, 2013), author interview.
Underlined, https://www.getunderlined.com/ (September 19, 2018), author interview.
Winged Reviews, http://wingedreviews.com/ (December 7, 2013), review of Prep School Confidential.
Kara Thomas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kara Taylor
Born
March 21, 1990 (age 28)
Occupation
Novelist, Television writer, Television producer
Nationality
American
Education
Stony Brook University
Genre
Young adult fiction
Website
www.karamtaylor.com
Kara Thomas (born Kara Mustafa, March 21, 1990), also known as Kara Taylor is an American author of novels for young adults and television writer best known for writing the Prep School Confidential series.[1][2]
Contents
1
Biography
2
Works
2.1
As Kara Taylor
2.2
As Kara Thomas
3
Reception
4
References
5
External links
Biography[edit]
Kara Taylor is an American author of young adult fiction, best known for her Prep School Confidential series. Raised on Long Island, New York, Kara attended Stony Brook University and graduated with a degree in English.[3] She wrote Prep School Confidential during her final year at Stony Brook.[4] In July 2013, she signed a blind-script deal for a television pilot with Warner Brothers TV (Untitled Kara Taylor Project). In August 2013 it was announced that Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are developing Taylor’s dramedy The Revengers for the CW, for which Taylor will serve as writer and co-executive producer.[5]
Taylor currently lives on Long Island.[6]
Works[edit]
As Kara Taylor[edit]
Prep School Confidential (St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books, July 30, 2013)[7]
Wicked Little Secrets (St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books, March 4, 2014)[8]
Deadly Little Sins (St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books, August 5, 2014) [9]
As Kara Thomas[edit]
The Darkest Corners, Delacorte Press, 2016, ISBN 978-0553521467
Little Monsters, Delacorte Press, 2017, ISBN 978-0553521498
The Cheerleaders, Delacorte Press, 2018, ISBN 978-1524718329
Reception[edit]
Romantic Times awarded Prep School Confidential four stars, writing that “Taylor’s book shines with a truly puzzling plot, a grisly murder that speaks to her audience’s maturity and a couple of good red herrings.”[10] Praising the protagonist’s “no-nonsense personality and adventuring spirit,” Kirkus Reviews writes that “overtones of Nancy Drew combine with a sassy boarding school spin for a fizzy read.”[11] BookRiot has named Prep School Confidential on their list of “Teen Girl Sleuths to Read While You’re Waiting for Veronica Mars.”[12] Criminal Element featured Taylor’s debut as a Fresh Meat new release, calling it “a fast-paced, sassy new teen mystery.”[13]
Kara has a BA in English/Secondary Education from Stony Brook University. She lives on Long Island where she writes full time.
Kara Thomas is a true crime addict and the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, LITTLE MONSTERS, and THE CHEERLEADERS, all published by Delacorte Press. You can find her on Twitter (@karatwrites), Instagram (@kara__thomas), or at www.kara-thomas.com.
Kara Thomas is a true crime addict and the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, LITTLE MONSTERS, and THE CHEERLEADERS, all published by Delacorte Press. You can find her on Twitter (@karatwrites), Instagram (@kara__thomas), or at http://www.kara-thomas.com.
Kara is the author of “The Darkest Corners,” coming from Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press in Spring 2016. She also wrote the “Prep School Confidential” series (St. Martin’s Press). She also wrote a pilot, “The Revengers” for the CW under the pen name Kara Taylor. She has written for everything from her high school newspaper to Warner Bros. Television. She is a true-crime addict who lives on Long Island with her husband and rescue cat.
QUOTED: "The main characters in Little Monsters—Kacey, Bailey, and Jade—are an amalgamation of the various girls I knew in high school. Each girl has qualities of real people I knew, for better or for worse. I tend to think of character development in terms of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think it’s important for characters to have qualities that fit into all of those categories. In thrillers especially, characters shouldn’t be 100 percent good or 100 percent evil."
Kara Thomas, author of The Darkest Corners and Little Monsters is basically our queen of mysteries so we asked Kara about her inspiration, her favorite crime stories, and her writing process . . .
1. You are basically the queen of the twist. What is your writing process like? Do you know the twists and turns you’re going to include from the beginning? Do you start the story with the ending in mind?
I didn’t always plot out my books before I started them, but I learned the hard way that writing mysteries is like making a Jenga tower—if you take out one piece, the whole thing can come crashing down. Now I reverse engineer my stories. I always know the ending and what the main twist is going to be, and I build the book around that.
As I’m writing, though, I usually discover that some twists and turns don’t hold up, and then I have to think of new ones. Even the best-laid outline can go awry!
via Giphy
2. Your books are dark and deal with some pretty scary scenarios. Where do you get your inspiration? Do your ideas ever scare you?
I actually get scared pretty easily—growing up, I always used to bug my parents to double-check the locks and the windows before I went to bed at night. I think I wound up writing about dark things, especially crime, as a way to deal with the uglier parts of life that scare me. It’s sort of like unmasking your fears and taking control of them.
I usually get my inspiration from real-life cases, especially ones that remain unsolved. When a story doesn’t have a resolution, my imagination sort of goes wild. Sometimes the research involved will creep me out, and I have to take a step back. I always try to ask myself why I’m writing about the creepy thing—I never want to glorify the crime itself, or the perpetrator. I’m more interested in the psychology of crime, of what pushes ordinary people to do the unthinkable. So I have to consider that balance while writing.
via Giphy
3. In Little Monsters, one of the elements that gripped me right from the beginning was the depth you give to each of your characters. Do you base them on people from your life? Do you have a favorite from Little Monsters? Tell us about your character-development process.
The main characters in Little Monsters—Kacey, Bailey, and Jade—are an amalgamation of the various girls I knew in high school. Each girl has qualities of real people I knew, for better or for worse. I tend to think of character development in terms of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think it’s important for characters to have qualities that fit into all of those categories. In thrillers especially, characters shouldn’t be 100 percent good or 100 percent evil.
If I had to pick a favorite character in Little Monsters, I’d choose Bailey for a number of reasons, even though she’s not a friend I’d ever want to have! But she was the most fun to write—especially spilling her soul in her journal entries.
via Giphy
4. Do you personally believe in ghosts? Do you have any real-life ghost stories? If not, what is your favorite crime story?
I don’t believe in ghosts in the traditional sense, but I do believe in creepy, inexplicable phenomena. There’s a case where the body of a man who had only been missing for seventy-two hours showed up in a field, badly decomposed. In his pocket were two notes written in code. The country’s most skilled cryptologists have never been able to crack the code, even though the man holding the notes only knew how to write his name, according to his mother.
Cases like those fascinate me—even if there’s nothing ghostly going on, the way they become urban legends is kind of supernatural in itself.
via Giphy
5. What types of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite mystery or thriller?
I love to read everything! I really like nonfiction, especially memoirs that have a bit of mystery to them, like Brain on Fire. I also obviously really like true-crime stories. My favorite mystery of all time is Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane, although I love all of his books. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn is another one of my favorite mysteries.
via Giphy
6. If you could invite any authors (living or dead) to dinner, who would you invite and what would you ask them?
Definitely J. R. R. Tolkien or J. K. Rowling. I don’t write fantasy, but I love reading and watching it, and I’m dying to know how a fantasy writer’s brain works. I’d love to talk about world building with a pro. And, of course, since I’m such a huge Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter nerd, I’d have a ton of questions.
via Giphy
7. What is one thing you want readers to know about Little Monsters before they read it?
Don’t read it alone at night! I’ve been told it’s unsettling.
QUOTED: "New readers who persevere to follow Anne's investigation through numerous twists and turns and past allusions will be rewarded with a well-crafted, surprising solution."
Taylor, Kara. Deadly Little Sins: A Prep School Confidential Novel, Book 3
Beth Karpas
Voice of Youth Advocates. 37.5 (Dec. 2014): p68.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 3P * S
Taylor, Kara. Deadly Little Sins: A Prep School Confidential Novel, Book 3. St. Martin's, 2014. 288p. $9.99 Trade pb. 978-1-250-03363-5.
Anne Dowling's fans from the previous Prep School Confidential mysteries will be thrilled to follow her on her continuing misadventures, this time inspired by her favorite teacher, Ms. Cross, who disappeared toward the end of the last volume. While Anne can be annoyingly self-centered and stubborn at times, she is clearly curious and intelligent. Readers will find themselves thinking, "No, wait, don't do that" as they watch her through the pages, and many will breathe a sigh of relief at the end.
The book's largest fault is a benefit for previous fans: it is full of spoilers from the previous two mysteries, making it a bit confusing for new readers. Why exactly is Anne grounded? Why would she want to return to Wheatley School? Who is which boy? What tunnels is she looking for? Why does she not trust the dean? Who shot whom? Those who have been following the series, however, will not be bored by the type of plot summaries frequently found in other later series books. New readers who persevere to follow Anne's investigation through numerous twists and turns and past allusions will be rewarded with a well-crafted, surprising solution. They will not learn all the history, though they may know too much to go back and read earlier volumes. This volume wraps up all the loose ends from previous volumes, and the last two pages provide hope for future adventures in a much larger world than prep school.--Beth Karpas.
Karpas, Beth
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Karpas, Beth. "Taylor, Kara. Deadly Little Sins: A Prep School Confidential Novel, Book 3." Voice of Youth Advocates, Dec. 2014, p. 68. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A424530071/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7a6d5e9e. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A424530071
Taylor, Kara. Wicked Little Secrets: A Prep School Confidential Novel
Shanna Miles
Voice of Youth Advocates. 37.1 (Apr. 2014): p75.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
(a) 2Q * 5P * S
Taylor, Kara. Wicked Little Secrets: A Prep School Confidential Novel. St. Martin's, 2014. 320p. $9.99 Trade pb. 978-1-250-03360-4.
Anne Dowling is a mystery-obsessed prep school student with an appetite for scandal and a bad habit of getting herself into dangerous jams. Still reeling from her roommate Isabella's untimely death, she becomes obsessed with the mystery of another Wheatley Prep student, Matthew Weaver, except this time the case is over two decades old and she will have to dig into some dark corners and even darker pasts to get the answers she craves.
Wicked Little Secrets is the long-awaited sequel to Prep School Confidential (St. Martin's, 2013), and while readers raved that they just could not put that one down, the sequel does not live up to expectations. Slow to build, with characters that have left their motivations on the last page of the previous novel, this volume does not work as a standalone, although a third installment may still make it all worth it.--Shanna Miles.
Miles, Shanna
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Miles, Shanna. "Taylor, Kara. Wicked Little Secrets: A Prep School Confidential Novel." Voice of Youth Advocates, Apr. 2014, p. 75. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A424529886/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=59656f28. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A424529886
QUOTED: "a solid investigative mystery."
Taylor, Kara: WICKED LITTLE SECRETS
Kirkus Reviews. (Feb. 1, 2014):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Taylor, Kara WICKED LITTLE SECRETS Dunne/St. Martin's Griffin (Children's Fiction) $9.99 3, 4 ISBN: 978-1-250-03360-4
This complicated sequel to Prep School Confidential (2013) continues this series set in yet another hyperexclusive prep school as Anne tries to solve some mysteries left over from the opening installment only to encounter more intrigue. Intrepid 17-year-old sleuth Anne just can't let go of an unsolved mystery she thinks may be related to the murder of her roommate, which occurred in the first book. Thirty years ago, scholarship student Matthew Weaver disappeared. His body was never found, and the investigation went nowhere. Anne keeps finding clues, however, that point to murder by at least one of the school's illustrious, wealthy alumni, possibly including her boyfriend's father. As Anne delves deeper, she begins to uncover unpleasant information that may put her in danger. Along the way, old and new relationships evolve, making the romance elements of the novel a bit different from the genre norm. Taylor stuffs the story with characters that mostly come across as believable, and she includes enough romance to satisfy readers looking for it while keeping the mystery complex enough to challenge. Though familiarity with the first book is assumed, she provides enough background to allow new readers to follow the action, and a nifty surprise will whet their appetites for the third book. A solid investigative mystery. (Mystery. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Taylor, Kara: WICKED LITTLE SECRETS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2014. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A357032944/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=900e3706. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A357032944
QUOTED: "Though there is nothing particularly innovative about this thriller, fans of the genre will enjoy the novel."
Thomas, Kara. The Cheerleaders
Bethany Martin
Voice of Youth Advocates. 41.3 (Aug. 2018): p66.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Thomas, Kara. The Cheerleaders. Delacorte/ Penguin Random House, August 2018. 384p. $17.99. 978-1-5247-1832-9.
3Q *4P * J * S
It has been five years since Monica Rayburn's older sister Jen committed suicide in the wake of the deaths of her four close friends and fellow cheerleaders in a car accident and double murder. After a sexual relationship with her high school's new track coach results in a pregnancy and abortion, Monica rummages through her police officer stepfather's office in search of painkillers and discovers her sister's old cell phone and mysterious letters urging her stepfather to continue to investigate the connections between the deaths of all five cheerleaders. Contacting an unfamiliar number on Jen's phone leads Monica to realize that the actual murderer was never caught, and she begins investigating the deaths herself, along with her new friend Ginny, who has her own connection to the dead girls.
Though there is nothing particularly innovative about this thriller, fans of the genre will enjoy the novel. Flashbacks told from Jen's perspective help flesh out the story and allow the reader to stay slightly ahead of Monica in putting clues together. Though the pacing can be a bit slow, particularly at the start, Thomas does a good job creating suspense and false leads. Monica's mental health issues are discussed, but readers do not see her receive professional help. Though not graphic, the content of this book makes it a suitable purchase for high school and public libraries, particularly collections with a high demand for thrillers.
--Bethany Martin.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Martin, Bethany. "Thomas, Kara. The Cheerleaders." Voice of Youth Advocates, Aug. 2018, p. 66. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A551167853/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c40dddf3. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A551167853
QUOTED: "The novel brims with well-chosen, telling details in the tradition of strong psychological suspense."
The Cheerleaders
Publishers Weekly. 265.21 (May 21, 2018): p74+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Cheerleaders
Kara Thomas. Delacorte, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-5247-1832-9
Weaving a deceptively intimate and intricate tale of mystery in a small community, Thomas (Little Monsters) continues to demonstrate command of both the inner workings of a teenage mind and the anatomy of crime. Monica, 16, is a junior in high school, a member of the dance team, and the younger sister of Jen, one of the five cheerleaders in their town of Sunnybrook who, five years earlier, died within the span of three weeks under suspicious circumstances. Monica is also recovering from a disastrous summer fling with an older man. While searching her stepfather's desk for his prescription painkillers, she stumbles upon a stash of letters that lead her to realize that the explanations given for the deaths of the five girls may not be true. Monica sets out on a quest to unearth what actually happened, enlisting the aid of Ginny, a young woman with a complicated past. Narrated in the distinct viewpoints of Monica--whose voice, unfortunately, is lackluster and even a bit shallow--and Jen, the novel brims with well-chosen, telling details in the tradition of strong psychological suspense that build toward a satisfying final chapter. Ages 14-up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Cheerleaders." Publishers Weekly, 21 May 2018, p. 74+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A541012692/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=51f8e0eb. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A541012692
QUOTED: "a solid pick for mystery fans."
The Cheerleaders
Sarah Hunter
Booklist. 114.17 (May 1, 2018): p40.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
The Cheerleaders.
By Kara Thomas.
July 2018. 384p. Delacorte, $17.99 (9781524718329); lib. ed., $20.99 (9781524718336); e-book, $17.99 (9781524718343). Gr. 9-12.
It's been five years since the cheerleaders died in Sunnybrook: two were killed in a car accident, two were murdered, and one, Monica's sister, committed suicide. Monica's still haunted by her sister's death and struggling to hold herself together, and while looking for painkillers in her cop stepfather's desk, she stumbles on her sister's old phone and some suspicious letters. Her curiosity piqued, she starts snooping. The case is purportedly closed, but Monica finds compelling holes in the official record, and with the help of her new friend Ginny and a mysterious boy from her sister's past, she finds that the truth is far more disturbing--and closer to home--than she imagined. Thomas builds her novel around an appealingly gruesome case, which is nicely grounded by Monica's unresolved grief and guilt over a taboo relationship. Though her motivations are occasionally cloudy, Monica's sleuthing is daring and beset by red herrings, which keeps the pace moving at a solid clip. Flashbacks from Monica's sister's perspective offer even more intrigue. A solid pick for mystery fans.--Sarah Hunter
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hunter, Sarah. "The Cheerleaders." Booklist, 1 May 2018, p. 40. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A539647271/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f64f4279. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A539647271
QUOTED: "a busy, but satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise."
Thomas, Kara: THE CHEERLEADERS
Kirkus Reviews. (May 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thomas, Kara THE CHEERLEADERS Delacorte (Young Adult Fiction) $17.99 7, 31 ISBN: 978-1-5247-1832-9
Years after a series of horrific events left five young women from a cheerleading squad dead, the sister of one of them begins to suspect that justice has not been done.
Sixteen-year-old Monica is beginning her school year recovering from terminating an unplanned pregnancy after having a summer fling with a guy in his 20s. The physical and emotional pain that she feels is only compounded by the five-year anniversary of her kind and caring older sister Jen's death. Jen died by suicide, seemingly in reaction to two of her friends' dying in a car accident and then, just weeks later, two others being brutally murdered by an obsessed neighbor, who was then shot and killed by Jen and Monica's police officer stepfather. However, Monica makes some discoveries that cause her to begin questioning this story, and she doggedly pursues each loose end she can find. The fantastical setup underpinning this contemporary mystery is intricate, and readers may struggle to keep track of all the characters as the narrative moves between the first-person present perspective of Monica and Jen's third-person flashbacks. Yet, it cleverly layers a veneer of doubt over each of the players in the story, effectively keeping the audience guessing until the very end. Monica and her family are white, and there is diversity in secondary characters.
A busy, but satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise. (Mystery. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thomas, Kara: THE CHEERLEADERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A536571075/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f26eeaf0. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A536571075
QUOTED: "The conclusion to this mystery will leave readers in awe. This is a good choice for older teens."
Thomas, Kara. Little Monsters
Richard Vigdor
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.3 (Aug. 2017): p67.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 4P * S
Thomas, Kara. Little Monsters. Delacorte/ Penguin Random House, 2017. 336p. $17.99. 978-0-553-52149-8.
Throughout Kacey's life, she has been searching for a home, a place where she belongs, a place where she feels accepted. Finally, she moves away from her volatile mother and becomes part of her father's family. She gains a stepmother and stepsiblings and finally experiences some semblance of a caring family. She goes to a new school, meets new people, and finds two best friends in Jade and Bailey. Everything appears too good to be true until Bailey disappears. Suddenly, Kacey finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation in which she is one of the lead suspects.
Little Monsters delves into a teenage underworld of drugs and fraternity parties. Jealousy, betrayal, and manipulation fuel this murder mystery. Thomas explores the complex minds of teenagers, and finds a dark place not often shown in young adult novels. Each character rebels against the structures and expectations set by the small community. The dialogue and character interactions are gritty and realistic, and profanity is used throughout the book in an attempt to achieve the aforementioned realism. The conclusion to this mystery will leave readers in awe. This is a good choice for older teens who like psychological thrillers.--Richard Vigdor.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Vigdor, Richard. "Thomas, Kara. Little Monsters." Voice of Youth Advocates, Aug. 2017, p. 67. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A502000828/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0e83e1c7. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A502000828
QUOTED: "This gritty page-turner will easily hook a broad range of readers."
Little Monsters
Sarah Hunter
Booklist. 113.19-20 (June 2017): p96+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Little Monsters. By Kara Thomas. July 2017.336p. Delacorte, $17.99 (9780553521498); e-book, $17.99 (9780553521511). Gr. 9-12.
Ever since Kacey's social worker brought her to Broken Falls to live with her estranged father and his family, she's developed a tight-knit friendship with Bailey and Jade, two misfit girls desperate to escape their small Midwestern town. Kacey is finally feeling comfortable with her dad, stepmom, stepbrother, and half sister, so when Bailey goes missing and Kacey becomes a suspect, she's worried that, among other things, this new family she's come to love will abandon her, too. But swirling around Kacey's anxieties are truly insidious secrets, and Thomas unspools the truth at a tantalizing pace, turning suspicion for Bailey's ever-lengthening disappearance from character to character. Occasional entries from Bailey's diary reveal her disturbing motivations, which Kacey gradually uncovers as she starts her own investigation. Thomas keeps the atmosphere taut and suspenseful by incorporating a menacing urban legend and plenty of red herrings to throw readers off the scent, while Kacey's compelling character and narrative keep the story firmly grounded in her complicated emotional reality. This gritty page-turner will easily hook a broad range of readers.--Sarah Hunter
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hunter, Sarah. "Little Monsters." Booklist, June 2017, p. 96+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498582835/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8c215f43. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A498582835
QUOTED: "Thomas's ... twisted and atmospheric dive into the psychology of teenage girls holds a horrifying fascination."
Little Monsters
Publishers Weekly. 264.21 (May 22, 2017): p95.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Little Monsters
Kara Thomas. Delacorte, $17.99 (336p)
ISBN 978-0-553-52149-8
Thomas's (The Darkest Corners) twisted and atmospheric dive into the psychology of teenage girls holds a horrifying fascination. Kacey has had a difficult go of things. After fights with her mother became untenable, she moved from Rochester, N.Y., to Broken Falls, Wis., to live with the father she's never met, his new wife, and her stepsiblings. Despite being labeled as different, thanks to her "punk hair" and mysterious past, Kacey befriended classmates Jade and Bailey, though it's a relationship fraught with minefields. When Kacey's 13-year-old sister, Lauren, joins Kacey and her friends for a seance at the site of a massacre, everything starts to unravel. Kacey finds herself ostracized from Bailey and Jade-and then Bailey disappears. What follows is equal parts mystery and introspection as Kacey begins to question her life, her choices, and everyone around her in a quest to find justice. It's an intense psychological thriller that all but ensures the lights will be left on between dusk and dawn. Ages 14-up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Little Monsters." Publishers Weekly, 22 May 2017, p. 95. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A494099139/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=36c7e18a. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A494099139
QUOTED: "Red herrings make for a frustrating mystery that comes together in a rush, with too little buildup."
Thomas, Kara: LITTLE MONSTERS
Kirkus Reviews. (May 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thomas, Kara LITTLE MONSTERS Delacorte (Children's Fiction) $17.99 7, 25 ISBN: 978-0-553-52149-8
The new girl in town teases apart a web of lies in the wake of her friend's disappearance.White teen Kacey Young ran away from a volatile relationship with her mother to a new home in Broken Falls, Wisconsin, with the father she never met, a kind stepmother, and two new siblings. But it's best friends Bailey and Jade, both also white, who become Kacey's close-knit circle. The girls text constantly, and Bailey shows up at Kacey's house even if she declines to hang out. One night, the girls attempt a seance in a haunted barn, and something spooks Kacey's little sister, Lauren, who tags along. That night sets off a domino effect: Lauren is traumatized, Bailey and Jade give Kacey the cold shoulder, and then Bailey disappears. Kacey begins to investigate, and the more clues she stumbles upon, the more the police suspect her involvement. Rumors swirl, and Kacey learns that Bailey left a foundation of lies in her wake--lies that put their entire friendship into question. Thomas seems to be aiming at a chilling exploration of how far a teenage girl will go for revenge, but she doesn't succeed. Red herrings make for a frustrating mystery that comes together in a rush, with too little buildup to make the shocking reveal believable. Too bent on keeping readers in the dark to allow for true mystery. (Thriller. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thomas, Kara: LITTLE MONSTERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491002800/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ad6a5cef. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491002800
QUOTED: "The Darkest Corners is a suspenseful ride that's really two mysteries in one."
The Darkest Corners
Kimberly Giarratano
BookPage. (May 2016): p27.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 BookPage
http://bookpage.com/
Full Text:
THE DARKEST CORNERS
By Kara Thomas
Delacorte
$17.99, 336 pages
ISBN 9780553521450
Audio, eBook available
Ages 14 and up
THRILLER
Ten years ago, a serial killer in rural Pennsylvania lured Lori Cawley from the home where she was babysitting two 8-year-old girls and murdered her. Best friends Tessa and Callie were those two girls. Manipulated by police and their parents into testifying against the suspected killer, the girls have always wondered if they sent the wrong man to death row. They haven't spoken since Tessa moved away after the trial. Now 18, Callie relies on alcohol to suppress her anxiety, and Tessa, who has been abandoned by both her mother and sister, returns to Pennsylvania to say goodbye to her dying father. Tessa's visit stirs up questions, sending her on a dangerous hunt for answers.
The Darkest Corners is a suspenseful ride that's really two mysteries in one: the location of Tessa's sister and what really happened the night Lori was killed. Could Tessa's sister be involved? A thriller at its core, the novel presents a layered view of how family, friendships and even the flawed judicial system can tear people apart if they let it.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Giarratano, Kimberly. "The Darkest Corners." BookPage, May 2016, p. 27. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A452290619/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b6d3aace. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A452290619
QUOTED: "This compelling novel won't linger on the shelf."
The Darkest Corners
Jennifer Barnes
Booklist. 112.14 (Mar. 15, 2016): p58.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* The Darkest Corners. By Kara Thomas. Apr. 2016.336p. Delacorte, $17.99 (9780553521450): e-book, $10.99 (9780553521474). Gr. 10-12.
On the heels of TV documentaries Making a Murderer and The Jinx comes a psychological thriller strongly rooted in the true-crime tradition. Ten years ago, Tessa provided an eyewitness statement in the case of the Ohio River Monster, a serial killer whose last target was her best friend's cousin, Lori. Returning to Fayette, Pennsylvania, to say good-bye to her dying convict father, Tessa is stunned by the murder of another childhood friend in circumstances mirroring those of the murders 10 years ago. Could the man she helped put on death row be the wrong person? And if so, who is the true Ohio River Monster? Could it be her older sister, who was close friends with Lori? Set in the seedy underbelly of the small rural towns that mainstream media often forgets, this puts Tessa in hot pursuit of answers to all three mysteries-but could they be intertwined? Expertly plotted with plenty of twists and turns--never mind a truly shocking conclusion--this gritty thriller is sure to find a wide audience among teens and adults alike. Equally concerned with a quest for the truth and the powerful motivation of guilt, this compelling novel won't linger on the shelf.--Jennifer Barnes
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Barnes, Jennifer. "The Darkest Corners." Booklist, 15 Mar. 2016, p. 58. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A449417093/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=17d1c11a. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A449417093
Thomas, Kara: THE DARKEST CORNERS
Kirkus Reviews. (Jan. 1, 2016):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thomas, Kara THE DARKEST CORNERS Delacorte (Children's Fiction) $17.99 4, 19 ISBN: 978-0-553-52145-0
Haunted by a decade-old murder, Tessa faces ghosts from the past that threaten her future. Tessa and her best friend, Callie, have never talked about the summer night when they were 8 and Callie's cousin Lori was killed. After a trial that sent Wyatt Stokes to death row for Lori's murder, the two friends lost contact when Tessa moved away from their hometown of Fayette, Pennsylvania. Nine years later, Tessa must return to Fayette, where she finds Callie partying to excess as a means of escaping the past. Tessa also finds lingering questions about the night Lori died--questions she had tried to leave behind when she left Fayette. Tessa and Callie are a few months away from starting college and moving forward with the rest of their lives, but now they are both looking back, desperate to find out the truth about what really happened to Lori that night. Their search for answers leads to many twists and turns in this fast-paced mystery-thriller. Thomas carefully crafts the suspense, leaving present-tense narrator Tessa--and readers--to doubt even those she loves the most. Working-class Tessa's troubled background and the small-town western Pennsylvania setting add texture as the tension builds all the way to the I-didn't-see-that-coming conclusion. An unsettling story of loss, lies, and violence lurking in the shadows of a small town. (Thriller. 14 & up)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thomas, Kara: THE DARKEST CORNERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2016. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A438646732/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b4e879e4. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A438646732
QUOTED: "This deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a must-have for high school libraries."
THOMAS, Kara. The Cheerleaders
Leighanne Law
School Library Journal. 64.5 (May 2018): p102.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
THOMAS, Kara. The Cheerleaders. 384p. Delacorte. Jul. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781524718329. POP
Gr 9 Up-In Monica's family, they don't talk about her older sister Jennifer's death. It's been years since five of Sunnybrook High School's most popular cheerleaders died in seemingly unconnected events, but Monica's family never really processed their grief. On the fifth anniversary of her sister's suicide, Monica discovers a pile of anonymous letters hidden in her stepfather's desk. These notes urge the police officer to reexamine the evidence, hinting that the deaths were all connected. Knowing her stepdad is ignoring the letters, Monica decides to delve into the subject herself, but soon her curiosity becomes an obsession, driving a wedge between herself and everyone she cares about. Monica and Jennifer's stories are told through alternating chapters, creating suspenseful cliffhangers, but also a variation in pace and genre. Monica's sections speed along like a frenetic thriller as she teases out her sister's and the town's secrets, while Jennifer's chapters take on the quiet unease of a drama as she responds to first the betrayal and then the death of her friends. Following its characters' temperaments and decisions, the atmosphere is at times eerie, exciting, and even frightening. Though the realistic depictions of abuse and sexual violence might be too much for sensitive readers, the ending offers hope of healing through a dark, but empowering conclusion. VERDICT This deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a musthave for high school libraries.--Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Law, Leighanne. "THOMAS, Kara. The Cheerleaders." School Library Journal, May 2018, p. 102. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A536988063/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0718781c. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A536988063
QUOTED: "a compelling and vivid thriller that even the most reluctant of readers will devour."
Thomas, Kara. Little Monsters
Amy Reddy
School Library Journal. 63.7 (July 2017): p94.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
THOMAS, Kara. Little Monsters. 336p. Delacorte. Jul. 2017. Tr 17.99. ISBN 9780553521498. POP
Gr 10 Up--An eerie and masterly psychological thriller. Shattered from living with her unstable mother for years, Kacey arrives in Broken Falls, WI, to live with her father. She rebuilds her life, surrounding herself with new family and tight-knit friends Bailey and Jade. One night, in the deep of winter, the girls and Kacey's half sister, Lauren, hold a seance to summon the spirit of the legendary ghost rumored to lurk in the forest. Their botched ritual precedes the sudden disappearance of Bailey, who fails to return home from a party the next night. As the investigation ramps up and clues are found, secrets about the girls seep into the town's nimor mill. Excerpts from Bailey's journal reveal a consuming jealousy and deceit she disguised as friendship, further shrouding her disappearance in mystery. Blame shifts from person to person to ghost and culminates in a shocking and disturbing ending. Thomas expertly captures the pointed nuances and the fickle, manipulative bonds of adolescent girls' friendships. A fast-paced plot develops characters just enough to pique readers' suspicions. The book is descriptive yet concise, deftly folding in layers of mystery, a ghost story, and realistic dialogue to propel the narrative forward. VERDICT A compelling and vivid thriller that even the most reluctant of readers will devour.--Amy Reddy, Lewiston High School, ME
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Reddy, Amy. "Thomas, Kara. Little Monsters." School Library Journal, July 2017, p. 94. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497611188/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=508e9772. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497611188
QUOTED: "As a dark psychological thriller with a compelling story and an unexpected but satisfying ending, this novel is a sure bet."
Thomas, Kara. The Darkest Corners
Genevieve Feldman
School Library Journal. 62.3 (Mar. 2016): p160+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
THOMAS, Kara. The Darkest Corners. 336p. ebook available. Delacorte. Apr. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780553521450; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 9780553521474.
Gr 9 Up--Ten years after leaving the state and losing touch with everyone she knew and loved, Tessa Lowell returns to small-town Fayette to say goodbye to her father, who's dying in prison. She is too late to see her father but ends up with too many questions about her past to return home to Florida right away. Joining forces with her childhood best friend, Callie, Tessa begins looking for answers in this exciting psychological thriller. Callie and Tessa haven't talked since Tessa left after the strain testifying in the trial of Wyatt Stokes when she was eight years old, a trial that ended with him on death row. Working through the pain of lost friendship and unshared secrets, the girls collaborate to search for the truth when another girl is killed. Did they help convict an innocent man? Has the real killer returned to Fayette? How does Tessa's long-lost sister fit into all this, and what happened to her mother? The world of a working-class town in Pennsylvania comes alive as Callie deals with her pain through hard partying and Tessa attempts to escape her guilty disquiet by immersing herself in her sleuthing. Through strong character development and thrilling reveals, readers become as engrossed as Tessa as she searches for the truth and deals with the emotions of her past. VERDICT As a dark psychological thriller with a compelling story and an unexpected but satisfying ending, this novel is a sure bet.--Genevieve Feldman, San Francisco Public Library
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Feldman, Genevieve. "Thomas, Kara. The Darkest Corners." School Library Journal, Mar. 2016, p. 160+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A444915136/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=851e8a3e. Accessed 3 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A444915136
'The Cheerleaders' By Kara Thomas Is The High School-Set Murder Thriller You Need This Summer — & You Can Start Reading Now
ByCristina Arreola
May 18 2018
Random House
Summer is the perfect time to sink your teeth into a twisted tale about high school drama and murder. Luckily, The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas delivers on both. The book won't be available until July 31, but Bustle has an exclusive sneak peek below.
Here's what you need to know: Sunnybrook seems like the idyllic New York town — except for one, tiny thing: five years ago, five cheerleaders all died over the course of a few weeks. First, there were the two girls that died in the mysterious, tragic car accident. Then, two more cheerleaders were brutally murdered during a sleepover. Finally, the squad's golden girl, Jen Rayburn, died by suicide.
No one wants to be reminded of everything the town lost all those years ago — especially not Monica Rayburn, Jen's little sister. But when she starts digging into her sister's past for clues about why she did it, she discovers that maybe her death — and the death of the other cheerleaders — isn't as straightforward as she originally thought.
Want to hear something even more horrifying? The book is actually loosely inspired by a true story. "As a true crime addict, my books are often inspired by real-life cases," author Kara Thomas tells Bustle. "The idea for The Cheerleaders came to me when I read E. Jean Carroll’s piece about the town of Dryden, New York, which for years was plagued by a series of mysteries deaths and devastating crimes. I was struck not only by the horror that the cheerleaders of Dryden endured, but by their spirit of survival and refusal to let the terrible crimes define them."