Poor Little Dead Girls

by Lizzie Friend

Overview

The first time she is blindfolded and kidnapped, star-athlete and posh boarding school newbie Sadie is terrified. She wakes up in a dark room surrounded by hushed whispers, hooded strangers, and a mysterious voice whispering not-so-sweet nothings in her ear. But once the robes come off, she realizes it's just an elaborate prank designed to induct her into the group that's been pulling the strings at Keating Hall for generations. The circle has it all--incredible connections; fabulous parties; and, of course, an in with the brother society's gorgeous pledges. The instant popularity is enough to make Sadie forget about the unexplained marks on her body, the creepy ceremonial rituals, and the incident that befell one of her teammates the year before. So the next time Sadie is kidnapped, she isn't scared, but she should be. The worst of Keating Hall is yet to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440563966
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	11/01/2013
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	284
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
File size:	653 KB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lizzie Friend is the author of Poor Little Dead Girls, a Simon&Schuster book.

Editorial Reviews

A Foreword Reviews' Best Indie YA Novel of 2014

"First-time author Friend offers excellent pacing, good character development, and an exciting plot in this dark, devious mystery.... Older teens who enjoy 'Pretty Little Liars' will eat this one up." - School Library Journal

"Lizzie Friend's Poor Little Dead Girls is an easy one-sitting mystery/thriller. In terms of secret society books, it's more in the vein of Tom Dolby's frothy Secret Society...but it's stronger than the Dolby in terms of heart [and] suspense.... I'll be watching for Friend's next book, whatever it is." – Kirkus Reviews blog

"Will give the toughest of readers goose bumps. With suspenseful pacing and gothic diction, Friend skillfully develops each character in this novel, which blends themes of romance and friendship with the glam of Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl." —Booklist

"A girl wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school and finds herself entangled in a powerful secret society that threatens her life. Friend writes with a sure, often witty touch.... The story is both immersive and topically relevant. A promising suspense debut." - Kirkus Reviews

"This book was everything I was expecting and more. I found it an enjoyable read and think anyone who likes murder mysteries, books about rich girls and boys who do devious things behind closed doors, conspiracies, or boarding schools should definitely check this one out." - Such a Novel Idea

"This book was awesome. The pacing was great.... It was creepy and thrilling and so many questions were not answered until the very end of the book, which I really liked. If you like YA thriller type books, then you definitely need to give this book a try." - Adventures in Reading blog

"The story is tightly plotted and...Friend shows a deft hand at handling the subject matter...while still making a compelling story that may even make the reader think a little bit about politics, the world, and the meaning of leadership. This is a good novel for an adult reader and an even better one, I would think, for a younger reader." - Examiner.com

"Poor Little Dead Girls mixes boarding school with the thriller genre, adding in a secret society with some rather peculiar traditions to make for a delightfully chilling tale. This is a good read for a thriller fan.... I found it an enjoyably creepy story and I'm curious to see what this author does next." – About.com Young Adult Books

"Poor Little Dead Girls had my heart racing." - Forever Young Adult

"Poor Little Dead Girls was a quick, interesting read. The characters have a good voice that will appeal to teen readers, as will the mystery plot with the political overtones. It's definitely a unique entry into this years crop of titles and I recommend it." - Teen Librarian Toolbox

"The premise is fantastic.... Ms. Friend really delivers the setting, giving the reader sensory details and chilling moments throughout. The mysterious secret society is fascinating.... POOR LITTLE DEAD GIRLS delivers a surreal mystery that should please readers who enjoy atmospheric tension and conspiracy theories." - YA Book Central

"A modern thriller with snappy dialogue and mystery to keep the pages turning, this novel shovels out dose after dose of suspense.... Friend's first thriller is vividly written.... It's light, frothy, with just the right amount of tabloid kicker." - Foreword Reviews

From the Publisher

2013-10-02
A girl wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school and finds herself entangled in a powerful secret society that threatens her life. Sadie fears she won't fit in at the uber-exclusive Keating school for the superwealthy in Virginia, but the school has a champion lacrosse team, and she's a star player. When she arrives, she's given unusual roommates: a British duke's twin daughters, who can't stay out of the tabloids. Almost immediately, Sadie finds herself abducted to a basement where she's quizzed and drugged. She learns that she's been recruited into a secret society that has operated for 200 years. The Order of the Optimates intends to run not only the country, but eventually the world by amassing power and assets into the hands of its members. Apparently, Sadie belongs in that club because of something she didn't know about her mother. However, Sadie learns that a former member died suddenly, and as events transpire, she realizes that the society has far more sinister goals than she has been told and that she's in danger too. Friend writes with a sure, often witty touch (a dress fits Sadie "like it had been hand knitted by magical fairies"). While the climax involves an odd murder stratagem that doesn't appear terribly lethal, to that point, the story is both immersive and topically relevant. A promising suspense debut. (Suspense. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews