Hidden Pieces: A Novel

by Paula Stokes

Overview

A small town. A big secret. A deadly game.

From the author of Liars, Inc., comes a dark, contemporary thriller with twists and turns that are perfect for fans of We Were Liars, Little Monsters, and One of Us Is Lying.

Embry Woods has secrets. Some are small, like the ones about her complicated past. Others are bigger, like her growing feelings for best friend’s ex-boyfriend, Holden. But the biggest secret she carries is about what they did at the abandoned Sea Cliff Inn...and the resulting terrible fire.

Embry helps a homeless man escape from the flames and is immediately hailed as a hero, but she knows that couldn't be further from the truth. Though she’s wracked with guilt, Embry thinks she can take one last secret to her grave.

But then she receives an anonymous note—someone else was there that night. Now she must respond to a series of threatening messages asking her to make impossible choices.

Someone is playing a high-stakes game with her life. And their last move is murder.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062673626
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Paula Stokes is the author of Hidden Pieces; This Is How It Happened; Girl Against the Universe; Liars, Inc.; and The Art of Lainey. Paula lives in Portland, Oregon. You can find her online at www.authorpaulastokes.com or on Twitter and Instagram @pstokesbooks.

Editorial Reviews

07/30/2018
While hooking up with her best friend’s former boyfriend, 17-year-old Embry Woods accidentally started a fire at the abandoned Sea Cliff Inn. At first, the consequences of not confessing seem manageable. But now she is being blackmailed by someone called “Unknown” who warns that unless Embry complies with the demands, someone will die. As the stakes increase, Embry decides to confess her secrets to save her loved ones from “Unknown” and to confront her own demons. The twisty thriller by Stokes (Liars, Inc.)is an enjoyable ride, but it does not stray far from the familiar path of other revenge-plot YA novels. What does differentiate this story is the realistic portrayal of Embry’s lower-income home life; she and her mother struggled financially even before her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and their situation is dire. The nail-biting conclusion includes a shocking surprise; readers will likely gasp when the identity of “Unknown” is revealed. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Stokes makes the landscape an integral part of the story. Characters, even minor ones, are well developed, as are the subplots. With overtones of Lois Duncan’s I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973), this has the OMG quality that makes you afraid to wonder what will happen next.” — Booklist (starred review)

“A character-driven mystery perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti.” — School Library Journal

“Intriguing mystery.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The twisty thriller is an enjoyable ride. The nail-biting conclusion includes a shocking surprise; readers will likely gasp when the identity of “Unknown” is revealed.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Stokes makes the landscape an integral part of the story. Characters, even minor ones, are well developed, as are the subplots. With overtones of Lois Duncan’s I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973), this has the OMG quality that makes you afraid to wonder what will happen next.

Booklist (starred review)

05/01/2018
Gr 8 Up—A mystery that explores how privilege and socioeconomic status impact the choices we make. Embry hasn't had an easy life. She doesn't know her dad, and her mom works hard to keep the family business afloat, all while battling cancer. Now the bills are piling up, Embry's boyfriend has just been deployed overseas and her best friend is out of town for the summer. Alone and hurting, Embry finds comfort in the arms of her best friend's boyfriend, Holden. When the two are caught on film accidentally starting a disastrous fire while hooking up in the abandoned Sea Cliff Inn, the secrets Embry keeps start piling up. Someone saw what Embry did and they are threatening to hurt the people she loves if she doesn't confess. Embry is a complex character whose choices are impacted by her socioeconomic status. She keeps so many secrets because she can't afford the consequences that the truth will bring. This thriller also explores themes of friendship, family, and growing up. Enough clues are given throughout to keep readers guessing until the very end. The ocean coast of Oregon comes to life and sets the perfect backdrop to this story. Readers patient enough to make it to the end of this long novel will be satisfied with the neat and happy ending. VERDICT A character-driven mystery perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti.—Kelly Butcher, West Liberty High School, IA

School Library Journal

2018-05-15
Embry Woods keeps things close to her chest.On her way to the vacant Sea Cliff Inn for a late-night rendezvous with her best friend's ex-boyfriend, Holden, her current-but-on-a-break soldier boyfriend, Luke, calls her from Afghanistan to propose. Unable to tell him it's over, she promises to think about it. Later, in the steamy throes of passion, Embry kicks over a candle and sets the inn on fire. The blonde high school senior calls 911 to report the fire she claims she noticed as she was walking by. She becomes a local hero after she rescues a man she spies through the window. A few days later, Embry receives a note demanding a full confession on Facebook, or else. Someone has proof of her night at the inn, and the blackmailer clearly has a personal score to settle. But no one Embry knows would do such a thing. Or would they? Heavy exposition and unimportant details clutter an otherwise intriguing mystery. Despite the secrets and the attention of two boys, Embry is a dry, forgettable character with no warmth or sense of humor. Most characters are white, but there is some diversity in secondary characters (one person comes out, there's a detective named Reyes, a classmate named Misty Whitehawk punches a bully who calls her a squaw, and another classmate is hijabi).Read it over a lazy weekend. (Mystery. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews