The Good Girls

by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Overview

One of Us Is Lying meets Sadie in this twisty, feminist thriller for the Me Too era.

The troublemaker. The overachiever. The cheer captain. The dead girl. Like every high school in America, Jefferson-Lorne High contains all of the above.

After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the would-be valedictorian.

But appearances are never what they seem. And the truth behind what really happened to Emma may just be lying in plain sight. As long buried secrets come to light, the clock is ticking to find Emma's killer—before another good girl goes down.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062943101
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	1,194,069
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Claire Eliza Bartlett is a writer and tour guide in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was born in the US but left when she was eighteen to travel through Europe, where she found a home with a husband and too few cats. She can be found on social media as @bartlebett or at www.authorclaire.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/19/2020

Emma Baines is missing. A grainy Facebook video appears to show someone shoving the “ice-blond” 17-year-old off a bridge into a lethal stretch of river known as Anna’s Run. The Jefferson-Lorne, Colo., police department, headed by Emma’s overprotective father, is centering their investigation on three of her classmates: Avery Cross, the airheaded captain of Emma’s cheerleading squad; Claude Vanderly, a “loudmouth slut” and notorious troublemaker; and Gwen Sayer, an acerbic overachiever who is competing with Emma to win a full undergraduate scholarship. According to mysterious blogger Adams West, however, the cops’ focus is misplaced; Emma had a secret that likely got her killed, and he is determined to not only uncover that secret, but expose it to the world. Fantasy author Bartlett (The Winter Duke) takes on society’s toxic attitudes toward teenage girls in this dark and twisty #MeToo thriller. The writing is occasionally overwrought, and aspects of the plot strain credulity, but on the whole, Bartlett delivers an empowering tale populated with nuanced characters of sundry socioeconomic backgrounds and sexual orientations. Ages 13–up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"This clever thriller lures you in, then hits you where it hurts—with shocking power.”  — Dylan Farrow, #MeToo activist and author of Hush

"The young women’s rage and regret are palpable. Revenge served cold."  — Kirkus Reviews

"Bartlett delivers an empowering tale populated with nuanced characters of sundry socioeconomic backgrounds and sexual orientations." — Publishers Weekly

"An interrogation of the ways in which society labels girls to make it easier to overlook, brush off, or directly deny evidence of sexual abuse and trauma." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie will appreciate this socially conscious, character-driven thriller." — Booklist

"Brimming with suspense, along with a compelling cast of suspects, Bartlett’s latest offers up a gripping, page-turning mystery about small town secrets and the reasons girls keep them." — Stephanie Kuehn, Morris Award-winning author of Charm & Strange 

"Beautiful and powerful, The Good Girls is a revelation. I couldn't stop until the breathless end, and it's been haunting me in the days since I finished. Full of dark secrets and twists you won't see coming, this one will keep you in its grip long after the last page." — Sarah Lyu, author of The Best Lies 

Praise for We Rule the Night: “A fierce and compelling breakout debut that should not be missed.“ — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Bartlett’s electrifying feminist fantasy debut uses keenly wrought characters, harrowing action sequences, and creative yet economical worldbuilding to explore misogynistic military culture and the human cost of war.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A breathless series starter from a new voice to watch.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Full of sharply realized characterizations, intriguing magical elements, and twisty plots.”

— School Library Journal (starred review)

“An empowering story about the power of female friendships that questions the blind loyalty associated with patriotism and provides insight into the role that women have actively played in battle.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

"Beautiful and powerful, The Good Girls is a revelation. I couldn't stop until the breathless end, and it's been haunting me in the days since I finished. Full of dark secrets and twists you won't see coming, this one will keep you in its grip long after the last page."

Sarah Lyu

10/01/2020

Gr 8 Up—High school student Emma Baines is missing and presumed dead, and police have their eyes on three of her classmates: Claude, the smart-mouthed rebel; Avery, the preppy cheerleader; and Gwen, the academic rival. But secrets run deep in this Colorado mountain town, and appearances are deceiving. As each suspect struggles to prove their innocence, evidence builds against them. The narration is punctuated with blog entries, interview transcripts, chat logs, and news articles. Though the feminist overtones of the story are a welcome addition to the YA thriller genre, the book as a whole does not stand out within the saturated arena. The four protagonists are indistinct and easily confused with one another, and certain plot elements, such as the addition of an anonymous blogger, seem disconnected from the story. Though fans of Karen M. McManus and Courtney Summers will see familiar themes throughout the narrative, the book misses key elements of suspense that would have made it a compelling thriller. The lead-up to the climax is a jumble, and the final scenes rush to deliver an underwhelming conclusion. No character's race is explicitly stated, and the only cultural signifiers are that Gwen is Welsh. Claude is described as having dark hair and light skin, and Avery, Gwen, and Emma are described as blonde and blue-eyed. VERDICT Though strong in its feminist convictions, a hurried ending, muddied mystery, and unmemorable characters make this book an additional purchase at best.—Madison Bishop, Forbes Lib., Northampton, MA

School Library Journal

2020-09-10
Someone is breaking the small-town silence in this teen noir.

Jefferson-Lorne, Colorado, is a small town, and its girls are labeled: slut (Claude Vanderly), airhead (Avery Cross), and cutthroat academic (Gwen Sayer). As all grapple with their reputations, their complicated romantic relationships, and the dark rumors that plague the high school, cheerleader Emma Baines goes missing after making a bold accusation. When police investigate Emma’s disappearance (and apparent death), the three girls come under suspicion even as they secretly seek justice. Not only do they navigate the petty scandals of high school and parental power struggles, the girls also tackle bigger issues like body image, substance abuse, sexuality, and consent. Bartlett, author of The Winter Duke (2020), continues her exploration of queer and feminist issues but grounds it in an all-too-real modern world with real monsters. Clearly attempting to avoid revealing the core crime too early, the novel begins with slow pacing, relentless shifts in narrators, and a minefield of misdirection and distractions before barreling toward a well-calculated and high-stakes climax. The young women’s rage and regret are palpable, and their reactions to trauma and drama are realistic even if their solutions are improbably elaborate. The main cast reads as White; they vary in their living situations, income levels, and sexuality, and there is ethnic diversity in the supporting cast. A solid addition to the traumatized teen mystery genre.

Revenge served cold. (Mystery. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews

"Brimming with suspense, along with a compelling cast of suspects, Bartlett’s latest offers up a gripping, page-turning mystery about small town secrets and the reasons girls keep them."

Stephanie Kuehn

"An interrogation of the ways in which society labels girls to make it easier to overlook, brush off, or directly deny evidence of sexual abuse and trauma."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

A breathless series starter from a new voice to watch.

Booklist (starred review)

"This clever thriller lures you in, then hits you where it hurts—with shocking power.” 

Dylan Farrow

"Fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie will appreciate this socially conscious, character-driven thriller."

Booklist

"Fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie will appreciate this socially conscious, character-driven thriller."

Booklist

"An interrogation of the ways in which society labels girls to make it easier to overlook, brush off, or directly deny evidence of sexual abuse and trauma."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"An interrogation of the ways in which society labels girls to make it easier to overlook, brush off, or directly deny evidence of sexual abuse and trauma."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books