Underneath Everything

During her freshman and sophomore years of high school, Mattie was part of a popular, somewhat wild group of girls; when ringleader Jolene’s pranks turned cruel and dangerous, Mattie and her friend Kris left the pack for the “fantastic, untouchable status as Nobodies.” Now a senior, Mattie finds herself drawn back into her old circle of friends. She is unable to ignore Jolene’s magnetism (and frequent text messages) and has trouble resisting the boy Jolene stole from her. Exploring the effects of mind games and obsessive yearnings on a vulnerable teen, first-time author Paul’s writing has a dreamlike quality that will keep readers wondering how much is imagined and how much is real. Jolene is cast as a spiderlike villainess, luring less vibrant victims into her web. The effect she has on her targets is painfully clear, yet her motives are cloudy. Mattie, vacillating between wanting to be invisible and needing to be an object of interest and desire, is as complicated as Jolene, making what lies “underneath everything” difficult to discern. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Oct.)