cover image Pretty Girl-13

Pretty Girl-13

Liz Coley. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-06-212737-2

For the three years after 13-year-old Angie Chapman was abducted during a camping trip, her life was not her own. Now that she's back, arriving on her parents' doorstep with no memory of how she got there%E2%80%94or what happened to her%E2%80%94the same is still true, to an extent. Coley, the author of several short stories and a self-published novel, turns Angie's internal psychological struggles into a gripping, almost cinematic thriller. Because of Angie's amnesia, the hidden truths she uncovers about her captivity and her childhood come as surprises both to her and to readers. Through therapy, Angie learns she has dissociative identity disorder; the book largely focuses on Angie's struggles to communicate with, absorb, and/or destroy the "alters" in her psyche, who shielded Angie from the traumas she endured%E2%80%94and retain the ability to wrest control of her body. It's a harrowing journey with no shortage of creepy moments and imagery, and readers should be fascinated by Angie's efforts to put her life and mind in order after years of abuse. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agent: Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation. (Mar.)