Shadow Girl

The industrious heroine of Liu’s second novel (called Mei in the book’s jacket copy, but unnamed in the story itself) spends her summers working as an academic tutor—anything to help the family make ends meet after her father disappeared. When the wealthy Morison family invites her to tutor their daughter on Arrow Island for the summer, the money is too good pass up, even though her Chinese mother wants her to stay at home. But after the recent high school graduate arrives, everything about the Morisons and their house is strange: eight-year-old tutee Ella seems to be hiding something, older brother Henry acts awkward and stilted, the Morison parents are in marital distress, and Ella claims that a ghost haunts the house. Despite the haunted house hook and the atmospheric island setting, Liu’s story is slow to gain momentum, which again slackens during an interlude in which the girl returns to her home in the city. The addition of a romance between Liu’s heroine and Henry further clutters this novel of a family forced to face its demons. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sarah Burnes, Gernert Company. (Dec.)