cover image They All Fall Down

They All Fall Down

Roxanne St. Claire. Delacorte, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-74271-9

Sixteen-year-old Kenzie, living in the shadow of her brother's accidental death, is more interested in winning the state Latin competition than getting onto Vienna High's "Hottie List." But she unexpectedly makes the list%E2%80%94and is forced to pay attention to it when the girls on it begin dying in freak accidents. Kenzie doesn't believe it's a curse or a coincidence, especially not after she notices a truck following her and finds a tracking device inside a mysterious Latin-inscribed coin. Plausibility isn't this book's strong point, but there's plenty of suspense as it hurtles toward a final confrontation with the dark forces behind the deaths. While St. Claire (Don't You Wish) portrays Kenzie's passion for Latin somewhat shallowly, the teen's interest in all things Roman still proves a pivotal advantage as she unravels the mystery of the list. The combination of a determined, guilt-ridden heroine with esoteric knowledge and an evil conspiracy with ancient roots should appeal to fans of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series. Readers willing to suspend disbelief should find it an enjoyable and thrill-packed ride. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. Agent: Deidre Knight, the Knight Agency. (Oct.)