Fragments of the Lost

After months of mourning the death of her ex-boyfriend, Caleb, 16-year-old Jessa Whitworth is asked to pack up his room so that his mother and younger sister can move on. Witnesses say that the last time Caleb was seen—before driving off a bridge into a raging river—was at Jessa’s track meet. The two had an awkward moment there, and Caleb left angry. Jessa feels responsible for the accident, and her guilt mounts as she slowly packs away his belongings, each item bringing up a memory of their yearlong relationship. In addition to the memories dredged up by Caleb’s things, Jessa begins to piece together evidence that leads her to believe that Caleb was hiding a big secret. Miranda (The Safest Lies) exhaustively rehashes the ups and downs of Caleb and Jessa’s relationship as the novel unfolds, sapping the story’s forward momentum. Those who persist through the slow buildup will be rewarded with a slight twist at the end, though even this development isn’t entirely unexpected. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (Nov.) [/em]