The Secrets We Keep

Four months ago, sophomore Clem went to a field party where she believes she was the last person to see Kit, an autistic classmate who was found drowned in the quarry the next day. Clem’s best friend Ellie dragged Clem to the bash, so Ellie could hook up with her crush, Mac. Clem didn’t reveal any information about the night to the police, and only Ellie knows Clem let Kit wander off alone; she uses this secret to manipulate Clem into covering for her when she sneaks around with hot-headed Mac. Now, Kit’s mother is seeking closure and pressuring students to step forward with any information about her son’s death. Clem feels very alone until Jake, a friend turned crush, opens up about his own connections to Kit and the party, leading to further revelations. Loughead (Rise of the Zombie Scarecrows) is less successful in passages that compare Clem’s guilt to that of Macbeth, or that get preachy regarding digital addiction. Clem’s lingering guilt makes her a compelling narrator but most of the other characters are not given much depth. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)