Tell Me No Lies

Gr 9 Up–Sophie Linden’s boyfriend, Garrett Packard, is missing, and Sophie saw him with her sister, Nora, just before he disappeared. But Sophie didn’t tell the police that, and now her guilt, along with her anger at both Garrett and Nora, is propelling her into investigating what really happened to Garrett. Nothing makes Nora angrier than cheating, so when Garrett steals her paper, getting both of them in trouble, Nora is determined to find out why, and prove her innocence (she can’t let anything jeopardize her chances of getting into Brown). Her investigation, however, reveals much more than she expected and sets off a string of dangerous events that will change the lives of many. This novel is told in alternating chapters from the Linden sisters’ points of view. Nora is confessing to the events that led up to Garrett’s disappearance, and Sophie’s chapters are present tense, showing the aftermath of his disappearance. This choice highlights the sisters’ tenuous relationship, and the way in which someone’s actions are interpreted is often different from the intention. While the mystery behind Garrett’s disappearance is compelling and makes for an exciting, fast read, the high point of this novel is the exploration of Sophie and Nora’s relationships. The Linden sisters are white, and Nora reads as bisexual. Secondary characters are diverse.