The Darkest Lie

Gr 9 Up—CeCe is left reeling after her teacher mother committed suicide following a student's claims that he was having an affair with her. CeCe feels abandoned and betrayed by her mother. She is also slut-shamed when her mom's story comes out. When her despondent father admits that he doesn't think her mother committed suicide and that there might be clues at the crisis hotline she started and worked at, CeCe faces the horrifying reality and sets out to learn the truth and possibly clear her mom's name. Meanwhile, a mysterious texter tries to keep her from digging too deep, and an adorable, geeky new kid and teen reporter, Sam, keeps bumping into her to report on her mother's death. The stakes are high, the allegations are damning, and the romance is hot. The tone may be overly dramatic and too weighed down with lackluster similes for discerning teens, yet the suspense is fast-paced and entertaining. While CeCe's self-image issues are a little tedious, readers will find her likable and enjoy the interplay between her and the other characters, even if they are archetypal.