The Liars Society

Gr 5-8–After winning a district sailing regatta, public school student Weatherby Walker is offered a full scholarship to the Boston School, the elite private school that her late father attended. The only problem? Weatherby accidentally cheated in the race, and her family’s motto is, “Walkers don’t lie.” Still, she decides not to tell anyone—and quickly comes to find that she’s not the only student with a secret. Jack Hunt, a fellow seventh grader whose wealthy family owns the waterproofing company Hunt International, is also hiding a cheating incident, but he’s from a family whose motto is, “If you can’t get to the top, get to the top anyway.” Paired as sailing partners, Jack and Weatherby are soon tapped as candidates for the Last Heir, a secret society. When funds for the annual class trip to Hart Isle are stolen and initiation gambits send them on an investigation, both are desperate to uncover the truth—Jack, because he fears his uncle’s involvement, and Weatherby, because her dad’s childhood journal details a life-changing trip to Hart Isle with a critical page missing. Told from Jack and Weatherby’s alternating perspectives, this is a layered, atmospheric mystery that effectively combines prep school intrigue, environmental issues, sports competition, and explorations of class privilege. The almost otherworldly setting of Hart Isle captivates, and the ending sets up a sequel that readers will be eager to devour. Weatherby and Jack are both cued as white.