"What a ride! Full of twists and turns—including an ending you won't see coming!"—April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
They Said It Was An Accident...
Sawyer Dodd is a star athlete, a straight-A student, and the envy of every other girl who wants to date Kevin Anderson. When Kevin dies in a tragic car crash, Sawyer is stunned. Then she opens her locker to find a note:
You're welcome.
Someone saw what he did to her. Someone knows that Sawyer and Kevin weren't the perfect couple they seemed to be. And that someone—a killer—is now shadowing Sawyer's every move...
Publishers Weekly
Adult author Jayne (the Underworld Detection Agency Chronicles) moves from urban fantasy to YA thrillers with this tense psychological piece. High school junior Sawyer Dodd is still reeling from her boyfriend’s death in a drunk driving accident when she receives a note from an “admirer” that simply reads, “You’re welcome.” Meanwhile, Sawyer’s former friend Maggie is making her life at school miserable, and her parents want her to attend therapy. When a second person is killed, Sawyer realizes that her admirer/stalker is closer than she suspected and knows everything about her life. With suspicion falling on her, can she thwart her stalker’s murderous intentions before tragedy strikes again? Jayne delivers a healthy dose of paranoia amid the story’s growing tension, as Sawyer’s life crumbles around her. The skillful buildup leads to a somewhat muddled climax, however, and the stalker’s identity and motivations come out of left field (also, Sawyer’s ability to attract both trouble and troubled personalities seems disproportionately high). A solid effort that doesn’t quite make the grade. Ages 13–up. Agent: Amberly Finarelli, Andrea Hurst & Associates Literary Management. (July)
From the Publisher
"What a ride! Full of twists and turns-including an ending you won't see coming!" - April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die"A fast-paced thriller . . . an engaging balance of atmosphere and action." - Kirkus
"[A] tense psychological piece . . . Jayne delivers a healthy dose of paranoia amid the story's growing tension." - Publishers Weekly
"The characters are well developed and multidimensional, no matter how big or small their role. A solidly good novel-an enjoyable read." - RT Book Reviews
""A heart-pounding narrative . . . If you're looking for a suspenseful whodunit with a cinematic climax, this fits the bill."" - Booklist
"This can't-put-it-down mystery deals with a secret admirer . . . Intense and chilling, it kept us guessing until the ultimate shocking reveal." - Justine Magazine
VOYA - Lucy Schall
When Sawyer Dodd's abusive boyfriend dies in a car accident, Sawyer receives a note that says, "You're welcome." He was murdered. High school junior Sawyer deals with her confusion and grief, her parents' divorce, her father's second marriage, and peer bullying, but more incriminating murders, more cryptic messages, and unexplained events swirl around her. She investigates. A new boyfriend, a secret admirer, and a lifelong friend help her, but fear stalks her both in school and at home. Red herrings and surprises make this a puzzle and page-turner. Some of Sawyer's actions are unbelievable, especially her ability to avoid and fool police, but the plot, which races from crisis to crisis, will help the reader suspend any disbelief. And although the ultimate conclusion is somewhat predictable, the story is a good ride. Jayne blends suburban high school life and murder mystery well. Sawyer and her dead boyfriend were the "perfect couple." Jealous girls stalk and harass her. Sawyer's Spanish teacher tries to seduce her. The locker is the accepted mail box, and trust can be dangerous. At home, midlife mom and dad head in new directions and salve their consciences by giving Sawyer a car and a psychiatrist. Teen girls who feel that the world is too busy to pay attention to them will find this a great story, especially because Sawyer is strong enough to handle it all. It is a good addition for mystery collections. Reviewer: Lucy Schall
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up—In this fast-paced thriller, Jayne crafts a suspenseful tale of vengeance and misguided love. Dating star football player Kevin Anderson has its perks, including instant popularity for junior Sawyer Dodd. Their relationship seems perfect, but what nobody knows about is the abuse Sawyer suffers at the hands of her controlling boyfriend. When Kevin dies in a car accident, Sawyer is filled with a mix of sadness and relief, certain that her terrible secret will remain just that. She receives a cryptic note that simply states, "You're welcome," and Sawyer questions its meaning until people around her begin to die. Someone is willing to kill for Sawyer but is setting her up to take the fall. She determines to uncover the identity of the murderer and clear her name before she becomes the next victim. Sawyer is depicted as the ultimate victim-of physical abuse, sexual assault, bullying-who has real motives for revenge against those who have hurt her, yet the subjective third-person narrative suggests that she isn't the perpetrator, even when Sawyer doubts her own innocence. Peppered with red herrings, the plot has twists and turns that will have the audience guessing, and while the ending isn't completely unexpected, it still feels anticlimactic after Jayne's intense buildup. Other than a few instances in which important details are overlooked, including a noticeable change in the way a character dies, the story seems plausible and will keep readers engaged. Teens who enjoy R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike are the likely audience for this gripping mystery.—Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH
Kirkus Reviews
In a fast-paced thriller, a teen whose boyfriend died in a drunken driving accident finds that a killer is targeting her enemies. Suspense begins in the first chapter, when Sawyer opens her locker to find a copy of the newspaper article about Kevin's death along with a note that simply reads, "You're welcome." Kevin, readers learn, had become increasingly violent toward Sawyer during their relationship, and Sawyer's mixed feelings and desire to keep Kevin's violence a secret are handled with grace. After a disturbing incident in which a teacher sexually harasses Sawyer, the murderer strikes again. Sawyer is reluctant to tell anyone about the mysterious notes she's received, and readers will wonder if some of the novel's gruesome events could have been avoided had she simply come clean. Nevertheless, Sawyer's fear and emotional distress are realistically portrayed, and knowing that the medication she takes can produce hallucinations heightens the tension: Is she imagining the noises she hears in her empty housing development, or is somebody following her? Sawyer doesn't do much detective work, but readers can speculate about a platoon of possible culprits. Some readers may put together enough clues to guess the ending, but plenty of others will be surprised. An engaging balance of atmosphere and action. (Suspense. 14-18)
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