Mystery

A who-done-it develops when orphaned twins go off to private school and one becomes involved with one of the teachers and their family. Very suspenseful, very quick and light. ( )

I wondered where this was going because the beginning was a little slow but it certainly sped up! I did not see the ending coming---always good in a thriller. I'm glad she has written MORE books...she is a new author for me. ( )

"The only quiet woman is a dead one."

Sylvia Plath

― Michele Campbell, She Was the Quiet One

Trigger alert warnings: Student/Teacher sex, hazing, violence.

My review:

My review maybe more of a love letter to this novel. I adored it.

Anonymouse!

I wont say what I am speaking of with that word..you'll just have to read the book.

So I have a weakness for campus novels. I also have a weakness for books about twin sisters. I read one book about twins last week which was a major let down.

This more than made up for that one! Oh boy did it!

And straight up..to people who loved the novel "Good girls lie"..this book will probably appeal to you. I do not see how it couldn't.

The book takes place at a boarding school and starts with a murder. One of the twins has been killed. We, the readers, do not know which one.

The twins are orphans living with their grand mother who sends them off to this elite boarding school in New Hampshire. Both girls have issues and both find themselves a bit over their heads to put it mildly!

Sarah and her husband Heath have been recently appointed as Dorm heads. For Sarah this is not a great thing as she is an introvert and really does not like to be around "mean girls".

And there are many mean girls at this academy..rich and spoiled mean girls.

Sarah's husband Heath is a golden boy..not only he is handsome but also charismatic and outgoing. The students all love him..maybe a bit to much?

As the twins acclimate to their new surroundings there are secrets, hazings, lies, betrayals..and many things that threaten that pull the girls apart and fracture their relationship.

We have no idea which girl was murdered..at least not until more than half the book is over. Interspersed in the book are police interviews as the authorities work to figure out what happened. The popular school of thought is one twin killed the other. But is it as simple as that?

I was addicted from page one. The plot is told from multiple POVS. Three actually. The twins..Bell and Rose. And Sarah.

This book was seriously good and I read it in one night. It is just pure fun to read..though I will warn in advance many of the characters are not likable so if you need that in your books, you may want to skip this.

There are many different books that people read for different reasons. "She was the quiet one" is a fun and delicious book in the same way as Megan Abbott's "Dare me" or the above mentioned "Good girls lie" are. We get immersed in the world of the twins and the writer does New England Prep schools very well with richly descriptive writings of the imposing buildings, the artful perfection of the campus grounds and the percolation of secrets rising behind closed doors.

I am recommending this book to anyone who likes campus novels and YA Mysteries as this is one of the best I've read all year. Five stars are not something I give lightly but this book deserves them.

I really got attached to Rose. I commend the author for sketching characters that are complex and deeply woven with realistic personalities. There were no vagueness in any of these people which is a common complaint for me on many books. Some of the characters here do awful, even evil things but you do get a look into WHY. The author gets you into their heads and I really appreciated that.

This book stands as a great example of how to do campus novels well. It was an addicting ride and a book I highly recommend. ( )

I am glad that Rose and the grandmother redeemed themselves. I didn't like Sarah at the beginning and I still didn't like her at the end, she knew everything and did nothing until Bel was already dead. She made it sound like she was glad Bel was dead for sleeping with her husband when Heath was the one sleeping with a minor. I did not like her character at all. ( )