The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a twin, someone you can trade places with and no one would ever know? Well, even though this was far from what Emma Paxton ever dreamed of having, she gets dragged into the situation anyway. Emma had been in foster care for most of her life because her mother had abandoned Emma since she was a little girl, leaving Emma without any relative to stay with. Emma wished among stars for a mom, a dad, and even a sister or brother, and after eighteen years of wishing for a family, Emma gets a family, but with one twist: she has a long lost twin who's missing. After watching a mysterious youtube video with a girl that looks identical to her, Emma leaves her current foster home in search for her twin. Emma's twin, Sutton, contacts Emma and at the moment they are supposed to meet, Emma actually has to pass as her sister Sutton because Sutton's friends see Emma and believe its Sutton. Although Emma does in fact act as Sutton for that night with her friends, she believes that once she arrives at Sutton's home, she will talk to Sutton and finally meet her long-lost sister. Strangely, when Emma arrives, Sutton isn't home, doesn't answer Emma's phone calls or text, and doesn't appear the next morning. To make matters worse, she receives an envelope with contents staying "Sutton's dead. Tell no one. Keep playing along. . . or you're next." Confused and overwhelmed, Emma doesn't know what to do. She never got to meet her fortunate sister, but Emma is overcome with the feeling of bringing justice to her sister's death. When Emma continues to pretend to be Sutton, she finds out that Sutton's friends are not your typical friends. They play harsh pranks and it seems like Sutton was the leader of their little gang. These "pranks" have gone as far as almost killing someone, but it doesn't matter, its all part of The Lying Game...

This exciting thriller follows Sara Shepard's #1 bestseller Pretty Little Liars. The Lying Game proves that nothing is what it seems to be. Although Sutton seemed to have everything and that life was perfect, she turns up dead in a bathroom and sees Emma Paxton without Emma being able to see her or hear her. From this moment on, Emma's journey begins while Sutton floats above her. Who is Sutton's murder, everyone's a suspect.


Sara Shepard's The Lying Game earns a spot in the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers 2012 for a good reason. This suspenseful thriller with nonstop action places the reader on the edge of their seats as they try to discover who Sutton's killer is. I found myself sometimes wanting to scream at the pages because Sutton could watch and hear Emma, but could never talk to her and guide her to things that Sutton knew would help Emma. Emma not only faced the dilemma of losing a loved one, but of fitting in with Sutton's friends and of course, boy trouble. This novel contains all the gossip girls love to hear and be apart of, but the gossip not only includes the key clues for Emma, but information to why girls act the way they do. Sutton's friends, for instance, reveal that they aren't as tough as they seem to be; these girls actually had feelings and sad pasts as well that they had to deal with. Definitely a great read for reluctant readers :)