Promises I Made

Gr 9 Up—In Lies I Told (HarperCollins, 2015), Zink created a perfectly sympathetic character and perfectly paced conflict: Grace Fontaine has been directed by her adoptive parents to get close enough to Logan Fairchild to figure out where his mentally ill father has hidden a stash of gold bars. As Grace falls more and more in love with Logan, the conflict grows, as do the stakes if she is caught. Unfortunately, this sequel does not live up to the promise of the first novel. The pace is much slower, as Grace steals a hefty amount of Cormac's (her adoptive father) money and sets off back to Playa Hermosa in the attempt to free her brother, Parker. She is aided by Detective Castillo, and a bit player, Marcus, from the first novel who plays a much more significant role in this one. With Marcus's help, Grace is able to facilitate Cormac's arrest and extradition in exchange for reduced sentences for herself and Parker. This work is riddled with implausible plot points and serrated ends that are tied a little too tidily for it to be a satisfying conclusion.