The Perfectionists

Gr 9 Up—Image is everything at Beacon Heights High, where only the best is good enough for the ultracompetitive teens of this affluent Seattle suburb. The highest grades, the chicest clothes, the wildest parties are part and parcel. In this bubble of pressure and privilege, no one is more popular—or more feared—than Nolan Hotchkiss. Cruel and hypnotic, he seems to know everybody's dirty little secret. And everybody seems to have one, including Parker Duvall, Ava Jalali, Caitlin Martell-Lewis, Julie Redding, and Mackenzie Wright. Each girl has her own reason to hate Nolan, and each one has something to hide. When his dead body is discovered with the words "Monster" and "Liar" scrawled in Sharpie on his face, the five emerge as murder suspects. Did they really do it—or are they being framed? Fans of the author's "Pretty Little Liars" series (HarperCollins) will recognize that certain plots (deceit, secrets, murder) and structural elements (chapters rotate among the lead female characters) have been recycled; unfortunately, the new series feels derivative by comparison. An additional purchase, based on the strength of the author's popularity.—Susan Wengler, Saint Dominic Academy, Jersey City, NJ