The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Pages: 307

Published: HarperTeen, 2010

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Cover Score: A

Overall Grade: A-

When orphan Emma Paxton learns that she has a long-lost identical sister, Sutton, she is thrilled. Stealing away from her foster home, she travels to Arizona to meet up with the twin she never met, only to discover that Sutton has been murdered, and someone (could it be Sutton's killer?) wants Emma to slip into her sister's old life, posing as Sutton as a way to avoid any suspicion. But as Emma becomes her twin, she realizes that keeping up the act is harder then it seems, especially since Sutton's murderer is watching her every move. Emma learns that Sutton has some dirty little secrets to hide--especially in the form of the Lying Game, a vicious prank war that Sutton and her friends orchestrate. Emma's determined to get to the bottom of her sister's murder, but the killer might be closer than she thinks...

My thoughts: The Lying Game was a fast-paced, addictive, and thrilling rush. I was surprised at how different it was from Ms. Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series--but not necessarily in a bad way.

I loved the unique point-of-view and narration of the novel. Sutton, who has been killed, watches over her long-lost-twin sister Emma as she attempts to solve the mystery. The book is dark and full of intrigue, with a cast of interesting characters and and binding storyline.

However, I didn't get the same satisfaction from The Lying Game as I did from Pretty Little Liars. The twists and turns in the novel were often hard to follow, and I felt myself becoming confused at times. I understand that Ms. Shepard wanted suspense and buildup in her novel, but the lack of information was sometimes frustrating when the plot became hard to follow.

The Lying Game was a great set up to future books in the series, where I hope more information will be disclosed. This unique, fascinating, and slightly creepy story makes for one quick, action-packed, juicy read. I can't wait for the sequel, Never Have I Ever, coming out this August.

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