The Good Girls - by Claire Eliza Bartlett (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One of Us Is Lying meets Sadie in this twisty, feminist thriller for the Me Too era.

The troublemaker. The overachiever. The cheer captain. The dead girl. Like every high school in America, Jefferson-Lorne High contains all of the above.

After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the would-be valedictorian.

But appearances are never what they seem. And the truth behind what really happened to Emma may just be lying in plain sight. As long buried secrets come to light, the clock is ticking to find Emma's killer--before another good girl goes down.

Review Quotes

"This clever thriller lures you in, then hits you where it hurts--with shocking power." -- Dylan Farrow, #MeToo activist and author of Hush

"The young women's rage and regret are palpable. Revenge served cold." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Bartlett delivers an empowering tale populated with nuanced characters of sundry socioeconomic backgrounds and sexual orientations." -- Publishers Weekly

"An interrogation of the ways in which society labels girls to make it easier to overlook, brush off, or directly deny evidence of sexual abuse and trauma." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie will appreciate this socially conscious, character-driven thriller." -- Booklist

"Brimming with suspense, along with a compelling cast of suspects, Bartlett's latest offers up a gripping, page-turning mystery about small town secrets and the reasons girls keep them." -- Stephanie Kuehn, Morris Award-winning author of Charm & Strange

"Beautiful and powerful, The Good Girls is a revelation. I couldn't stop until the breathless end, and it's been haunting me in the days since I finished. Full of dark secrets and twists you won't see coming, this one will keep you in its grip long after the last page." -- Sarah Lyu, author of The Best Lies

Praise for We Rule the Night: "A fierce and compelling breakout debut that should not be missed." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Bartlett's electrifying feminist fantasy debut uses keenly wrought characters, harrowing action sequences, and creative yet economical worldbuilding to explore misogynistic military culture and the human cost of war." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A breathless series starter from a new voice to watch." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Full of sharply realized characterizations, intriguing magical elements, and twisty plots."

-- School Library Journal (starred review)

"An empowering story about the power of female friendships that questions the blind loyalty associated with patriotism and provides insight into the role that women have actively played in battle." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books