Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Lisa McMann

Hi Readers,

Lisa McMann graced TBF with her presence in 2010 as part of the High School Humiliation Panel. Along with Robin Brande and A.S. King, she had us rolling on the floor with laughter, while also assuring us that one day, high school will end and you’ll be able to laugh about your experience … or turn it into a really great YA novel.

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

You can always count on Lisa for a high-quality suspense novel, and “Cryer’s Cross” is no expection. A spine-tingling ghost story, “Cryer’s Cross” will have you flipping pages as fast as you can and guessing throughout. I love a good ghost story, and a good ghost story is what you get with “Cryer’s Cross.” Like all good mystery novels, the end is unexpected, but fits the story perfectly. If you’re looking for a quick and satisfying read, look no further than “Cryer’s Cross.”