The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Book 7 of the 100 Book challenge.

The following synopsis is taken from Goodreads.com

I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince

my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

From Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thePretty Little Liars books, comes a riveting new series about secrets, lies, and killer consequences.

Let the lying game begin.

I had heard a lot about Sara Shepard, currently I have several of my students reading the Pretty Little Liars series. They love them! So instead of losing an arm trying to get the first in that series, I grabbed this one.

I thought it was very creative using "YouTube" to discover that Sutton was in trouble. I thought it was something that my students would latch on to. I love it when authors use the modern fads to tie things in. Like texting, teens don't call anymore, they text. Authors should include texting... right? Am I wrong about this?

Back on topic. I like the contrast between Sutton and Emma and I think having Sutton regret the way she was and by her showing remorse for the nasty pranks pulled in "The Lying Game" is very redeeming. I do wonder if Emma will get caught up in the lifestyle, not the nasty pranks, but the whole rich and fabulous lifestyle that Sutton was accustomed to...

One thing I did not like was the flipping of the narration. It went from the third person to Sutton's thoughts. I wish instead of it saying... "Emma was talking to Mrs. Mercer." I think it should have read, "Emma was talking to my mom." I was under the impression from the beginning that this was being told by Sutton. Maybe that's just the writer in me.

I am assuming there will be a sequel to this, though I felt Shepard could have wrapped it up. If there is a different killer, great. If there is not a different killer than the "one" (trying not to spoil here) well I am concerned she will have a dragged out second novel...