Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan

Pages: 296

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Real life / Social issues / Suspense-Mystery

Notes for parents: Mild language and a few mature themes

The Back Cover

They’ve gotten good grades—but that’s not good enough. They’ve spent hours on community service—but that’s not good enough. Finn and Chloe’s advisor says that colleges have enough kids with good grades and perfect attendance, so Chloe decides they’ll have to attract attention another way. She and Finn will stage Chloe’s disappearance, and then, when CNN is on their doorstep and the nation is riveted, Finn will find and save her. It seems like the perfect plan—until things start to go wrong. Very wrong.

It was suppose to be a victimless crime. Finn was supposed to be the good accomplice, and Chloe was supposed to be the hidden object of attention. But when things intensify, situations become more and more extreme…and what once seemed victimless isn’t so innocent anymore.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover tells you just enough.

What’s good?

Once I got past the first 50 pages, I couldn’t stop reading. I had to see how it would end. The setup was surprisingly believable and the secrets and lies made for a compellingly complex story. The plot undulated between innocence and guilt and I flipped often between wanting the girls’ plan to succeed and desperately wanting them to be found out. All of the characters—main and supporting—we’re well-crafted and relatable.

Best part: Dean West – ultimately he’s the one I was cheering for.

What’s not so good?

It took me a long time to get into this book. It was a while before I felt any sympathy for these girls who were duping a whole town. I didn’t like their reasoning, their methodology or their need for attention. However, it all comes out in the wash as it becomes apparent that their actions have more consequences than even they imagined.

Worst part: The end, kind of. It was unsatisfying and yet, I don’t know how it should have ended. Maybe that makes it a great ending. I don’t know.

Recommendations þþþoo

It loses checkmarks for the slow beginning and unsettled ending, but gains for great characterization and excellent plotting. This isn’t a must read in my book, but it’s definitely a good read. Very entertaining.

Corrigan, Eireann. Accomplice. New York: Scholastic, 2010