Review Detail

A THOUSAND PERFECT LIES is an engaging YA mystery/thriller at an elite boarding school. Belinda (Billie) is barely keeping her head above water, but she is getting her mother into rehab and traveling to England to help the father she never sees and the sister that she has not been great about keeping in contact with. After her parents divorce when she was little, they divided the family in half, and since then, her sister, Isla, has lived a life of wealth with their father while Billie has become the adult to her alcoholic mother.

Isla is in a coma and set to be indicted for the murder of her best friend who appears to have been pushed off a cliff that she then jumped off. Billie has agreed to come help infiltrate the wealthy school where it happened to find out the truth and save her sister from being moved to prison while in a coma. She dons a fake name and begins her investigation on the students, but things are far from simple, and as she moves into the boarding high school, she begins to find herself entangled in the lies and secrets held by the students, both current and former.

What I loved: This story has a few layers of mysteries that really kept me hooked. While some of them were easy to guess, the whodunnit for the case of Isla was a surprise. There is the main mystery of Isla, but there are also the mysteries around Billie's family, the reasons why it was separated, and the memories her mother is drinking to bury. Billie ends up working them all out - not necessarily through detective skills (she is about high school age), but through the people who reveal their secrets to her.

The setting of the elite boarding school works really well here. It has a bit of a locked room feel with all the students on campus for school. There are many people hiding secrets, though often not related to the primary case at hand. It does lend some extra layers to the stories and characters that were fascinating along the way, even when the primary case seemed stalled.

Billie is a compelling character. She has developed a prickly exterior due to her early parentification and the life that has taken so much from her. She also has a hefty chip on her shoulder due to the way her father has treated (and continues to treat) her. Other secondary characters, such as Connor and Sophia, were likewise fascinating and easy to like. The romance builds quickly but was pretty strong.

The ending was satisfying, and the story felt well-concluded with answers and paths forward from all the mysteries. The pace was well done and felt steady throughout the book, keeping the pages turning.

Final verdict: A THOUSAND PERFECT LIES is a consuming YA mystery/suspense that I recommend for readers who love a good case to solve. This will work well for fans of GOSSIP GIRL, TRULY DEVIOUS, and/or LITTLE WHITE LIES.