Author: Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker
Rating: ★★★★1/2
Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure.
To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.
Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...
To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.
Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...
The Liar Society has a lot of elements that totally captivated me - the mystery, the death of a friend, the adventure, the cute boys, and secret societies. I think I've said it often enough here in my blog that I'm a fan of mysteries, especially if they have female protagonists.
I have another confession: one of my closest friends died when I was in high school too, almost a decade ago, and I dreamt about her every year for the next eight years. She only stopped when I pleaded with her one night to stop visiting my dreams because I keep freaking out. I mean, you know, she'd always plead for me to help her. The worst - and last - one was that she was lying inside a coffin, banging on the glass. While I didn't need to see a therapist after her death, it took me quite a few years to fully get all the tears out of my system. Although she didn't have a suspicious death (it was leukemia. I hate cancer), I was able to fully relate to Kate's sadness over Grace death. For a moment, I badly wanted to believe along with her that Grace was still alive. After reading the story, I suddenly realized how sad it was that Kate still kept seeing Grace's ghost running around campus.
When Kate receives those emails, I admit I really thought that Grace somehow escaped and that her death was faked and she has been living in hiding, and the secret societies will be brought down. The truth is darker and sadder than I would have expected. Plus, the book's cover, with that sassy look on the model's face, did not fully express that something sinister was inside the book. Oh, I loved it. I also liked that Kate persisted in trying to get to know the truth despite the threats and cryptic messages from people around her. I also love that she was so nice to Seth, and her hair is pink (although I don't know how that was allowed in Pemberly Brown) and how she hopes to live to that age where she can be the grandmother with pink hair. Fab. It totally gave me an idea!
The book is peppered with several interesting characters like Liam (oh Liam!) and Seth. Liam is one of those mistakenly bad boy types but is actually good on the inside and could be your perfect boyfriend. Seth is one of those friends I think every girl needs to have - respectful, loyal, and genuinely cares about you no matter how many times you turn him down. I also have to admit that I'm mildly curious about typical teen queen Taylor, and why she seems so powerless. But god, I hate Maddie. I just hate her. I understand that she was feeling guilty, but she could have done something! And what is up with Kate's parents? They never seem to believe her and just attribute everything to her depression over Grace's death. It's pretty sad.
The Liar Society didn't make me wonder whodunit. All I truly wanted to know was what happened that night and if Grace was still alive. After a lot of running around, we have two suspicious camps and no justice yet, but it definitely holds a lot of promise for the next two books. What I didn't like about the story is that there were loose ends. For example, when Maddie said, "I thought you" when the fire broke out, but that sentence was never completed. Also, one of Kate's teachers gave her a warning but Kate never pursued the teacher for further questioning.
There's no comedic humor, or witty and memorable one-liners in The Liar Society but Lisa and Laura's flair for writing made me keep going until the very end and almost made me lose sleep. I'm so glad I discovered this trilogy. Have you read The Liar Society? How was it for you?
Ciao!
