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The Deadly Sister

by Eliot Schrefer (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 494 ratings · 143 reviews

From the author of School for Dangerous Girls, another suspenseful stunner about a girl who helps her sister escape from a murder charge - and then falls for the murder victim's brother.

Abby Goodwin is sure her sister Maya isn't a murderer. But her parents don't agree. Her friends don't agree. And the cops definitely don't agree. Maya is a drop-out, a stoner, a girl who's...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published May 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press (first published 2010)

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Community Reviews

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May 24, 2011 Chrissy Eichhorn rated it 3 of 5 stars

This a book with the biggest twist at the End. I almost jumped out of my seat.

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 07, 2012 Rebekah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Abby Goodwin is the ideal child, but everything she does is overshadowed by her delinquent little sister Maya. As a protective older sibling, Abby cleans up after Maya� s messes. Over the years Abby has covered for her sister, telling lies to keep her parents� wrath at bay when Maya misses curfew or pawns the china for drug money, but when Abby stumbles upon Jefferson Andrews� body during her morning jog, she� s not sure she will be able to shield her sister from the law. The evidence immediatel...more

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May 16, 2013 Corrina S. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am currently reading the book The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer. This book is about a girl named Abby who is always covering for her drug addict sister Maya. As Abby was taking a morning run she discovered the body of the captain of the swim team and Maya’s tutor and discovered Maya’s phone at the scene. She finds her sister and gets her in hiding knowing her parents won’t suspect anything when Maya doesn’t return home and waiting for the cops to find her.
I gave this book five stars becaus...more I am currently reading the book The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer. This book is about a girl named Abby who is always covering for her drug addict sister Maya. As Abby was taking a morning run she discovered the body of the captain of the swim team and Maya’s tutor and discovered Maya’s phone at the scene. She finds her sister and gets her in hiding knowing her parents won’t suspect anything when Maya doesn’t return home and waiting for the cops to find her.
I gave this book five stars because I can not put it down, I usually don’t enjoy reading books that much but this one is very intriguing. Infact just talking about it makes me want to read it more. It is different than the books I usually read, maybe that’s why I like it so much. One quote that describes the book very well is from Veronica an older lady the girls consider their grandmother “I say that for your protection. The less you know about where she is, the better off you are. Rest assured that I’ve sent Maya ti a secure place. The police won’t find her (83).” This is pretty much what this book is about, the less the characters know the better off they are.

The theme of this book is What we do for our family isn’t always best for our family. This is shown throughout the book when Abby is putting herself in risk by trying to cover-up her sisters mistakes. This never really helped Maya because she knew her sister was there to cover up her tracks, the rebellion just got more and more serious. “She knew exactly how to play me, as always (51)”, Abby says this after her sister distracts her from being mad and uses Abby for protection. I feel that the things Abby did for Maya only made the situation worse.

I believe the author was trying to keep us intrigued while reading, you are always wondering what the characters are going to do next. Like in one scene when Abby was searching Veronica’s house because she wouldn’t tell her where Maya was. Abby was opening all the doors and you just keep thinking Will she find anything she is looking for or even Maya?

All in all i recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery and has enough time on their hands to be able to read it in a short time, you will want to. (less)

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Aug 29, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2010s, ya-baby-ya, everyone-hates-it-but-nenia

Abby Goodwin has always, well, been good. Her younger sister Maya, on the other hand, is the problem child - the one who soaks up all the attention because of her recklessness with boys, drugs, and curfew. Abby has always been protective of her sister, because who else will? Everyone else - friends, family, teachers, you name it - all gave up hope for Maya's redemption long ago.

Except for Abby.

This loyalty is tested, however, when Jefferson Andrews, Mr. Popular, their town's own personal Golden...more

1 like · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Alyssa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not really sure what to think of this book. I just finished it today. It leaves a few questions bouncing around in your head at the end-about choices characters made, about morals of the world, and about the reality of the book.

I didn't think the book was very realistic. I am a teenager, and don't know a ton about police and crime scenes, but I will say I do read quite a few thrillers and am addicted to lawyer and cop shows. This didn't seem to match quality of those.

I liked how the book wa...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads

The Deadly Sister was an interesting twist on a murder mystery. While it had its slow parts, it definitely made up for that with an exciting and unexpected ending.
Abby has spent her whole life cleaning up the messes that her younger sister Maya makes. However, when Abby discovers the dead body of Jefferson, Maya's tutor/drug dealer/hook-up, she realizes that Maya might be somehow involved. Abby sets out to find her sister and get her some place safe before the police come knocking on their do...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Mandy Swift rated it 4 of 5 stars

What it's about:
The Deadly Sister by: Eliot Schrefer was a great book that left you guessing and turning after each page. This book was about a girl named Abby trying to figure out who murdered her sister's boyfriend. But when her sister looks like the number one suspect and suddenly disapears what is Abby supposed to do? And turning her sister in isn't an option. And what happens when her parents believe that her sister did kill, the most known boy in town? What would you do if your sister was...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Jess - The Tales Compendium rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

I am a major fan of Eliot Schrefer's The School for Dangerous Girls and so was very excited when The Deadly Sister landed on my desk. I was also excited because, when I'm not reading YA fiction, I read adult crime novels, so a combination of both really appealed to me.

Essentially this is a crime thriller but with a teenage cast. If you like who-dun-its, teen reads without bubblegum romance and/or you don't like fantasy/sci-fi novels, then this is for you. The Deadly Sister is a suspenseful read...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: murder, ya-fiction, mystery

This is one of the most chilling books I've read in a long time. Sisters Abby and Maya Goodwin, are night and day, black and white, good vs evil. The trouble is we have things backwards and things are not always as they seem. Abby has always come to her sister's defense, gotten her out of trouble, and had her back. Yet, when Maya does an unthinkable deed, Abby charges into action and get her ducks all lined up in a row to prove her sister's innocence. Jefferson Andrews, the most popular boy in s...more

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Jan 19, 2011 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teenbooks, mystery

Abby Goodwin has always covered for her sister, Maya. but now Maya has been accused of murder, and Abby's not sure she'll be able to cover for her sister anymore. Abby helps Maya escape. But when Abby begins investigating the death, she find that you can't trust anyone, not even the people you think you know.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this murder mystery turn into something a bit more complex than the usual formula. It became an interesting character study of two sisters, Abby and Maya....more

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Apr 29, 2010 Jennifer Rayment rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good Stuff

Suspensful
Good twists and turns
Lots of teen angst and drama
Realistic portrayal of family dynamics
clever dialogue makes me want to read other works by author
Fast paced story keeps you interested in reading more (Especially when you should be working)
You really become emotionally attached to main character
Pleasantly surprised that male author portrays a female so realistically (I know sexist). Thinking he must have a teenage daughter
Twisted and dark at times (yes that can be a go...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Jaleta Clegg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Abby Goodwin has always covered for her younger sister Maya. Whether it's drugs, skipping school, sleeping around, or running away from home, Abby is the good daughter while Maya is the wild child. Or so everyone thinks. When the popular kid from school turns up dead, all fingers point to Maya.

I read the book but didn't really enjoy it. The storyline is very dark, exploring a murky world of teen sex and drugs, making it seem the norm. The story is told first person by Abby, the good sister. Whil...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Mackenzie Crandall rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Deadly Sister by: Eliot Schrefer

I read the book The Deadly Sister. This book was a good twist on a murder mystery. This book is chilling and suspenseful. It will keep you guessing and turning after you finish each page. In this book Abby has always been cleaning up the messes and covering up for her sister. Her sister Maya had always been rebellious breaking her curfews, getting into drugs and skipping school. She had to get a tutor and the tutor happened to be the most popular guy in schoo...more The Deadly Sister by: Eliot Schrefer

I read the book The Deadly Sister. This book was a good twist on a murder mystery. This book is chilling and suspenseful. It will keep you guessing and turning after you finish each page. In this book Abby has always been cleaning up the messes and covering up for her sister. Her sister Maya had always been rebellious breaking her curfews, getting into drugs and skipping school. She had to get a tutor and the tutor happened to be the most popular guy in school. Jefferson Andrews was not only popular he was a drug dealer and a liar and a cheat. He had the adults all fooled though. He was the kind of guy who slept with every girl and then broke their heart for his own pleasure. He slowly started to get Maya under his spell too, until he cheated her. All was not okay between them. Abby had no idea what had happened until the day that Abby went on a run and found the body of Jefferson Andrews by a creek. As Abby gets closer to the body she realizes that Maya’s phone is right next to his dead body. She takes the evidence and goes on a hunt to clear her sister’s name and fine the real killer. Now Abby is trying to save her sister from the police and her parents she has to be aware of her surroundings. She will do anything to try and protect her sister. Abby will go places and see people she has never seen before. When she goes through all of this trying to clear her sister’s name she will have to be careful as she realizes you cannot trust anyone, not even the people that you think you might know. Abby will have to do this all on her own and not tell anyone or else she might risk getting her sister turned in. It is all up to Abby now to find the real killer before it’s too late for Maya.
My opinion on this book is that it is very engaging. If you read this book you will never want to put it done until you finish reading it. I really like how the author made you want to keep reading. In some parts he made you feel like you were in the story. The only think I did not like that the author did was some of his writing was confusing. The way that he wrote some of his sentences was really confusing. I feel like the author succeeded in what he wrote. Eliot made his book unique in the way that he wrote it. My favorite character in the book was Abby. I love how she was always there for Maya even though Maya didn't like her. Like how she always showed her emotions towards Maya so Maya actually felt loved for once. I also like how Abby ran into so many problems along the way. Abby was all about helping her sister clear her name. My favorite part of the book is the entire middle until the end because the beginning is slow.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries or mysteries. Even if they didn't like this genre of books I would still recommend this book. I feel like all types of people would like this book because it is suspenseful. This book will definitely make you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. People would really enjoy this book because it makes you think and it is a great read.
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Apr 17, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

I LOVED THIS BOOK. So much. And I didn't think I would. But the book really did have me wondering who killed Jefferson Andrews, and I was switching around who I thought it was. I heard there was a twist ending, so I was like trying to think outside the box of who it could be, and basically trying to make myself not be shocked at the end because I had already came up with it. But who the killer was, I deff did not think of that person. It was a huge shock.

I think that Eliot is a GREAT author. I'm...more

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Dec 15, 2010 Justice rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Deadly Sister is a pretty good book. It’s fast pace and addicting. This mystery keeps you guessing the whole book. Relationships of all kinds are on the line and being tested. The series of events make this whole book, which I believe is great writing on Eliot Schrefer’s part.

Abby and Maya’s relationship isn’t at all what it used to be. Maya is now super into drugs and Abby’s all about school. Although, when Jefferson, the popular jock of the school, is mysteriously murdered, Abby thinks Ma...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Laura Brennan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Gr 8 Up–Abby has always protected her delinquent younger sister, Maya, always been there to shelter her misdeeds (drug use, running away, etc.) from their parents. But now, when Abby finds Maya's boyfriend dead in the river with Maya's cell phone nearby, she is going to have her hands full because it sure looks like her sister killed Jefferson in a drug-induced haze. Abby springs into action and begins playing detective to see if she can pin the crime on a more likely culprit. It turns out that...more

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Apr 27, 2010 Eleni ( La Femme Readers ) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rating: 4.5

The Deadly Sister was an exceptionally well-written thriller with an intensive plot. The detailed characteristics made it easy to distinguish traits between the sisters. Abby was a mature and caring sister. While, Maya was a drop-out, drug user who always stirred trouble. Throughout Abby's life she covered up for her sister mistakes with her quick witted actions. However, not all secrets could be hidden.

Now, Maya was faced with harsh accusations of being a murderer. Abby refused to be...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Anthony Guo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 10th-grade-quarter-3

The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer is an interesting and psychological based book that caught my attention. When I first picked up the book, I thought it was going to be about a boring situation between two sisters. But as I continually read the book, I realized how interested I am into it because it deals with detectives, mystery, and psychology. This book is about how the protagonist's sister, Maya, is accused of murdering a person. Abby, the protagonist, search for clues to who the real mur...more

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May 28, 2011 Shoshanah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Out of the two Goodwin sisters Abby has always had to cover for her younger sister Maya. The pattern continues when she finds Maya's cell phone on the riverbank next to the body of Jefferson Andrews, the most popular boy in school.

This book is a YA book, although I'm sure some will argue that some of its theme are a little mature for its audience. But drugs and promiscuity are unfortunately no stranger to most teens. If they're having to experience this growing up in the real world, why hide it...more Out of the two Goodwin sisters Abby has always had to cover for her younger sister Maya. The pattern continues when she finds Maya's cell phone on the riverbank next to the body of Jefferson Andrews, the most popular boy in school.

This book is a YA book, although I'm sure some will argue that some of its theme are a little mature for its audience. But drugs and promiscuity are unfortunately no stranger to most teens. If they're having to experience this growing up in the real world, why hide it in a book? Yes, it might be nice to sugarcoat things and show a perfect world, but that doesn't always give an accurate portrayal especially if you looking to read something that might resemble your actual life.

I did find Maya's & Abby's relationship really interesting. While I don't have a sister, I do still see similarities between their relationship and mine with my brother. It can be hard to see a younger sibling struggling and wanted to be able to help, even if it means doing things on their behalf that aren't necessarily right. Or on the other hand, it would be difficult to be the younger sibling of an overachieving sibling, and never feeling like you could live up to their accomplishments. The book is told completely from Abby's point of view, and while I don't think it lacks for its absence, I think it would have been interesting to see a scene to two to better understand what Maya is going through.

And then there's the ending. Let's just say I wasn't expecting this ending at all, although looking back I could see how the pieces added up. Part of me even wants to go back and reread it to see if I missed any clues and understand better how it ended up. About halfway through the book it picked up to the point I had to know how the clues would add up and the mystery would be solved, but again while twist was climatic, it wasn't the way I would have liked it to end.

As soon as I finished the book I felt that the ended made it almost a lesser book. But now that I've had time to think about it, I definitely think it improves it. With a different ending it wouldn't have been quite as memorable, but the way it's currently written it's hard to forget.

Disclosure: I was provided this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I was not required to write a positive review. Nor was I even required to write any type of review. All opinions expressed are my own. (less)

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Aug 13, 2010 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, tour-1-arc-tour, read-aug-2010

Why I read this: Suspenseful and dark, it sounded like a book that was right up my alley and different from the paranormal YA I have been reading. I also loved the cover, creepy and effective. So when I could, I signed up for it with 1-ARC Tours.

How is the novel driven: Character driven, the murder has happened and though there is a lot of action, most of the book is dedicated to what happened and why it happened, the reader never really knowing until the end. The character development is mainly...more Why I read this: Suspenseful and dark, it sounded like a book that was right up my alley and different from the paranormal YA I have been reading. I also loved the cover, creepy and effective. So when I could, I signed up for it with 1-ARC Tours.

How is the novel driven: Character driven, the murder has happened and though there is a lot of action, most of the book is dedicated to what happened and why it happened, the reader never really knowing until the end. The character development is mainly between the two sisters, Abby and Maya. One good sister and one who has gone astray.

My thoughts:
A very interesting book, different from a lot of the YA I have read recently. This one is contemporary and suspense. The book starts off with Abby finding a body of a boy who her sister, Maya was known to associate with and had a rather explosive relationship with. Abby immediately thinks her sister killed the boy and is off on a mission to find her sister and protect her as she has protected her for years.

As the book progresses the reader learns more and more about Abby and Maya and why Maya might have commited the crime. The reader is also introduced to some rather colorful characters from the shady side of Maya's life and friends of Abby and their beloved one time step-grandmother.

Mr. Schrefer does an amazing job of weaving the story lines together and guiding you where he wants you to go. Scenes jump back and forth from past to present from what is going on with Abby and then adding Maya in. It was a very effective form of writing as it drew me as a reader in and kept me enthralled until the very end.

This is not for the faint of heart, there is obviously a crime of murder committed, there is drug and alcohol use, and profanity in the book, but like others I have read lately because it is from the shadier side of life, it seems in place and not out of place. The book is a real look at what can happen to a member of a family when they begin to slide away into the dark places that can be found anywhere.

My Rating: 4.25/5.0(less)

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Jul 21, 2010 Dominique Cheung (The Book Vault) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

The Deadly Sister is an great summer mystery! Although confusing at times, readers will enjoy finding clues along with Abby and guessing how they fit into the crime. The twists will keep readers turning the pages until more of Maya, Abby and Jefferson's backgrounds are revealed and the killer discovered! Cleverly worded at some points, this novel allows readers to interpret them how they will, and make their own guesses for who's guilty and who's not.

I feel that the ending could have been a bit...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Monicag rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Title of the book is called The Deadly Sister by Elliot Schrefer
I often read these kind of books since Sheboygan falls middle school. This book review is going to be about the girl named Abby Goodwin who been protecting her sister Maya but can’t cover her now because she’s accused of murder of Jefferson Andrew who was her tutor and a lover. I notice that after I finished reading the book, I dislike Abby. She seems nice and innocent at first. But in the end, it’s a twist. While Maya is in jai...more

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Nov 09, 2010 Bethany Miller rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-in-the-lmic

2.5 stars

Abby Goodwin has spent most of her life looking out for her troubled younger sister Maya. When fifteen year old Maya drops out of school, Abby suggests that their parents hire Jefferson Andrews, the soon-to-be valedictorian of the senior class, to tutor her. Jefferson is not only intelligent but also a master manipulator, and he is soon intimately involved with Maya and using her to run drugs for him. One morning Abby is out for a run when her dog begins acting strangely and leads her o...more 2.5 stars

Abby Goodwin has spent most of her life looking out for her troubled younger sister Maya. When fifteen year old Maya drops out of school, Abby suggests that their parents hire Jefferson Andrews, the soon-to-be valedictorian of the senior class, to tutor her. Jefferson is not only intelligent but also a master manipulator, and he is soon intimately involved with Maya and using her to run drugs for him. One morning Abby is out for a run when her dog begins acting strangely and leads her off the road and down a path to a ravine. Lying next to the ravine is the dead body of Jefferson Andrews, and, on the ground not far from his body, Abby discovers her sister’s cell phone. Abby immediately suspects that her sister was involved in Jefferson’s death, and when she confronts her, Maya admits to having met Jefferson at the ravine but denies killing him. Maya does confess that she was high at the time of their encounter and doesn’t remember everything clearly. Abby convinces Maya that she has to go into hiding because even if she is innocent, all of the facts will lead the police to believe that she is guilty. Once her sister is hidden, Abby begins investigating the crime in hopes of clearing Maya’s name. The mystery is peppered with an interesting cast of characters, all of whom seem to be suspects at some point – Jefferson’s brother Brian, his girlfriend Rose, Abby’s best friend Cheyenne, who will be valedictorian with Jefferson out of the picture. The murderer’s true identity is revealed in a surprising but not entirely satisfying conclusion.

The Deadly Sister is told from the first person point-of-view of Abby, who claims to want to protect her younger sister from being convicted of a murder that she may or may not have committed. Throughout the book, there are clues that Abby may not be a completely reliable narrator; however, readers may miss these clues because the characterization is uneven across the board. Many of the characters do and say things that seem unlikely or unrealistic, and the dialogue frequently does not ring true. Though The Deadly Sister is an easy read that will keep readers guessing until the end, the plot is lacking in suspense, and some readers may lose interest before they get to the surprise ending.
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Jan 20, 2013 Nicole Tay rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Deadly Sister is not a typical murder mystery book. It keeps you guessing about the murderer right to the end, and when the murderer is finally revealed, it is the last person that you would expect. Others warned me about the major plot twist at the end, but nothing would have kept me from being surprised by it. It was rather unbelievable and confusing though, and only at the end of the book do we get to see these important information that was kept hidden throughout the entire book, and by...more

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Jul 14, 2010 Hollie313 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-win, young-adult

I would give this somewhere between two and three stars.

Things I liked:
*I never got bored with the book, or thought about not finishing it. The author did a good job with the pace of the book
*I liked Cheyenne and Brian
*I didn't figure out the end of the book
*It reminded me of the Christopher Pike books I read as a teenager that I really liked at that time.

Things I disliked:
*Cheyenne and Brian were the only 2 characters I liked (though I disagreed with Cheyenne's choice at the end)
*Even though I...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought that "The Deadly Sister" by Eliot Schrefer was a good book. It is about a girl (Abby) who has a sister (Maya) whom is very rebellious. She does drugs, runs away from home, and just is pretty messed up. Abby spends a lot of her time covering up for her sister's actions. One day, though, Maya takes it too far. Abby stumbles over Jefferson Andrews' dead body in the woods along with Maya's phone. Abby knows Maya has killed him and therefore finds Maya and tries to cover it up. The book det...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Audrey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010_publish, young-adult

When Abby finds the body of school star, Jefferson Andrews, dead, her thoughts immediately turn to convincing everybody that her drugged-out, unpredictable sister Maya is not the killer. Everybody suspects Maya did it: the police, the kids at school, even Abby’s parents. But Abby has always protected Maya from the bad things around her, so she launches an investigation of her own, taking her through the worst neighborhoods in town, and uncovering Jefferson Andrews’ dark side. But will it be enou...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Maggie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, own

Maya is a delinquent and Abby is always covering for her. The Deadly Sister is a fast paced novel about a girl trying to prove her sister's innocence of murdering a classmate/love interest. Did Maya do it? Was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time? There were plenty of people that wanted this kid dead. The author throws several curve balls,and in the end you wonder if you saw it coming or not.

I liked this book. It isn't a very sophisticated read, but the story is engaging and it was eas...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Jennie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reading-list

It's interesting -- I read a ton of thrillers, but hardly any YA ones. I did really like this book, and I think it was the ending that did it for me. I was not expecting the twist. I never thought that Maya was the murderer, but the ending was a complete surprise. The characters were set up really well. It was also interesting to read this as a YA book, there are definite differences between YA thrillers and adult ones, and yet they're also very similar at the core. Good book, will probably chec...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-great-shelf-of-awesome, all-time-favorites

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

One Saturday morning on a jog, Abby Goodwin discovers two things: the dead body of Jefferson Andrews, local "good boy" and her rebellious sister Maya's tutor/object of affection, and Maya's cell phone buried in the dirt near his body. Taking on the role of detective, Abby uncovers what kind of person Jefferson really was. A cheater, a manipulative man, a drug dealer,... There are a lot of people that had reason to want him dead. Abby just needs to prove th...more Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

One Saturday morning on a jog, Abby Goodwin discovers two things: the dead body of Jefferson Andrews, local "good boy" and her rebellious sister Maya's tutor/object of affection, and Maya's cell phone buried in the dirt near his body. Taking on the role of detective, Abby uncovers what kind of person Jefferson really was. A cheater, a manipulative man, a drug dealer,... There are a lot of people that had reason to want him dead. Abby just needs to prove that Maya didn't kill Jefferson and then prove who did do it.

The novels wastes no time drawing the reader into the story. It opens with a short prologue where Abby details how she covered up for Maya all the time when they were children, then moves on to the present time and the discovery of Jefferson's body. Abby's sisterly instincts kick in instantly and the race to prove whether Maya is innocent or guilty begins. None of the characters are ever what they seem to be, from "good boy" Jefferson to Abby's best friend Cheyenne to popular girl Rose Nelson to Abby herself. The major players in the story are all given a believable depth and one will come to find that there is more than one sociopath in Abby's little Florida town.

Reading the book in two or three sit-downs is easy. The plot moves quickly and the writing, while minimal in its description of people and places at most points, aids in the advancement of the story. Its minimal style works best for this kind of book; flowery prose would slow it down and take away a good chunk of the suspense. Abby's narration keeps you reading and as she discovers more clues while investigating out of admirable love for Maya, the urge to keep reading grows stronger. Did Maya really kill him? Did someone frame her? We have to know!

About halfway to two-thirds of the way through the book, the pieces start to come together and an observant reader may figure out who the killer is. Instead of being predictable, it elicits a reaction of shock and keeps you reading so you can see if the conclusion you reached is true. You think that no, this couldn't be, you've got to be wrong and the real killer will show themselves in a twist ending, but you will find that your conclusion is true. It's true and this turns the novel into an amazing example of what unreliable narrators can do for a story. Not only is it the ultimate twist, this twist makes sense when you reread the novel. Pieces that seemed strange before make perfect sense.

I had only two annoyance with this book and the first is a petty one: the motive behind the murder. The motive is a valid one in the real world--there are cases all the time where one person kills another because the killer loved the victim and they feel like the victim betrayed them in some way. It gets points for realism, but I can think of one motive that could have one-upped the story and made it perfect: Jefferson was murdered out of both love for Maya, to protect her from further bad treatment by Jefferson, and the need to punish her for not listening and getting with Jefferson in the first place. Do they always have to kill over a guy? Really? It couldn't be out of a twisted love for Maya?

The other annoyance is one that is implicit and may turn out not to be there at all; it could be a perception I had that was wrong. At points in the novel, I felt like there was a little bit of shaming going on. Jokes were made about Maya sleeping around and meanwhile, Jefferson was being exposed as someone who slept around and cheated on his girlfriend. Jefferson isn't being put in a positive light either, but I felt that the girls who got with Jefferson were being shamed because they should have known better than to sleep with him due to his reputation of dumping the girls. Read this book and see if you find the same thing I do because I may be seeing something that isn't there.

Now that I'm finished with The Deadly Sister, I'm left to wonder how this book is not more popular. With a good mystery, interesting characters, and a twist that will blow your mind, this is the kind of book that deserves a place on best-seller lists. Is it because the main character does not fall in mind-blowing love with someone during the course of the story (even though love is a big part of the story)? Read The Deadly Sister. Really. Even readers who don't care much for the young adult murder mystery genre will enjoy this book.(less)

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About Eliot Schrefer

I write books and then, by an astounding stroke of good fortune, someone publishes them. My first two books, Glamorous Disasters and The New Kid, were for adults, and then I had a momentous lunch with author/editor David Levithan when I became a young adult author.

Since then, you can blame me for a number of titles, including The School for Dangerous Girls, The Deadly Sister, and Endangered. Two...more

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