From the Bookshelf of Tyler Public Library…

[close] Ms. Abbott latest book again explores the world of teenage girls. The story is told from the point of view of the Nash family: Tom Nash is a High School Science teacher and father of two teens, Eli, a golden boy athlete, and Deenie, a good student and best friend of Lise. Lise is the first of many teenage girls to fall ill and convulse from some unknown outbreak. Abbott based her book on a real-life case of mass hysteria among teen girls in Leroy, New York.
The Fever explores burgeoning teenage sexuality, rife with intense crushes, adolescent secrecy, and broken alliances between lifelong friends. Abbott succeeds in creating a dark, spooky mystery which searches for a cause that might be an environmental toxin or a reaction to the HPV vaccine, or something completely unknown. The town of is in a frenzy of rumors and the sense of community dissolves as parents try hopelessly to protect their daughters. Recommended for YA mystery and thriller fans.