“Every locale jumps from the page, imbued with magic and foreboding. Clara’s new relationships ring painfully true, both sharp and beautiful. Readers will burn through pages and be left haunted long after... A lyrically written, highly eerie slow-burn of a mystery.” — Kirkus Reviews
“French mines the real tension from the potential chaos brought about by a bunch of restless, bored kids in a nearly burnt-out town, chafing against their bad luck and reveling in their small acts of defiance.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Edgar finalist French (Grit, 2017) elevates this mystery beyond genre conventions with depth of characterization and an unyielding, low-level sense of anxiety that permeates the text from uneasy beginning to disquiet end. French’s spare, spectral thriller catches like a hook and doesn’t let go.” — Booklist (starred review)
“French’s most recent YA mystery brims with lyrical prose and striking imagery... the foreboding atmosphere, rich setting, and gorgeous prose make for a rewarding read.” — School Library Journal
“Bowstring-taut tension builds gracefully through the novel.... The book’s strength, however, is offering readers plenty of authentically developed characters with whom they can identify, from teen pranksters to hardworking parents.” — Publishers Weekly