ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Homeless teenager Jolene hasn't felt safe, clean, or cared for in a long time, but with her gift for the grift, she's about to take it all from her unsuspecting marks, the Lovecrafts. The way in is easy: their daughter Temple's best friend, Vivienne, disappeared as a child, and the Lovecrafts were named her legal guardians if she's ever found. They are quick to welcome Jo-as-Vivi, showering her with affection and protecting her from prying eyes. Jo is even happier to be near Temple, who is beautiful, enigmatic, and talented. Yet there is something off about the Lovecrafts that Jo, dazzled as she is, can't ignore. Are they as good as they seem, or is she their mark? This solid psychological suspense novel is a quick but unsettling read, as the mystery of Vivi's disappearance lends a sinister cast to seemingly harmless interactions. Jo may act rock hard, but her vulnerability and longing are what give this thriller its stakes. A few plot holes can't detract from the fun of the twist when it comes.

Horn Book (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Con artist Jo impersonates a missing girl, Vivienne, and is taken in by Vivi's wealthy guardians, no questions asked. Perhaps the family's name (Lovecraft) will tip readers off, but secrets and hidden violence are soon apparent. The narrative, at times addressed to a (gradually revealed) "you," is initially confusing, but this suspenseful novel also has much to say about social class and privilege.

Kirkus Reviews (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A con artist gets in over her head impersonating a missing girl.Jolene Chastain is a homeless teen scraping by through general thievery, using her social chameleon skills to pull cons. When a potential mark catches her eye, a little research leads Jo to the mysterious disappearance of 9-year-old Vivienne Weir, orphaned in the seven years since she vanished, and the wealthy Lovecrafts, Vivi's legal guardians. Seeing a chance at attaining safety, belonging, and a way out of her desperate circumstances, Jo impersonates Vivi and is taken in by the Lovecraft family, finding luxury and love—or so she thinks. Her complex relationship with Vivi's friend the mercurial Temple Lovecraft is so pivotal that Jo's first-person narration is addressed directly to Temple in the second person—a choice that engrosses the reader in their dynamic. The deeper Jo is drawn into the Lovecrafts' world, the more she learns why she's been able to slip so easily into their lives and the twisted reasons she might not be able to get out alive. Without graphic details or titillation, mentions of rape and prostitution hammer in the plight of impoverished teens. Violence, however, strikes all socio-economic classes in this book. All major characters are white.A dark, enthralling tale of truth, lies, and parallel lives. (Thriller. 14-adult)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Writing in second person, Savage (Beautiful Broken Girls) introduces Jo, a 15-year-old girl, trained to be a con artist; Jo has taken on the identity of a young woman, Vivienne Weir, who disappeared years before. Readers will soon come to understand that the "you" being addressed is Temple, daughter of the wealthy Lovecrafts, friends of the late Weirs who take "Vivi" in. Vivi immediately senses that Temple is suspicious of her, and as Savage's complex plot unspools, Vivi turns out to be the least in-the-know about what happened to the real Vivienne. Savage layers charade upon charade as this dark story full of sinister characters-Temple most of all-descends into turmoil and confusion. An ambitious, twisted story of adopted sisters that raises intriguing questions about privilege, poverty, and morality. Ages 14-up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. (Mar.)