This tautly paced thriller by Ichaso (They’re Watching You) follows small-town secrets to a deadly conclusion as a world of con artists, monsters, and murder unravels from the depths of Clearwater Ridge, an idyllic vacation destination for the ultra-rich. When teenager Paige Redmond’s best friend, the wealthy and beautiful Audrey Covington, becomes the latest in a string of missing girls, the case goes cold due to a lack of information. Unable to accept this outcome, Paige and competitive swimmer Dylan—Audrey’s handsome older brother, whom Paige has been besotted with since they were kids—begin their own inquiry into Audrey’s disappearance, at the same time delving into a world of shadowy townies and even more sinister dealings among the area’s upper crust populace. What the duo finds reveals Clearwater Ridge’s rotting center, which threatens to claim not just the lives of disappeared girls but of anyone who asks too many questions. Ichaso’s prose is crackling and propulsive, and alternating perspectives and timelines imbue the central mystery with an anticipatory ambiance that culminates in an earned ending that doesn’t waste any of the intricate and fascinating plot beats that make up this high-stakes tale. Characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)

Gr 9 Up— Paige Redmond's family spends every summer in Clearwater Ridge at the sprawling vacation home of the Covingtons, their longtime family friends. Paige feels out of place alongside the country club set, but her discomfort is worth it for the chance to spend quality time with best friend Audrey Covington and Audrey's attractive older brother, Dylan. The summer before her junior year is different, though—Audrey is moody and withdrawn, Paige loses herself in a summer romance with Dylan, and the two girls barely speak. Then, Audrey doesn't come home one night. A year passes, and Paige returns to Clearwater Ridge with Audrey still missing, the second person in two years to disappear from the town. Determined to find Audrey, Paige and Dylan begin investigating the earlier disappearance of Madison Blake, hoping to find connections between the two girls. Instead, they uncover a hidden burner phone whose contents reveal that they might not have known Audrey as well as they thought they did. Told in alternating perspectives by Paige and an anonymous "The Girl," Ichaso's latest is a twisty, addictive mystery that will appeal to fans of Kit Frick or Holly Jackson, although it doesn't necessarily stand out among similar offerings. Some side characters can be hard to differentiate, making certain plot reveals less impactful. Most characters are cued as white. VERDICT Purchase where missing-girl mysteries circulate well.— Elizabeth Giles