Gr 10 Up "There were two kinds of secrets in the world: secrets that lost their power when you told them, and secrets that changed everything." So begins this eerie, gothic-inspired thriller about Ava, an amateur photographer, and several of her classmates who are summoned to an island by a mysterious plot. Each student has their own secrets that brought them there, and each will have to fight for survival. From the very first page, readers will question everythingthe characters, their secrets, and the dilapidated, prisonlike setting. This locked-room thriller is full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing the ending until the very last page. VERDICT This gothic-inspired thriller with nods to Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier will keep readers on the edge of their seats and turning pages as quickly as they can. It is immersing, puzzling, and unpredictable, with a surprise ending that's sure to have teens talking. Tracey Hodges, Univ. of Alabama, Northport

An abandoned carnival on an island connected to a British seaside town by a milelong pier is the setting for this atmospheric thriller.Ava receives an invitation to go to Portgrave Pier at 8 p.m.-followed by the ominous question, can you keep a secret? When she arrives, she finds that she was not the only person to receive such a note. In addition, each invitation contains a seemingly innocuous photo that relates to something the recipient is hiding. Ava suspects this is a blackmail scheme, but who could be behind it: Esme the ice queen, bad boy Noah, or even her best friend, Jolie? The targets end up on the island, Allhallows Rock, and then the pier collapses, leaving them stranded with one of their number lying injured on the rocks. Ava feels time playing tricks on her while others are saying creepy, nonsensical things. Little does the group know that they are all playing a deadly game masterminded by Whispers, the man in the mirrors, who will torment the group with their secrets until they give in. The third-person narrative centers on Ava and nine other teens. Despite the interesting concept, creepy villain, and eerie setting, the large number of underdeveloped characters makes the story difficult to follow. However, the sizable cast offers an opportunity for some discussion of struggles like substance abuse, date rape, and disordered eating. Olive-skinned Ava has wavy dark hair; there is some ethnic diversity among the other characters.A promising premise that doesn't quite deliver. (Thriller. 14-18)