Lying in Plainview

A YA ensemble thriller (84,000 words), exploring the lies we tell to belong, the pressure to perform perfection, and a world where A.I. makes manufacturing reality easier than finding the truth. For readers of Karen M. McManus, Holly Jackson, and Diana Urban.

Abby Archer, beautiful and calculating, wants to go back to the way things used to be, when her brother’s best friend was her first love, first kiss, first everything… instead of her new teacher.

Scott Buchanan, the jock, will do whatever it takes to win a lacrosse scholarship, even if his stiffest competition is his best friend.

Ian Williams, on the fringe of the in-crowd, longs to be accepted, but his desire to belong masks manipulation as loyalty.

When Abby co-opts the chaos of The List to write one of her own in a scheme to sabotage the relationship of her off-limits crush, the school drama tips into a town-wide scandal that leads to a deadly car crash. The tragedy may look like an accident, but too many lies were in motion for it to be a coincidence. As grief turns to blame, Abby, Scott, and Ian try to protect the lies they told in plain view while uncovering the real cause of the crash.