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Gone for Good
Girl in Pieces
meets
One of Us is Lying
, told in Sarah Crossan’s inimitable and award-winning verse.
Connie Ryder is taken from her home in the dead of night and sent to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for ‘troubled’ teens. At Silver Lake, the vulnerable and the violent are locked in together under a brutal regime that aims to improve their behaviour. But when Connie learns she’s been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, she is drawn deep into a chilling web of secrets and lies…
A sensational, immersive and hugely propulsive ‘missing girl’ thriller, set against the backdrop of America’s controversial Troubled Teen industry.
Connie Ryder is taken from her home in the dead of night and sent to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for ‘troubled’ teens. At Silver Lake, the vulnerable and the violent are locked in together under a brutal regime that aims to improve their behaviour. But when Connie learns she’s been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, she is drawn deep into a chilling web of secrets and lies…
A sensational, immersive and hugely propulsive ‘missing girl’ thriller, set against the backdrop of America’s controversial Troubled Teen industry.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2026
45 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Crossan
24 books2,040 followersSarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Literature before training as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 3, 2026
Gone for Good by Sarah Crossan started off strong with a great premise and setting, but unfortunately for me I found some aspects of it lacking. Connie is abducted in the night and taken to Silver Lake Academy, a facility for troubled teens in the wilderness determined to level up unruly kids through any means necessary. Connie’s sister let her take the fall for her own issues, and although Connie’s adamant she doesn’t belong there the strict ‘no speaking’ rule quickly prevents her from reaching out. The inmates are all on edge after a recent death of a much-loved girl, Belle and when another inmate goes missing, Connie begins to investigate. This plotline had me hooked, especially when it was compared to Girl in Pieces and One of Us is Lying. But I found the actual writing and the form it took lacked lustre and made its reading disorganised and sporadic. This should have been the type of book I'd devour – I’ve been interested in the 'Troubled Teen Industry' since I read Paris Hilton's autobiography. But the setting felt like someone who hadn't done enough research into the day-to-day goings on of these horrendous places. Occasionally we’d get a quick line discussing some of the horrific things these kids endured, but it was glanced over quickly without any exploration or detail. Rather it felt like a quick mention to remind the reader that Silver Lake is meant to be a troubled teen facility, while instead she focused page time on her unnecessary crush on another inmate which added nothing to the plot.
The writing style really hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I’m unsure if it is just NetGalley’s Kindle format which made it so disjointed, but the poetry/verse layout of the text was really jumbled on my reader ensuring that no sentence flew smoothly – Fingers crossed this is solved before the actual publication. The verse novel featured lots of flashbacks from multiple pov’s however it didn’t always make it clear whose pov it was at the time, and these were randomly placed in amongst the poetry in different shaded fonts. Don’t get me wrong, I love an unconventional style and layout, but whether it was the NetGalley’s download which strongly hindered this, or the fact that the novel verse didn’t actually read like a poem – free verse or not, instead it felt like the entire thing was written in VERY short sentences which created a constant start/stop reading experience.
The thriller genre worked well during the last half of the novel, but it was mainly unbelievable that Connie would find clues so easily, in her bed, her shoe, on the bus which they all regularly use but somehow these items had been missed. I found myself bored and uninterested by the ending rather than on edge for the big reveal.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this prepublication in return for an honest review.
The writing style really hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I’m unsure if it is just NetGalley’s Kindle format which made it so disjointed, but the poetry/verse layout of the text was really jumbled on my reader ensuring that no sentence flew smoothly – Fingers crossed this is solved before the actual publication. The verse novel featured lots of flashbacks from multiple pov’s however it didn’t always make it clear whose pov it was at the time, and these were randomly placed in amongst the poetry in different shaded fonts. Don’t get me wrong, I love an unconventional style and layout, but whether it was the NetGalley’s download which strongly hindered this, or the fact that the novel verse didn’t actually read like a poem – free verse or not, instead it felt like the entire thing was written in VERY short sentences which created a constant start/stop reading experience.
The thriller genre worked well during the last half of the novel, but it was mainly unbelievable that Connie would find clues so easily, in her bed, her shoe, on the bus which they all regularly use but somehow these items had been missed. I found myself bored and uninterested by the ending rather than on edge for the big reveal.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this prepublication in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2026
Rating this as the YA book that it is.
Absolutely brilliant. So interesting and the verse style writing makes it so easy to read and I found it hard to put it down. It was a powerful read as it touched on teen subjects like behaviour camps whilst being thrilling and gripping with great twists.
Absolutely brilliant. So interesting and the verse style writing makes it so easy to read and I found it hard to put it down. It was a powerful read as it touched on teen subjects like behaviour camps whilst being thrilling and gripping with great twists.
March 7, 2026
Wow this book was incredible! I loved the concept and felt that the story was strong. I didn't even know that the troubled teen industry was a real thing! It's awful! The cover is ominous and very well designed. I loved the forest images within the bubbles. The colours were excellent. The writing is tremendous and the story flows really well. It's written in verse which I love! The book is also written in first and third person. First - Connie, Belle and Nina. Third - Belle. It worked brilliantly well. The setting is a troubled teen institution called Silver Lake Academy. It gives a very claustrophobic feel as it's here and the surrounding woodland area for the most part. It was done beautifully. I loved all the characters. I loved Connie and I thought her question everything attitude was excellent. I loved her story. I highly recommend the book.
February 20, 2026
Sarah Crossan does it again. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
The novel opens with Connie being taken from her home in the middle of the night. A tense and traumatic experience, but it feels worse when we realise that her father and stepmother-to-be have arranged for her to be taken to a camp for troubled teens. The camp is an experience like no other, and it genuinely is scary that people might pay for such treatment.
Connie finds herself under a pretty brutal regime. What she also uncovers is a mystery surrounding a former campmate, Bella, whose body has recently been found. Nobody is talking, but Connie is determined to try and work out what happened to her.
The novel opens with Connie being taken from her home in the middle of the night. A tense and traumatic experience, but it feels worse when we realise that her father and stepmother-to-be have arranged for her to be taken to a camp for troubled teens. The camp is an experience like no other, and it genuinely is scary that people might pay for such treatment.
Connie finds herself under a pretty brutal regime. What she also uncovers is a mystery surrounding a former campmate, Bella, whose body has recently been found. Nobody is talking, but Connie is determined to try and work out what happened to her.
March 16, 2026
Not a great read, I got bored half way through but was intrigued, and the ending was quite disappointing. definitely not the razor sharp thriller it says on the front
Maybe good for a young reader just getting into these style books
Also it annoyed me the way it was written on the page. If it was full sentences the book would be half the size
Maybe good for a young reader just getting into these style books
Also it annoyed me the way it was written on the page. If it was full sentences the book would be half the size
February 25, 2026
It’s always a pleasure to read Sarah Crossan’s work. And her entry into the thriller genre with Gone For Good is impressive indeed.
Sarah’s signature poetic verse is still very much present here. Sharp, spare and emotionally charged, but it’s woven through a tightly plotted mystery that keeps the tension simmering throughout. The pacing is excellent; each chapter leaves you needing just one more, and the sense of unease builds beautifully as secrets begin to unravel.
What really elevates this beyond a standard YA thriller is the emotional depth. The relationships feel authentic and messy in the best way, and the exploration of grief, loyalty and truth gives the story real weight. I was completely invested.
Sarah’s signature poetic verse is still very much present here. Sharp, spare and emotionally charged, but it’s woven through a tightly plotted mystery that keeps the tension simmering throughout. The pacing is excellent; each chapter leaves you needing just one more, and the sense of unease builds beautifully as secrets begin to unravel.
What really elevates this beyond a standard YA thriller is the emotional depth. The relationships feel authentic and messy in the best way, and the exploration of grief, loyalty and truth gives the story real weight. I was completely invested.
February 23, 2026
For fans of Josh Silver and Kathryn Foxfield! An epic in verse thriller with great mystery, a nightmarish camp that almost feels dystopic, and a strong relatable main character I can get behind!
March 17, 2026
3.5 stars
Honestly thought I would hate this because I don't read verse novels, but actually the medium is a great way to deliver a crime story, all story and no fat.
Honestly thought I would hate this because I don't read verse novels, but actually the medium is a great way to deliver a crime story, all story and no fat.
March 19, 2026
4 stars
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February 26, 2026
1.5/5 Good god this book was truly awful from beginning to end. This had such a promising premise I thought it was bound to be a winner but somehow this is the most boring thriller I’ve ever read. Why was the entire book written in poem verse like structure yet didn’t read like a poem? The only reason this didn’t get a 1 star is because I didn’t DNF it. The characters are all lacklustre. I felt absolutely nothing towards them or the story line. Really disappointed with this as I thought it would be an easy four stars with the premise but it was the complete opposite.
March 2, 2026
Connie is still grieving her mum when her dad gets a new girlfriend. Wendy isn’t used to moody teenagers, and especially not one who reminds her constantly that she will never live up to their mum. Connie’s big sister May is better at concealing her true feelings about Wendy’s invasion, but Connie discovers this too late.
Early one morning, Connie is kidnapped from her room by two strangers. Her screams for her father go unanswered and when she learns why, she is even more terrified. Her father was the one who organised the kidnapping. Connie has no doubt that Wendy had a lot to do with it, but she is still reeling when she is taken to a remote facility with a sign saying, Silver Lake Academy.
It’s not a school. It’s not a hospital. It’s a behaviour management facility for troubled teens. Connie can’t figure out what she did to make her father do something so incredibly terrible to his own daughter. Their mum had raised her girls to speak out, not go with the flow or follow every rule. But as soon as she was gone, this mantra vanished with her. Wendy had a very different way of doing things.
After the initial shock at arriving at the academy, Connie notices that the other teens were taking special interest in her. Trying to fit in to the new rules of her life, and understand the strange behavior training they are subjected to, she learns that she has taken another girl’s place. The girl was named Belle, and she looks much like her.
The longer she stays, the more Connie learns about Belle, her strange disappearance, and the unstable director running the academy. When another teen goes missing, Connie’s upbringing begins to rise – breaking rules, demanding to know where the girls have gone and pushing her boundaries.
The more she gets to know the others locked up with her, the more she learns about them, the facility and finally the horrible truth….
This YA thriller in verse, hits the reader with the action on the very first page!
Exploring the industry of teen behaviour management therapy camps in America, Gone For Good takes the reader through the horrors of this practise – paid for by parents with troubled teens.
From kidnapping in the middle of the night out of their own beds, to the ‘therapies’ inflicted on them, these camps are often money making enterprises like Silver Lake Academy, with unproven practices that do more harm than heal. This fictional facility is hiding secrets, which are gradually revealed to the reader via different viewpoints from past and present.
Learning what main character Connie did to find herself a resident of Silver Lake Academy is also woven into the narrative.
This form of story telling is succinct, clear and clever, from winner of the Carnegie Medal, Irish Book of the Year, and the YA Jury Award for her previous novels.
Age – 13+
Publisher – Simon & Schuster UK
Set in – USA / Fictional Silver Lake Academy far from anywhere
Viewpoint –
Orphan? – No
Violence – Yes
Real Life – Yes
Fantasy – No
Sex – No
Blend – Real Life / YA Suspense/Thriller
Early one morning, Connie is kidnapped from her room by two strangers. Her screams for her father go unanswered and when she learns why, she is even more terrified. Her father was the one who organised the kidnapping. Connie has no doubt that Wendy had a lot to do with it, but she is still reeling when she is taken to a remote facility with a sign saying, Silver Lake Academy.
It’s not a school. It’s not a hospital. It’s a behaviour management facility for troubled teens. Connie can’t figure out what she did to make her father do something so incredibly terrible to his own daughter. Their mum had raised her girls to speak out, not go with the flow or follow every rule. But as soon as she was gone, this mantra vanished with her. Wendy had a very different way of doing things.
After the initial shock at arriving at the academy, Connie notices that the other teens were taking special interest in her. Trying to fit in to the new rules of her life, and understand the strange behavior training they are subjected to, she learns that she has taken another girl’s place. The girl was named Belle, and she looks much like her.
The longer she stays, the more Connie learns about Belle, her strange disappearance, and the unstable director running the academy. When another teen goes missing, Connie’s upbringing begins to rise – breaking rules, demanding to know where the girls have gone and pushing her boundaries.
The more she gets to know the others locked up with her, the more she learns about them, the facility and finally the horrible truth….
This YA thriller in verse, hits the reader with the action on the very first page!
Exploring the industry of teen behaviour management therapy camps in America, Gone For Good takes the reader through the horrors of this practise – paid for by parents with troubled teens.
From kidnapping in the middle of the night out of their own beds, to the ‘therapies’ inflicted on them, these camps are often money making enterprises like Silver Lake Academy, with unproven practices that do more harm than heal. This fictional facility is hiding secrets, which are gradually revealed to the reader via different viewpoints from past and present.
Learning what main character Connie did to find herself a resident of Silver Lake Academy is also woven into the narrative.
This form of story telling is succinct, clear and clever, from winner of the Carnegie Medal, Irish Book of the Year, and the YA Jury Award for her previous novels.
Age – 13+
Publisher – Simon & Schuster UK
Set in – USA / Fictional Silver Lake Academy far from anywhere
Viewpoint –
Orphan? – No
Violence – Yes
Real Life – Yes
Fantasy – No
Sex – No
Blend – Real Life / YA Suspense/Thriller
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The easiest 5 stars! Sarah Crossan can do no wrong in my eyes and I love how skillful yet versatile her storytelling is! I watched her explaining in an interview that her preference for writing in verse stems from the fact that she wants to give agency to her reader and this for me truly shines through in her writing. It takes a lot of skill to strip back what you're trying to say and her economy of words is absolutely masterfully crafted. Every word is intentional and serves a purpose and even the placement on the page in terms of graphics is so well thought and considered.
In terms of the actual story, we are thrown into action straight away and the story is utterly immersive. We're trying to navigate at the same time as Connie, what is happening. As always, Crossan's strength lies with characterisation and creating a precious and intimate bond between the main character and the reader, and we do feel as if we're right there in the room with Connie (and Belle). Dual timelines and POVs carry the momentum of the narrative forward and, as the story progresses, it becomes impossible to put the book down until you reach the conclusion because you're completely sucked into it! The premise reminded me of the 2025 Netflix thriller series Wayward in more ways than one. In Gone for Good, the murder mystery and string of unreliable witnesses kept me at the edge of my seat and totally hooked, it was absolutely delicious. It was dark, emotive and the themes of loss and grief were beautifully woven into the story.
Again, no fillers, no fluff, you get the perfect pace and at no point are you allowed to take a breath, as it's absolutely relentless! It will come as no surprise that this book was finished in two sittings, within 24hrs, on a weekday, even though I'm working full time and have two young children to look after! THAT is the magic of Crossan. Highly recommend!
One small note, if it's of any importance to the reader (and I think it should, as it creates a completely different reading experience), the file sent to my kindle didn't allow for the formatting of the page, and I only really realised when coincidentally I decided to do some reading on the NetGalley reader, which gave me the text in all it's intended glory. So, if you're reading this, bear that in mind. Hopefully this will be sorted before pub day for the digital format.
A huge thank you to Sarah Crossan, Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this review copy of Gone for Good, all opinions are my own.
In terms of the actual story, we are thrown into action straight away and the story is utterly immersive. We're trying to navigate at the same time as Connie, what is happening. As always, Crossan's strength lies with characterisation and creating a precious and intimate bond between the main character and the reader, and we do feel as if we're right there in the room with Connie (and Belle). Dual timelines and POVs carry the momentum of the narrative forward and, as the story progresses, it becomes impossible to put the book down until you reach the conclusion because you're completely sucked into it! The premise reminded me of the 2025 Netflix thriller series Wayward in more ways than one. In Gone for Good, the murder mystery and string of unreliable witnesses kept me at the edge of my seat and totally hooked, it was absolutely delicious. It was dark, emotive and the themes of loss and grief were beautifully woven into the story.
Again, no fillers, no fluff, you get the perfect pace and at no point are you allowed to take a breath, as it's absolutely relentless! It will come as no surprise that this book was finished in two sittings, within 24hrs, on a weekday, even though I'm working full time and have two young children to look after! THAT is the magic of Crossan. Highly recommend!
One small note, if it's of any importance to the reader (and I think it should, as it creates a completely different reading experience), the file sent to my kindle didn't allow for the formatting of the page, and I only really realised when coincidentally I decided to do some reading on the NetGalley reader, which gave me the text in all it's intended glory. So, if you're reading this, bear that in mind. Hopefully this will be sorted before pub day for the digital format.
A huge thank you to Sarah Crossan, Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this review copy of Gone for Good, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gone For Good by Sarah Crossan is a YA thriller written in verse, a concept that was new to me and very intriguing. I have read several other books in this format by the author but was not sure how the style would work when it comes to a mystery and the answer is surprisingly well.
The book tells the story of Connie, a teenage girl taken from her home in the middle of the night and brought to Silver Lake Academy, a "facility" for troubled teens that runs on a strict rules system with even the most basic of things having to be earned by good conduct, She doesn't understand how her father could have allowed this but is sure that her stepmother has been pulling strings. As if her unexpected arrival was not enough to throw her off kilter she finds out that she has been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, to whom she bears a striking resemblance. Determined to get out of there as soon as possible she also finds herself trying to figure out what happened to Belle.
As with so many of Crossan's books the formatting is very intentional and I found that it made an already propulsive story move even faster. The dramatic and disturbing opening throws the reader into the story creating an immediate feeling of danger and tension that draws you in. The brutal regime of Silver Lake Academy was eye opening, and I am sure there are many horrific stories that bear out how close to reality it was. Connie was an engaging character and one who seemed unlikely to have ended up in such a place so I was intrigued to see what brought her to the facility, the rest of the characters while not as fully fleshed out were also believable, what was slightly less believable were some of the clues about what happened to Belle and how and where Connie found them but that is a nit picking criticism of a very enjoyable and well crafted book,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
The book tells the story of Connie, a teenage girl taken from her home in the middle of the night and brought to Silver Lake Academy, a "facility" for troubled teens that runs on a strict rules system with even the most basic of things having to be earned by good conduct, She doesn't understand how her father could have allowed this but is sure that her stepmother has been pulling strings. As if her unexpected arrival was not enough to throw her off kilter she finds out that she has been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, to whom she bears a striking resemblance. Determined to get out of there as soon as possible she also finds herself trying to figure out what happened to Belle.
As with so many of Crossan's books the formatting is very intentional and I found that it made an already propulsive story move even faster. The dramatic and disturbing opening throws the reader into the story creating an immediate feeling of danger and tension that draws you in. The brutal regime of Silver Lake Academy was eye opening, and I am sure there are many horrific stories that bear out how close to reality it was. Connie was an engaging character and one who seemed unlikely to have ended up in such a place so I was intrigued to see what brought her to the facility, the rest of the characters while not as fully fleshed out were also believable, what was slightly less believable were some of the clues about what happened to Belle and how and where Connie found them but that is a nit picking criticism of a very enjoyable and well crafted book,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!
A high-quality YA thriller.
Connie is kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken to a scary facility in the middle of the woods. Well, actually, Connie’s father and stepmother had her sent away to a Silver Lake Academy, a program for problematic kids, located in a forest. The rules are tough: at the beginning, she isn’t even allowed to speak to other kids; she is allowed one phone call home, but not to mention anything negative about her experiences in the facility. There is a pointless mediation class on a hard wooden floor and grave-digging. The counsellors are enjoying cruelty and abuse. A typical brutal lockup for troubled teenagers. Except that one girl, Belle, has gone missing. Connie has been given her bed and locker, which means the academy doesn’t expect Belle to come back.
It is clear that the narrator is unreliable, but she does grow during her time in the facility. She’s obviously thinking like a teenager, but not in an annoying manner. She’s thoughtful, imaginative, and analytical. She’s trying to survive, get better, understand what led her dad to choose to send her to this horrific place, and most importantly, find out who hurt Belle, and maybe, just maybe, save someone else from getting hurt too.
Mesmerizing account of a life in a teen punishment camp, a tantalizing coming-of-age story, with expertly timed plot twists and reveals throughout the narrative. The highest-quality thriller, told from the perspective of a scared and somehow fearless teenager. Who needs to comply to succeed in safely getting home and disobey to find the truth about the dead girl. 5 out of 5 stars recommended for anyone who loves YA!
A high-quality YA thriller.
Connie is kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken to a scary facility in the middle of the woods. Well, actually, Connie’s father and stepmother had her sent away to a Silver Lake Academy, a program for problematic kids, located in a forest. The rules are tough: at the beginning, she isn’t even allowed to speak to other kids; she is allowed one phone call home, but not to mention anything negative about her experiences in the facility. There is a pointless mediation class on a hard wooden floor and grave-digging. The counsellors are enjoying cruelty and abuse. A typical brutal lockup for troubled teenagers. Except that one girl, Belle, has gone missing. Connie has been given her bed and locker, which means the academy doesn’t expect Belle to come back.
It is clear that the narrator is unreliable, but she does grow during her time in the facility. She’s obviously thinking like a teenager, but not in an annoying manner. She’s thoughtful, imaginative, and analytical. She’s trying to survive, get better, understand what led her dad to choose to send her to this horrific place, and most importantly, find out who hurt Belle, and maybe, just maybe, save someone else from getting hurt too.
Mesmerizing account of a life in a teen punishment camp, a tantalizing coming-of-age story, with expertly timed plot twists and reveals throughout the narrative. The highest-quality thriller, told from the perspective of a scared and somehow fearless teenager. Who needs to comply to succeed in safely getting home and disobey to find the truth about the dead girl. 5 out of 5 stars recommended for anyone who loves YA!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gone for Good is a fast-paced YA thriller with strong mystery vibes, blending the intensity of a missing-girl story with the unsettling backdrop of America’s troubled teen industry.
Connie Ryder is taken from her home and sent to Silver Lake Academy, a high-security facility for so-called “troubled” teens. When she discovers she’s been assigned the bed of a girl who has gone missing, Connie is pulled into a web of secrets that quickly becomes impossible to ignore. The premise is gripping, and the story moves at a brisk pace that kept me turning pages.
One of the book’s biggest strengths is the mystery itself. I genuinely didn’t know where it was heading or who was responsible, which is rare for me in this genre. The shifting snapshots and flashbacks, particularly those from the missing girl’s point of view, and later from others, added layers to the story and helped maintain tension throughout.
That said, I didn’t always love the verse format and writing style. At times I found it slightly confusing, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. This may partly be due to reading an e-ARC, but the structure didn’t fully work for me all the way through.
Overall, this is an engaging, propulsive read that would suit fans of Cynthia Murphy or Stephanie Perkins, or anyone looking for a quick, atmospheric YA thriller to help break a reading slump.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Connie Ryder is taken from her home and sent to Silver Lake Academy, a high-security facility for so-called “troubled” teens. When she discovers she’s been assigned the bed of a girl who has gone missing, Connie is pulled into a web of secrets that quickly becomes impossible to ignore. The premise is gripping, and the story moves at a brisk pace that kept me turning pages.
One of the book’s biggest strengths is the mystery itself. I genuinely didn’t know where it was heading or who was responsible, which is rare for me in this genre. The shifting snapshots and flashbacks, particularly those from the missing girl’s point of view, and later from others, added layers to the story and helped maintain tension throughout.
That said, I didn’t always love the verse format and writing style. At times I found it slightly confusing, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. This may partly be due to reading an e-ARC, but the structure didn’t fully work for me all the way through.
Overall, this is an engaging, propulsive read that would suit fans of Cynthia Murphy or Stephanie Perkins, or anyone looking for a quick, atmospheric YA thriller to help break a reading slump.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a story that almost has a dystopian feel to it. By this, I mean it is set in a controlled and subversive camp for wayward teens. They have to earn the right to move up levels to eventually graduate and then return home. That is, if they want to!
Silver Lake Academy is where Connie suddenly finds herself deposited after being taken from her home in the middle of the night. She is soon to learn that this is at the request of her father and stepmother. At the camp, she discovers that before her, the bed she occupied belonged to a girl who had disappeared. Earning the right to speak, look out of a window, make a phone call, and receive a care package is something that is gained as the teens work through the levels. This, I think, is why I got a bit of a big brother, dystopian feel as I read it.
The story is engaging as Connie finds herself asking questions, which is when she can, and when she does, she finds herself with a small group of friends. They all have their troubles, or they wouldn't be there.
I enjoyed the fast pacing of this story. A small cast makes it easy to get to grips with names and also the dynamics of the group. With teens, there is always going to be someone who lingers on the outside or has an air about them. This adds a nice suspenseful angle.
I really enjoyed this story. If you are a fan of YA, thrillers, mystery and suspense novels, then I would recommend this one.
Silver Lake Academy is where Connie suddenly finds herself deposited after being taken from her home in the middle of the night. She is soon to learn that this is at the request of her father and stepmother. At the camp, she discovers that before her, the bed she occupied belonged to a girl who had disappeared. Earning the right to speak, look out of a window, make a phone call, and receive a care package is something that is gained as the teens work through the levels. This, I think, is why I got a bit of a big brother, dystopian feel as I read it.
The story is engaging as Connie finds herself asking questions, which is when she can, and when she does, she finds herself with a small group of friends. They all have their troubles, or they wouldn't be there.
I enjoyed the fast pacing of this story. A small cast makes it easy to get to grips with names and also the dynamics of the group. With teens, there is always going to be someone who lingers on the outside or has an air about them. This adds a nice suspenseful angle.
I really enjoyed this story. If you are a fan of YA, thrillers, mystery and suspense novels, then I would recommend this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was originally reading the ARC (cheers, Netgalley) as a file on my Kindle and I couldn’t work out why it felt so staccato. Abrupt sentences. Lots of fragments. (See what I did there?). Anyway, I paused to have a look at some early reviews and discovered that it was written in verse.
So, a quick hop onto Netgalley’s online reader and the whole experience was immediately improved. Turns out, the verse layout wasn’t visually clear on the Kindle; it just felt like the text had been hacked up. I hope that’s sorted before publication and tested for different eBook platforms.
The closed environment was effective (a hateful, teen correction camp) as that claustrophobic approach to a setting works for me for crime/whodunnit novels, adding to the tension. The characters were well developed and the entire camp set-up was vile. Sadly, I think Crossan has nailed that experience compared to real life accounts I’ve read of that kind of organisation.
I’ve seen that some reviewers have criticised the way the protagonist discovered clues about what happened at camp before she arrived. But I feel they worked within the context of the setting and the restrictions applied to the youngsters.
Overall, I did see the ending coming a mile away but enjoyed reading to the conclusion to check I was right.
So, a quick hop onto Netgalley’s online reader and the whole experience was immediately improved. Turns out, the verse layout wasn’t visually clear on the Kindle; it just felt like the text had been hacked up. I hope that’s sorted before publication and tested for different eBook platforms.
The closed environment was effective (a hateful, teen correction camp) as that claustrophobic approach to a setting works for me for crime/whodunnit novels, adding to the tension. The characters were well developed and the entire camp set-up was vile. Sadly, I think Crossan has nailed that experience compared to real life accounts I’ve read of that kind of organisation.
I’ve seen that some reviewers have criticised the way the protagonist discovered clues about what happened at camp before she arrived. But I feel they worked within the context of the setting and the restrictions applied to the youngsters.
Overall, I did see the ending coming a mile away but enjoyed reading to the conclusion to check I was right.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Silver Lake, where troubled kids are sent to heal.
Silver Lake, where kids go missing.
Connie is taken from her bed in the middle of the night and delivered to Silver Lake Academy, a remote, high security facility full of 'troubled' teens like herself. The regime is cruel, the leaders cold and power hungry. Connie's bed used to belong to a girl named Belle, who vanished without trace. But the more Connie learns about Belle's disappearance, the less she trusts those around her. It seems everyone is hiding something.
Constructed in Sarah Crossan's trademark spare, beautiful verse, this is a quick read and an immersive thriller. The story is fast-moving and ideal for today's teens who may struggle to get away from screens and into books, something Crossan is passionate and vocal about and which is evident in the crafting of this book. The real strength in the writing is that there is not a word wasted. And somehow what is left unsaid, in those haunting, suggestive spaces between words, has a power and a story all of its own, making Crossan undoubtedly one of the most original and authentic authors writing for teenagers today.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advance copy.
Silver Lake, where kids go missing.
Connie is taken from her bed in the middle of the night and delivered to Silver Lake Academy, a remote, high security facility full of 'troubled' teens like herself. The regime is cruel, the leaders cold and power hungry. Connie's bed used to belong to a girl named Belle, who vanished without trace. But the more Connie learns about Belle's disappearance, the less she trusts those around her. It seems everyone is hiding something.
Constructed in Sarah Crossan's trademark spare, beautiful verse, this is a quick read and an immersive thriller. The story is fast-moving and ideal for today's teens who may struggle to get away from screens and into books, something Crossan is passionate and vocal about and which is evident in the crafting of this book. The real strength in the writing is that there is not a word wasted. And somehow what is left unsaid, in those haunting, suggestive spaces between words, has a power and a story all of its own, making Crossan undoubtedly one of the most original and authentic authors writing for teenagers today.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advance copy.
March 20, 2026
Standard-feeling mystery.
I've loved every Crossan book I've read. This disappointed, as it was more 'meh' than excellent, the feeling grew through the story.
It started with such a fantastic premise - teenager 'kidnapped' and sent to some sort of remote re-education centre, possibly at the behest of her father and his new girlfriend following her grieving and rebellion after her mother's illness and death.
Upon reaching this place, Connie finds she looks very similar to a girl who's recently gone missing, Belle. To leave and go home, Connie has to work her way up the levels, accepting therapy, lessons and outdoor pursuits as the everyday life. But she needs to know what happened to Belle. Especially when another girl, a young one, goes missing...
The back and forth between Connie in the present and Belle in the past didn't add as much as I wanted to the story, I didn't really feel the tension and the 'is it him? is it her?' ratcheting up towards the end just fell cold on me.
A little run-of-the-mill when you've read similar before. It isn't bad writing at all, just not the excellent style and story I've come to expect from the author, who is a favourite.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
I've loved every Crossan book I've read. This disappointed, as it was more 'meh' than excellent, the feeling grew through the story.
It started with such a fantastic premise - teenager 'kidnapped' and sent to some sort of remote re-education centre, possibly at the behest of her father and his new girlfriend following her grieving and rebellion after her mother's illness and death.
Upon reaching this place, Connie finds she looks very similar to a girl who's recently gone missing, Belle. To leave and go home, Connie has to work her way up the levels, accepting therapy, lessons and outdoor pursuits as the everyday life. But she needs to know what happened to Belle. Especially when another girl, a young one, goes missing...
The back and forth between Connie in the present and Belle in the past didn't add as much as I wanted to the story, I didn't really feel the tension and the 'is it him? is it her?' ratcheting up towards the end just fell cold on me.
A little run-of-the-mill when you've read similar before. It isn't bad writing at all, just not the excellent style and story I've come to expect from the author, who is a favourite.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
March 23, 2026
2.75 stars
I first came across this author through Where the Heart Should Be, which I really enjoyed. So when I saw that she had published a new book, I knew I wanted to pick it up.
This story centres around a girl named Connie who is taken away from her home and sent to a boarding school for difficult children. She later discovers that the bed she is sleeping in once belonged to a girl named Belle, who has since gone missing. The premise immediately intrigued me and I was curious to see how the mystery would unfold.
Unfortunately, the writing did not feel as strong or as beautiful as her previous work. While it was still an alright read, I found that the story lacked momentum. I expected to feel more excitement as the plot developed, but it ended up feeling rather flat, as though not much really happened.
The characters were decent, but none of them particularly stood out to me. By the time I reached the ending, I felt somewhat unsatisfied. After all the build up surrounding the mystery, the execution felt underwhelming. It left me thinking that the story had the potential to be much better, but ultimately did not deliver in the way I had hoped.
Overall, it was an okay read, but not one that left a lasting impression.
I first came across this author through Where the Heart Should Be, which I really enjoyed. So when I saw that she had published a new book, I knew I wanted to pick it up.
This story centres around a girl named Connie who is taken away from her home and sent to a boarding school for difficult children. She later discovers that the bed she is sleeping in once belonged to a girl named Belle, who has since gone missing. The premise immediately intrigued me and I was curious to see how the mystery would unfold.
Unfortunately, the writing did not feel as strong or as beautiful as her previous work. While it was still an alright read, I found that the story lacked momentum. I expected to feel more excitement as the plot developed, but it ended up feeling rather flat, as though not much really happened.
The characters were decent, but none of them particularly stood out to me. By the time I reached the ending, I felt somewhat unsatisfied. After all the build up surrounding the mystery, the execution felt underwhelming. It left me thinking that the story had the potential to be much better, but ultimately did not deliver in the way I had hoped.
Overall, it was an okay read, but not one that left a lasting impression.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Connie is taken from her bed in the middle of the night, she is sure she's been kidnapped - until she realises that her Dad and his girlfriend have arranged for her to be sent away to Silver Lake Academy, a remote school for troubled teens. But Connie is not 'troubled' - she is grieving after the death of her mother. The weirdly oppressive and cult-like structure of her new school is horrifying enough, but the girl who previously occupied her bed went missing under suspicious circumstances. If Connie can work out what happened to Belle, then perhaps she can also make sense of her own present reality.
Sarah Crossan's lyrical prose-poetry style translates beautifully to the thriller genre - particularly as this is a story about grief and trauma as well as a suspenseful mystery, and as such it adds an additional layer of depth and emotional engagement. I was utterly captivated by Connie's story and I read this pretty much in one sitting. I'm particularly looking forward to sharing this one with my Year 10 book club - I think we'll have a lot to discuss!
Sarah Crossan's lyrical prose-poetry style translates beautifully to the thriller genre - particularly as this is a story about grief and trauma as well as a suspenseful mystery, and as such it adds an additional layer of depth and emotional engagement. I was utterly captivated by Connie's story and I read this pretty much in one sitting. I'm particularly looking forward to sharing this one with my Year 10 book club - I think we'll have a lot to discuss!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Connie Ryder has been struggling since the death of her mother & now her father's relationship with another woman is making it even more difficult. One night whilst the adults are out & her sister is at a sleepover, Connie is kidnapped from her bedroom & taken to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for ‘troubled’ teens.
The facility is remote & the regime is more stick over carrot, but Connie is sure that her stepmother is the reason for her being there & that her father will bring her home when he finds out. On her first phone call home, Connie is left stunned & betrayed to learn that he knew about it. The only thing she can do is get out of there, but when she learns that the previous occupant of her dorm bed went missing, Connie is drawn into a sinister mystery.
This is a competently written YA mystery thriller which deals with some heavy subjects such as grief, bereavement, & forced institutionalisation. The MC is sympathetically written alongside most of the other young people in the facility whilst the adults are mostly antagonists. It's fast-paced & I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this one, & was also glad there was only a hint of that usual YA trope of instalove/romance.
SUMMARY:
Plot: Good - deals with some heavy subjects but keeps it fairly realistic.
Writing Style: Very good - the MC is written sympathetically but she is much more forgiving than I would have been in the circumstances.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - a competent YA novel with an intriguing mystery at its core.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster Children's UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The facility is remote & the regime is more stick over carrot, but Connie is sure that her stepmother is the reason for her being there & that her father will bring her home when he finds out. On her first phone call home, Connie is left stunned & betrayed to learn that he knew about it. The only thing she can do is get out of there, but when she learns that the previous occupant of her dorm bed went missing, Connie is drawn into a sinister mystery.
This is a competently written YA mystery thriller which deals with some heavy subjects such as grief, bereavement, & forced institutionalisation. The MC is sympathetically written alongside most of the other young people in the facility whilst the adults are mostly antagonists. It's fast-paced & I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this one, & was also glad there was only a hint of that usual YA trope of instalove/romance.
SUMMARY:
Plot: Good - deals with some heavy subjects but keeps it fairly realistic.
Writing Style: Very good - the MC is written sympathetically but she is much more forgiving than I would have been in the circumstances.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - a competent YA novel with an intriguing mystery at its core.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster Children's UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Connie Ryder is taken from her home in the dead of night and sent to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for ‘troubled’ teens. At Silver Lake, the vulnerable and the violent are locked in together under a brutal regime that aims to improve their behaviour. But when Connie learns she’s been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, she is drawn deep into a chilling web of secrets and lies…
A stunning and addictive read that I couldn't put down and now that I've finished I can't stop thinking about it. The damage that grief can do to a person and the way that people react differently. The way that parents think they know best for their children even when they're completely misunderstanding them. And most of all the abuse that can happen when too much power is given into the wrong hands. All told in beautiful prose.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
A stunning and addictive read that I couldn't put down and now that I've finished I can't stop thinking about it. The damage that grief can do to a person and the way that people react differently. The way that parents think they know best for their children even when they're completely misunderstanding them. And most of all the abuse that can happen when too much power is given into the wrong hands. All told in beautiful prose.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
January 20, 2026
Connie has been woken up in the middle of the night by two strangers she believes are breaking into her home. She's taken, frightened to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for ‘troubled’ teens. She has no idea why she's here and is left scared and frustrated stuck in a place that seems to be more than it tells the world. Connie soon learns she has been put in the same bed that recently housed a young girl names Belle who went missing and Connie finds herself looking more into Belle and what may have happened to her.
This is the kind of YA book that I feel as though it appeals to readers of all ages. At 27 I found that I was hooked and fully invested in the story. I was reading a long to see if I could solve what happened to Belle before Connie and crack the case but I found that whenever I thought I had a theory it was soon shut down and I bounced back to a previous thought; this meant that I was hooked on this book right to the very end I actually didn't see the reveal coming which I like.
This was a very easy read that I was able to finish very quickly. It was dark in places, full of interesting characters I loved learning about and actually wanted to know even more on and the closing pages felt satisfying and concluded the book well.
This is the kind of YA book that I feel as though it appeals to readers of all ages. At 27 I found that I was hooked and fully invested in the story. I was reading a long to see if I could solve what happened to Belle before Connie and crack the case but I found that whenever I thought I had a theory it was soon shut down and I bounced back to a previous thought; this meant that I was hooked on this book right to the very end I actually didn't see the reveal coming which I like.
This was a very easy read that I was able to finish very quickly. It was dark in places, full of interesting characters I loved learning about and actually wanted to know even more on and the closing pages felt satisfying and concluded the book well.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A new verse novel from the queen of verse novels. It does not disappoint, even though it has a missing girl, and numerous troubled teens at the centre of the story, two quite popular tropes in YA at the mo.
It is set in a recovery facility in rural america where parents have sent their unruly children, Connie has just arrived and is the double of a girl called Bella who has just disappeared. You hear from them both throughout the story. There are a few other characters who make the story seem a bit like the breakfast club. I love the style although some of the poems feel like stories and don't seem like poems. The sparse style of the writing leaves loads of room for imagining the world and even when the book descends into the land of murder mystery, it still holds up. Its pretty good and deffo worth a read. I love Crossan's writing and have read and will read everything she writes. Netgalley ARC, although it is published this week i think...
It is set in a recovery facility in rural america where parents have sent their unruly children, Connie has just arrived and is the double of a girl called Bella who has just disappeared. You hear from them both throughout the story. There are a few other characters who make the story seem a bit like the breakfast club. I love the style although some of the poems feel like stories and don't seem like poems. The sparse style of the writing leaves loads of room for imagining the world and even when the book descends into the land of murder mystery, it still holds up. Its pretty good and deffo worth a read. I love Crossan's writing and have read and will read everything she writes. Netgalley ARC, although it is published this week i think...
February 27, 2026
Disappointed by this. I usually love Sarah Crossan's writing but this simply didn't do it for me. I appreciate that I am not the target (teen) audience but I just can't imagine teens being drawn into this. The 'reform school' element felt so far from reality that having a more 'typical' missing girl found dead story entwined within it just felt jarring to me. The gradual revealing of the different events on Belle's last night and how they created a chain/domino effect was clever, however.
Too many aspects of this felt overly familiar - the harsh school setting reminded me of Happy Head and the girl going missing on a school camping trip (where there are no adults around) has so many echoes - as well as being entirely unbelievable - even at a school that basically tortures pupils.
One thing I did appreciate was that there was no 'spice' and no bad language - finally a MG/YA book that is appropriate in that respect!
Grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC.
Too many aspects of this felt overly familiar - the harsh school setting reminded me of Happy Head and the girl going missing on a school camping trip (where there are no adults around) has so many echoes - as well as being entirely unbelievable - even at a school that basically tortures pupils.
One thing I did appreciate was that there was no 'spice' and no bad language - finally a MG/YA book that is appropriate in that respect!
Grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC.
March 6, 2026
Review of an advanced copy from Netgalley
The premise of this was interesting but if you're looking for something on teen correction facilities, there's a Netflix documentary that does it better. The whole thing is written in verse and while it makes it a quicker read it struggled with world building, falling very much into white room syndrome.
Despite this, I did like how the characters personalities unfolded and the level system for the kids was an interesting way of character motivation. I probably would have liked it more without the flashbacks, given that all the information we got from them was in the present time line too it ended up feeling redundant and I didn't care about Belle. It also felt very PLL where she ends up seeing EVERYONE in a 10 mile radius to keep the suspect list going.
Anyway, I am always a sucker for an interesting sibling relationship and found this one an interesting read.
The premise of this was interesting but if you're looking for something on teen correction facilities, there's a Netflix documentary that does it better. The whole thing is written in verse and while it makes it a quicker read it struggled with world building, falling very much into white room syndrome.
Despite this, I did like how the characters personalities unfolded and the level system for the kids was an interesting way of character motivation. I probably would have liked it more without the flashbacks, given that all the information we got from them was in the present time line too it ended up feeling redundant and I didn't care about Belle. It also felt very PLL where she ends up seeing EVERYONE in a 10 mile radius to keep the suspect list going.
Anyway, I am always a sucker for an interesting sibling relationship and found this one an interesting read.
February 14, 2026
I read this ARC on a Kindle and the formatting didn’t work as well as on the Net-galley app, which I took a quick look at afterwards. The use of the page in verse novels does make a difference to the reading experience.
Overall a good, thrilling read. The story is told from 2 viewpoints. Belle in the past and Connie in the present, leading up to the point where we discover what happened to Belle. I have to admit that from the opening I had a somewhat darker impression of what I thought had happened. It does you leave you guessing as extra little bits of information are revealed, leading you to suspect different people. I was a little disappointed by the end, it didn’t seem a good reason for what had happened. Connie, in the present, is an interesting character and it is hard to believe that parents would send their children to places like this.
Overall a good, thrilling read. The story is told from 2 viewpoints. Belle in the past and Connie in the present, leading up to the point where we discover what happened to Belle. I have to admit that from the opening I had a somewhat darker impression of what I thought had happened. It does you leave you guessing as extra little bits of information are revealed, leading you to suspect different people. I was a little disappointed by the end, it didn’t seem a good reason for what had happened. Connie, in the present, is an interesting character and it is hard to believe that parents would send their children to places like this.
February 27, 2026
I read this as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This YA story is written in verse style and scanned better when read in the netgalley reader as a pdf rather than in kindle. Thanks to a previous reviewer for this idea. Hopefully this will be sorted in the final ebook.
Connie has been sent to a teen correction centre because her parents think she's using tranquilisers to deal with her mum's death. The facility is very rigid with strict rules and harsh punishments.
Then Connie hears that one girl, Belle, is missing and sets out to find out what happened. As the story unfoldd, different students tell their side as well.
The verse style works well as it makes the story read in chunks and is less overwhelming. It would be suitable for 1o and upward if they like to be suspense but it isnt bloodthirsty.
This YA story is written in verse style and scanned better when read in the netgalley reader as a pdf rather than in kindle. Thanks to a previous reviewer for this idea. Hopefully this will be sorted in the final ebook.
Connie has been sent to a teen correction centre because her parents think she's using tranquilisers to deal with her mum's death. The facility is very rigid with strict rules and harsh punishments.
Then Connie hears that one girl, Belle, is missing and sets out to find out what happened. As the story unfoldd, different students tell their side as well.
The verse style works well as it makes the story read in chunks and is less overwhelming. It would be suitable for 1o and upward if they like to be suspense but it isnt bloodthirsty.
March 7, 2026
This is the first Sarah Crossan book I have read, and I was blown away by it.
Connie is grieving for her dead mother and trying to cope with her father’s new relationship, when she is suddenly removed from the family home, and detained in a facility for troubled teens, in the American mountains.
She is given the bed and dorm previously occupied by Belle, who had disappeared.
The oppressive atmosphere of such a rule-driven facility is tangible, as is the indifference of the staff to the plight of the people they are supposed to be caring for.
Connie and her new friends journey as they discover what happened to Belle, and finally find freedom is beautifully describes in very spare, readable language.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK Childrens for the opportunity to read this book.
Connie is grieving for her dead mother and trying to cope with her father’s new relationship, when she is suddenly removed from the family home, and detained in a facility for troubled teens, in the American mountains.
She is given the bed and dorm previously occupied by Belle, who had disappeared.
The oppressive atmosphere of such a rule-driven facility is tangible, as is the indifference of the staff to the plight of the people they are supposed to be caring for.
Connie and her new friends journey as they discover what happened to Belle, and finally find freedom is beautifully describes in very spare, readable language.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK Childrens for the opportunity to read this book.
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