There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.
First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.
That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.
There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.
The Cheerleaders is a tense, emotion fuelled read, with a classically twisted mystery at the heart of it, some wonderfully immersive writing and a hugely engaging main protagonist.
Monica struggles still with the loss of her sister 5 years ago to suicide. Prior to that Jen herself had lost 4 friend’s in quick succession- coincidence or something more sinister? After discovering a few things that don’t make sense within the story she’s been told, Monica decides to find out for herself..
The Cheerleaders is not only a highly intriguing mystery but also an edgy and insightful look at friendship, family and the teenage condition. Kara Thomas takes you into Monica’s world and holds you there, entranced from the very first page, you are with her all the way. There are many socially relevant themes explored here and it is massively addictive and cleverly unpredictable.
Monica is hugely sympathetic, her relationships with those around her beautifully described, overall The Cheerleaders is a proper page turner of a read, almost old school in its storytelling technique but with a contemporary modern twist.
Exactly what I’ve come to expect from this author therefore The Cheerleaders as well as The Darkest Corners and Little Monsters comes highly recommended from me.
You can purchase The Cheerleaders (Delacorte Press) Here.
Happy Reading!
