Sometimes the truth hurts.... Reed Brennan came to superposh Easton Academy to make a brand-new life for herself. At first it seemed as though her dream had come true-she was living in the ultraexclusive Billings Hall, hanging out with the all-powerful Billings Girls, and dating the very hot Thomas Pearson. But Thomas turned out to be different from what she thought...and then he turned up dead. And if that wasn't twisted enough, Reed's new boyfriend, Josh Hollis, was arrested for Thomas's murder.
Now everyone is back to worrying about the regular stuff, like how to sneak to the boys' dorms at night, whether two-ply cashmere is warm enough for fall, and whether to fly to London or Barcelona for Thanksgiving break.
Everyone except for Reed.
Reed is convinced that Josh is innocent, which means the killer is still out there. Now it's up to Reed to uncover the truth. But the deeper she digs, the more secrets she unearths and the closer she gets to the confession that will change everything...if she's alive to hear it.
"In the fourth book in the red-hot Private series, Josh, Reed's friend and more recently, more-than-friend, has been arrested for killing Thomas Pearson, Reed's ex-boyfriend. Reed finds comfort in her friends, the girls of Billings hall. But these girls have more secrets than the CIA and they aren't letting go of their hold on Reed. Because once you're a Billings Girl, you remain a Billings Girl. Forever. "
Gr 9 Up— This fourth entry in the series jumps right into action as one of the "Billings Girls" watches her current boyfriend being hauled away for the murder of her former one. Though Reed Brenner lives in the prestigious Billings Hall and is best friends with the top group, she is not like the other girls. For one thing, she's a scholarship student and for another, she believes Josh is innocent. While the rest of the school tries to figure out ways to party off campus, Reed becomes obsessed with finding the real killer. She discovers an ill-advised affair, a jealous debutante, and more secrets than money at Easton Academy. The novel is a quick read, complete with plenty of pop-culture references. The suspense grows along with Reed's paranoia. Much of the tension comes from the protagonist's relationship with the Queen Bee, Noelle. She doesn't trust her but is drawn to her nonetheless. Readers will feel the same way. Give this book to teens who want light reading and a little mystery.—Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
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