From the Publisher
"Sutanto has crafted a page-turning work of suspense that questions the line between romantic "research" and stalking in the age of the internet, analyzing the roles played by abuse, misogyny, racism, and violence in contemporary relationships." — Booklist
"Set against a Northern California private school backdrop, the sensational plot is riddled with twists that come at a furious pace...A suspenseful page-turner." — Kirkus Reviews
"This tense, quick-moving thriller is also a thought-provoking story about the different shapes of abuse. Fans of high-drama fiction with a dark edge, like Karen McManus’s One of Us Is Lying or Gretchen McNeil’s #murdertrending, will be hooked." — School Library Journal
"[A] taut, twisty thriller...Readers who enjoy their psychological thrillers paired with a bit of vigilante justice will find Delilah’s final scene especially satisfying." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
School Library Journal
12/01/2020
Gr 9 Up—The first time Logan sees Delilah, his new classmate at an elite Northern California prep school, he knows they're destined to be together forever. The only problem is that Delilah doesn't agree—yet. When Logan catches Delilah on film murdering her mother's abusive boyfriend, Brandon, he knows he has the perfect leverage to ensure she never dares leave him. But Delilah is sick of living in fear, and she knows she needs a plan to keep Logan away from her for good. Sutanto readily identifies the societal power structures that keep Delilah, who is half-Singaporean and half-white, in the control of Brandon, a white police officer, and Logan, who is also white. The story, told from Logan and Delilah's perspectives in alternating chapters, moves at breakneck speed to a surprising conclusion. The moments of violence are brief, keeping the focus on the mounting tension between the two main characters. VERDICT This tense, quick-moving thriller is also a thought-provoking story about the different shapes of abuse. Fans of high-drama fiction with a dark edge, like Karen McManus's One of Us Is Lying or Gretchen McNeil's #murdertrending, will be hooked.—Madison Bishop, Forbes Lib., Northampton, MA
Kirkus Reviews
2020-11-26
A paranoia-driven debut novel about a relationship twisted by obsession.
Logan struggles to move on after the death of his great love, Sophie. All he can do is go through the motions until he meets Delilah, a new senior who strongly resembles Sophie. Revived, Logan’s obsession grows as he stalks Delilah online and in real life. Meanwhile, Delilah—whose father died in a tragic accident—feels crushed by her mother’s abusive police detective boyfriend. Just when something happens to remove Brandon from their lives and she thinks everything might be turning around, Logan makes his move. As their relationship develops, Logan’s control over Delilah tightens, and dark secrets and violent decisions send both characters into a complex, dangerous spiral. At one point, as she thinks about her mother’s previous relationship and her own, Delilah’s web search about stalkers leads her to a description of erotomania. Set against a Northern California private school backdrop, the sensational plot is riddled with twists that come at a furious pace. Chapters alternate between Logan’s and Delilah’s perspectives, providing insight into their motives as well as shifting feelings of revulsion and admiration for each. The drama builds to a shocking, albeit abrupt, ending. Delilah is the stronger, more compelling protagonist when compared to Logan’s less nuanced development. Sophie was Japanese American, and Delilah is biracial with a Chinese Singaporean dad and White American mom; Logan is assumed White.
A suspenseful page-turner. (Thriller. 14-18)
