How far would you go to get into a prestigious university? Author Eireann Corrigan considers the possibilities in the nail-biting thriller Accomplice. Down-to-earth Finn and charm queen Chloe have been inseparable best friends since Chloe’s family bought and renovated Finn’s family barn in rural Colt River, New Jersey. Finn has always been content with the way she and Chloe have cared for their horses and sheep and the way both of their families have evolved into one. When their college seminar instructor encourages their junior class to find a unique slant to their college applications, Chloe—drawing upon the media frenzy over a recently kidnapped girl who was returned in shock but alive—concocts an elaborate plan certain to draw national attention and ensure a ticket into any university.
While Chloe hides out in Finn’s grandmother’s basement, eating junk food and catching snippets about herself on The L.A. Price Show, a television series about missing children, Finn is left to keep up the mounting lies and deal with the emotional fallout of a devastated family and community. Their seemingly foolproof plan spins out of control when Dean, a boy the girls flirted with, lands in jail as a suspect and is ostracized by the entire town. As the pair revises their efforts, taking on more risks, Finn begins to wonder if Chloe is ruining innocent lives without knowing—or without caring. As much as this psychological story is about Chloe’s fulfillment of the American Dream, it’s also about Finn’s awakening to her own needs and desires and the true nature of friendship.
Fans of Ellen Hopkins, Laurie Halse Anderson and Gail Giles will be drawn to this hard-hitting, realistic novel that explores small-town life and the impact of fame and lies. From the mysterious beginning to the well-crafted conclusion, they will anxiously await each twist that weaves this original page-turner.
