THE LAKE HOUSE

A so-called enrichment retreat proves to be anything but relaxing.

Claire Dreyer is an overachieving worrier: In every situation, she thinks of ways everything could go wrong and end with her dying. Her parents send her to a camp held at the remote Maine Lake House for a summer of making friends and boosting her resume for college applications. But upon arrival, she and the two other girls dropped off by motorboat discover only the burned-down shell of the house. Worse, in the woods they find the program director’s dead body—she has been shot. Claire, Reyva Chaudhari, and Mariana Ortiz-Rodriguez are stuck, and without cell service, they can’t call for help. They must use their wits to keep themselves alive and uncover the truth. Although they packed for a retreat and not a multiday hike around the lake and back to the dock, they must push onward. The characters exhibit real depth as they discuss their fears and try to make the best of the situation. Each teen brings her problems—as well as her potential—to the group, including protagonist Claire, who has intense anxiety. Her fears are a double-edged sword that sometimes send her spiraling but also bring awareness to the group regarding ways to stay safe. There is no lull in this novel; just when things start to make sense, readers will have the rug pulled out from under them. Names cue characters’ ethnicities.

A twisted page-turner of a survival tale.