The last real girl : The Disappearance of Charlotte Walters, Book 1

A beautiful girl who vanishes. A best friend determined to find her. A lakeside town with secrets of its own. *** When 17-year-old Reese first moved to the wealthy, lakeshore town of St. Clair over five years ago, she never expected someone like Charlotte Walters to take her under her wing. Charlotte is everything that Reese is not: rich, gorgeous, and carefree, living with her enigmatic older brother and her parents in a mansion at the top of the lake. But when senior year starts, everything seems off. Reese notices that Charlotte's older brother Aiden keeps coming back from college to hang around on weekends, stoic and grim. And Charlotte's parents seem more distracted, almost lost. Meanwhile, Charlotte keeps insisting to Reese that nothing is wrong, and decides to host a Halloween party with the theme of "missing girls." That night, at the party, Charlotte goes missing. Everyone who attended becomes an instant suspect, from Charlotte's brother (who argued with Charlotte earlier that night), to Charlotte's field hockey teammate (who wasn't invited to the party in the first place), to Reese herself (who was the last person to see Charlotte alive, out near the lake). With the clock ticking, Reese must unravel what happened to her best friend, and dig through the layers of secrets protecting people in St. Clair. Because now, being the quiet sidekick won't cut it. And maybe only an outsider to St. Clair can truly confront all of the town's dark mysteries. THE LAST REAL GIRL is the first novel in the YA mystery trilogy "The Disappearance of Charlotte Walters." The complete trilogy includes: THE LAST REAL GIRL (Book 1) THE LAST REAL CRIME (Book 2) THE LAST REAL SECRET (Book 3) Praise for THE LAST REAL GIRL: "Warman's taut prose is pitched perfectly for her subject matter, managing to make the high school drama feel high-stakes and creepy by turns... The author's sharp senses of pacing and character make this a thoroughly enjoyable read. Readers will be waiting with anticipation for future volumes. A captivating teen mystery in a secretive lakeside town." -Kirkus Reviews "An intriguing blend of realism and reflection, unsettling discoveries and natural consequences... In this young adult mystery, nothing can be taken for granted and no one connected to the missing girl is untouched." -Foreword Reviews A Barnes & Noble Teen Back-to-School Sale Pick in 2019 A BookBub Featured New Release Featured in Foreword Reviews July/August 2019 Issue A Kobo Daily Deal Selection About: L.C. Warman is the author of the St. Clair mystery series. She grew up in New England, in a town where real estate contracts stipulated that you couldn't back out if you discovered your new place was haunted. She currently lives in a Michigan lakeside town with her husband and two dogs. A Thoroughly Enjoyable Read. Readers Will Be Waiting With Anticipation For Future Volumes. -kirkus Reviews When 17-year-old Reese First Moved To The Wealthy, Lakeshore Town Of St. Clair Over Five Years Ago, She Never Expected Someone Like Charlotte Walters To Take Her Under Her Wing. Charlotte Is Everything That Reese Is Not: Rich, Gorgeous, And Carefree, Living With Her Enigmatic Older Brother And Her Parents In A Mansion At The Top Of The Lake. But When Senior Year Starts, Everything Seems Off. Reese Notices That Charlotte's Older Brother Aiden Keeps Coming Back From College To Hang Around On Weekends, Stoic And Grim. And Charlotte's Parents Seem More Distracted, Almost Lost. Meanwhile, Charlotte Keeps Insisting To Reese That Nothing Is Wrong, And Decides To Host A Halloween Party With The Theme Of Missing Girls. That Night, At The Party, Charlotte Goes Missing. Everyone Who Attended Becomes An Instant Suspect, From Charlotte's Brother (who Argued With Charlotte Earlier That Night), To Charlotte's Field Hockey Teammate (who Wasn't Invited To The Party In The First Place), To Reese Herself (who Was The Last Person To See Charlotte Alive, Out Near The Lake). With The Clock Ticking, Reese Must Unravel What Happened To Her Best Friend, And Dig Through The Layers Of Secrets Protecting People In St. Clair. Because Now, Being The Quiet Sidekick Won't Cut It. And Maybe Only An Outsider To St. Clair Can Truly Confront All Of The Town's Dark Mysteries. Full Review From Kirkus Reviews A High School Senior Attempts To Unravel The Truth Behind Her Friend's Disappearance In Warman's Debut Ya Mystery, The First In A Series. Reese's Best Friend, Charlotte Walters, Is Stunning, Smart, Charismatic, Everything And Anything That A Seventeen-year-old Wished To Be. She's A Beautiful, All-state Field Hockey Player With A 4.0 Gpa And A Talent For Painting, So She Gets Plenty Of Attention From Her Fellow Classmates. Reese, Meanwhile, Is Known Primarily As Charlotte's Sidekick--something Between An Assistant And A Confidante. Charlotte Values Her For Her Loyalty But Doesn't Realize That Reese Secretly Resents Her Big House, Rich Parents, And Army Of Admirers. When Charlotte Decides To Throw A Halloween Party With A Ghosts Of Dead Girls Theme, Reese Helps Her Plan It--even Going So Far As To Get Reese's Former Crush, Riley Gallagher, To Procure A Beer Keg. Reese Quickly Grows Tired Of Charlotte's Spooky Antics, Though, Especially When She Runs Down To The Lake To Try To Hear The Ghost Of Local Urban Legend Screaming Stella. But When Reese Arrives After Her, She Sees A Boat Rowing Away From Shore And Can't Find Charlotte Anywhere. Reese Quickly Summons Help--the Cops; Riley; Charlotte's Brother, Aiden--but It's Clear That Charlotte Has Disappeared. Everyone Expects Reese To Have Some Insight Into What Happened, But Maybe She Doesn't Know Her Friend As Well As She Thought. Throughout This Novel, Warman's Taut Prose Is Pitched Perfectly For Her Subject Matter, Managing To Make The High School Drama Feel High-stakes And Creepy By Turns. For Example, Here's How She Portrays Reese's Wonder At Charlotte's Huge Trove Of Gossip: Part Of Me Felt That The Source Of Her Knowledge Was Deeper, More Mysterious, That Charlotte Walters Knew Everything Because She Was The Town, Or Everything That St. Clair Liked To Think Of Itself As. The Author's Sharp Senses Of Pacing And Character Make This A Thoroughly Enjoyable Read. Readers Will Be Waiting With Anticipation For Future Volumes. A Captivating Teen Mystery In A Secretive Lakeside Town.