Title: Killer
Author: Sara Shepard
First published June 30, 2009
320 pages, Library Binding
ISBN: 9780061566127 (ISBN10: 0061566128)
Rating: 4.02
Overview
Welcome to Rosewood, Pennsylvania, where the winters are cold but the gossip is hot. Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily are the four prettiest girls in town, but they have a dark secret.
They were all friends with Alison DiLaurentis, a girl who made them do things they are now trying to forget. Even though Alison was killed, their pasts continue to haunt them.
Hanna is hell-bent on corrupting the youth of Rosewood, Aria is digging into her boyfriend’s past, Spencer is stealing from her family, and Emily is no longer abstaining from temptation. But their actions have consequences, and someone is watching their every move.
With a new A in town, the girls must be careful because this time, the stakes are higher, and their secrets might just come back to burn them.
About the Author
Sara Shepard is a talented author who earned her degree from NYU and a Masters in Fine Arts from Brooklyn College. She’s had the pleasure of living in some amazing cities including New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA.
Her popular series, Pretty Little Liars, was inspired by her childhood experiences growing up in Philadelphia’s esteemed Main Line.
Editoral Review
Sara Shepard is a master at crafting suspenseful and thrilling stories, and her book “Killer” is no exception. Published on June 30, 2009, the book is a part of the author’s “Pretty Little Liars” series, and the genre can be classified as young adult thriller.
The book starts with the disappearance of one of the main characters, Alison DiLaurentis. The other main characters, Hanna, Emily, Spencer, and Aria, had all been friends with Alison and had secrets that they had kept from her.
In the first book of the series, they all receive mysterious messages from someone who signs off as “A,” which leads them to believe that their secrets may have been revealed. The main characters navigate through their lives trying to figure out who “A” is, and at the same time, trying to unravel the mystery surrounding Alison’s disappearance.
The book is set in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, a small town where everyone knows each other’s business. The town’s obsession with status and perfection only adds to the central plot of the book – the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis.
The plot of the book is centered around the main characters, their secrets, and the mysterious “A” who seems to know all their secrets. The book’s strengths lie in its plot structure and pacing.
Shepard expertly develops the plot, slowly revealing more and more information that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats throughout the book. The characters are well-developed, each with their unique personality and quirks.
Shepard uses different narrators to give readers a glimpse into the main character’s thoughts and feelings, adding depth and complexity to the story. The themes presented in Killer include friendship, loyalty, secrets, and deception.
Shepard explores these themes through the lens of a small town, where gossip and rumors can spread like wildfire. The book’s themes are also relevant to current events, especially in the age of social media and viral rumors.
One aspect of the book that could have been improved is the predictability of some of the plot twists. Some of the twists and turns in the book can be seen coming from a mile away, and this may detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.
Overall, “Killer” by Sara Shepard is a captivating book for young adults who love thriller and mystery genres. The pacing and plot structure are the book’s greatest strengths, and the characters are well-developed and relatable.
The themes explored in the book are relevant to current events, and the author presents them in a compelling and thought-provoking way. Despite some predictability in the plot twists, the book is a great read, and we highly recommend it.
We give the book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
