The good sister

A killer who calls himself "Angel" torments his teenage targets through the clever use of social media in this disturbing thriller from bestseller Staub (Nightwatcher). Angel becomes part of their online lives while their parents remain unaware of his presence. Buffalo, N.Y., mother Jen Archer notices that her 15-year-old daughter, Carley, isn't her usual self, but it's only when Carley's once inseparable friend, Nicki Olivera, becomes an apparent suicide that Jen begins to realize that something serious is going on. Angel takes us further into his horrifying world as Jen and her husband move through their daily lives. The pace is slow, but this is Angel's story, and it leads to a surprising and terrifying conclusion as Jen sees the connection with a tragedy from her own teenage years. You will want to monitor your children's Internet "friends" after reading this one-and you just may start looking back over your own shoulder. Agent: Laura Blake Peterson, Curtis Brown. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A novel that delves into the tragic past and state of mind of a serial killer. This is not a "whodunit." Here, suspense is sustained by the questions: why did the killer do it, and who will be next? The story addresses three issues: child abuse (both pedophilia and the punitive cruelty born of rigid religious fundamentalism); the effects of high school bullying; and the negative impact of cybertechnology on interpersonal relationships. The killer, Adrian, aka Angel (a social networking name), remembers an older sister who killed herself after being set up for mockery at her high school. He remembers that his sister loved him dearly and sought to protect him from the cruelty of their parents. He only finds out that their father was sexually molesting his sister after discovering an old journal in the family home he inherits after his mother's death (under questionable circumstances). While following Adrian's history, readers are introduced to a neighboring family and a daughter, Carley, a likable, troubled teen struggling with issues when she changes schools. As questions about who will be next (and why) are answered, and two girls commit suicide, it becomes clear who's on the killer's hit list. Fans of Criminal Minds will especially love this book.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.