The Girl in the Picture  by Alexandra Monir – a Review

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Description:
Nicole Morgan has been labeled many things — the geeky music girl, the shy sidekick to Miss Popularity, and the girl with the scar. Now only one name haunts her through the halls of Oyster Bay Prep.

The Girl in the Picture.

After high school heartthrob Chace Porter is found dead in the woods near the school, the police are in search of the girl whose picture with Chace is the only clue found amongst his personal belongings. A girl who no one knew was even close to Chace–and whose dormmate, Lana Rivera, was Chace’s girlfriend.

Nicole is that girl and now she’s the primary suspect in his murder.

But what really happened that night? Were Nicole and Chace dating behind Lana’s back; were he and Lana over? Could either of them have killed him?

Told in alternating points of view, that of our suspect, Nicole Morgan, and her former best friend and roommate, Lana Rivera, readers will piece together the story of a starcrossed love, a fractured friendship–and what really happened the night Chace was killed.

Review:

The Girl in the Picture by Alexandra Monir is a standalone YA mystery suspense novel.  This story is told in two pov’s, Nicole and Lana; with some from the boy in the middle, Chace, which will cover a year.  The story actually begins in current time, with the news of Chace’s murder. A picture is revealed, with Nicole and Chace together, and everyone is on Lana’s side as she was the one they felt was betrayed.  Hence the title, The Girl in the Picture.

In various snippets, where we go back and forth between the past and the present, we get to meet Nicole, the new girl at school, who is training to be an elite violinist and meets her roommate, Lana, who is Miss Popularity.  Nicole is quiet and sweet, while Lana is her opposite.  Lana, because of Nicole’s bright future, decides to accept her as a friend.

It is Lana, who will meet the new boy, Chace, and flirt with him to start a relationship. Nicole helps Lana, and is supportive of her dating Chace.  Along the way, Chace, who loves Nicole’s music, begins to fall hard for her.  Nicole, at first has no intention of getting in the middle, for fear of losing her friend.  Chace is persistent and Nicole finds herself falling for him.

In current time, Nicole is the main suspect, as everyone is willing to condemn her, including her now fierce enemy, Lana.  We also learn along the way, who was responsible for the terrible scar Nicole suffered.  This is a real murder mystery, which has us concentrating on any clues that will tell us who killed Chace.  We know Nicole is not the real culprit, but who is? I felt sorry for Nicole, as she truly did not want to fall for Chace, and wanted to tell Lana the truth.  In a major twist, the answers will be discovered that was a surprise, not to mention who was able to discover the truth.

To tell too much more would be spoilers.  What follows is a very nicely done mystery revolving around the two narrators of the story, with the unusual voice of Chace in the background.  Everything in the past, is laid out nicely, which leads to the present and the resolution.  It was very well written by Monir.  If you enjoy a YA themed background, with a murder mystery, you need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher