Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

Jule, 18 years old, and on her own at a luxurious resort in Cabo, has been working out for over an hour in the resort gym. In walks a middle aged woman who strikes up a conversation with Jule. Jule normally keeps to herself but, for some reason, she is drawn to this woman. Jule speaks in her British accent, telling the woman she is from London. They agree to meet later that evening. After working out, Jule is talking with the pool-side bartender that she has come to know. He tells her a woman, whom he describes and Jule recognizes as the woman she met in the gym, was asking him about an American girl that looks like Jule. Jule immediately knows that this woman is undercover and is after her. Jule needs to get out of the hotel, out of Cabo. She quickly packs, changes her make up and puts on a wig.

So starts this mystery, thriller...which is actually the end of the story. What? The newest novel from E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars, uses the device of backwards storytelling. Starting with chapter 18, this story works backward, uncovering all the events that led Jule to this situation. At first this was disconcerting and confusing for me. Sometimes the storytelling is a bit droll, but my curiosity kept me moving. Many of the events were predictable, some unexpected. Many readers will be drawn to this mystery that centers around young college age students that live a life of Eastern privilege. Personally, I really didn't care about any of the characters, so felt little when "things" happened. It was like, "Eh? Okay. Let's move on."

The book is definitely older YA, with lots f-bombs, sex and violence. Not for middle school. This is a recreational read, with little fodder for discussion or to connect personally to.
Mark's Picks Rating: 3

Reading Level: 4.7 • Interest Level: 7-12 (I would recommend 9+) • Lexile: HL650L• AR Points: 8
Publisher: Random House • Copyright: 2017 • ISBN: 978-0-385-74477-5 • Available in Perma-Bound Binding