All That's Left to Say

May 29, 2023
When her cousin Sophie dies from an opioid overdose, Maryland high school junior Hannah is devastated and bewildered; she and her family have no idea how or why Sophie had the pills. Seeking answers, Hannah collaborates with Sophie’s best friend Gabi to conceal her true identity behind a new look and enroll in Sophie’s prestigious private school, hoping to find the classmate Hannah believes gave Sophie the drugs. Though initially scornful of her new schoolmates’ wealth and privilege, the last thing Hannah expects to find at Ingleside Country Day School is a thoughtful companion in former debate competitor Christian Dailey. The nonlinear timeline—rendered in Hannah’s wry first-person voice and detailing events from before and after Sophie’s death—occasionally slows the pace of this tense novel, but nevertheless provides insight into Hannah’s motivations. Avoiding pat answers, Lord (The Map from Here to There) convincingly conveys the grief that Hannah feels over Sophie’s death, depicting via Hannah’s charade the lengths to which one might go when seeking healing and closure. Main characters read as white; context clues suggest racial diversity among the supporting cast. Ages 13–up. Agent: Taylor Martindale Kean, Full Circle Literary.