Stalker Girl

As discomforting as waiting for a character in a horror film to finally get axed, Graham’s novel follows high school senior Carly, as her seemingly innocent desire to see her ex’s new girlfriend, Taylor, in person turns into a day spent trailing her every move. Donning different hats and faking cellphone calls whenever Taylor glances her way, Carly follows Taylor all over Manhattan. The tension of this first section all but disappears during a long flashback to Carly’s romantic summer with Brian, which, along with details about her family life, gives readers subtle insights into her behavior, without justifying it. Carly’s family is disintegrating, her mother splitting from the boyfriend they’ve lived with since Carly was young; this loss, coupled with Brian’s dumping her, is more than Carly can handle. Carly’s stalking is inevitably and humiliatingly discovered, but Graham (Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude) doesn’t quite recapture the intensity of the beginning of the story. The omniscient narrator, though, gives readers a strikingly intimate perspective on Carly, following her with the same level of detail that she pursues Taylor. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)