The Creeping

Stella Cambren cannot recall what happened in the woods of Savage, Minn., when, at age six, she returned home without her friend Jeanie. Eleven years later, a girl resembling Jeanie has been found murdered. As the old case is rehashed, Stella has flashbacks of that missing day, spurring her own investigation into Jeanie’s disappearance. The closer she gets to the truth, the more she is threatened, including ominous words from a wizened healer, “You ain’t monster enough to survive.” With Stella’s workaholic father absent and a detective always one step behind, she digs deeper, uncovering ritual sacrifices and a long history of disappearances that lead to heart-pounding confrontations. Debut author Sirowy deftly balances two compelling storylines—a dark murder mystery and a tug-of-war rivalry for Stella’s attention between controlling friend Zoey and new love interest (and former best friend) Sam. While the dialogue between Stella and Zoey can sound artificial (“That hardly proves anything, Slutty Sherlock”) and the culprit is easily guessed, the intense peer relationships are strikingly realistic. Unanswered questions leave chills long after the last page. Ages 12–up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (Aug.)