When You Leave

Ropal debuts with a mystery filled with high-running emotions, shifting loyalties, and dirty secrets. Now that her mother has remarried, 17-year-old Cass no longer lives in the rough Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul, Minn., and she has just started attending a private school where she tries to keep a low profile and maintain her tough reputation with her skateboarder friends. Cass surprises herself by having an intense fling with classmate Cooper, a "typical pretty boy" with whom she seems to have little in common. After Cooper is found brutally murdered in the woods, Cass's friend and fellow skater Gav becomes the prime suspect, and Cass subtly investigates the private-school crowd in search of a defense for him. It can be difficult to keep all the suspects straight, since not all the characters are well-defined, a notable exception being Mattie, Cass's best friend who lost the ability to speak and communicates with gestures and body language. While the conclusion resolves rather quickly, Ropal crafts an engaging, noir-infused drama. Ages 13%E2%80%93up. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Agency. (Apr.)