Jerkbait

Siegert pulls no punches in her debut, which opens as high school senior Tristan Betterby interrupts his twin brother Robbie's attempt to overdose on pills. The boys' parents conspire to keep the incident a secret, hoping to preserve his chances of getting drafted into the National Hockey League. In lieu of getting therapy for Robbie, they assign Tristan to keep constant watch on him, a decision both baffling and steeped in denial. Forced to share a room, the boys find they have more common ground (and more secrets) than either had guessed. Robbie's depression stems in part from being closeted about his sexuality. Tristan, who is straight, harbors dreams of being a Broadway star. Part coming-out story, part sports drama, part examination of homophobia, bullying, and parents who really don't understand, Siegert's novel offers additional unexpected swerves in the third act. While the messaging is often heavy-handed and some readers might think Siegert jumps the shark with a subplot involving kidnapping and telepathy, others will enjoy the genre-bending and go along for the ride. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. Agent: Travis Pennington, Knight Agency. (May)