Frankie

Australian author Plozza mixes mystery with a teenager’s messy reckoning with her family history in her debut novel. Now 17 and living with her aunt, Frankie Vega has never gotten over being abandoned by her mother at age four. So when 14-year-old Xavier shows up, claiming to be her half-brother, she isn’t sure what to think. Should she trust him, or will he disappoint her like their mother did? Xavier turns out to be involved in some pretty shady things, including helping a (hot) burglar named Nate. Then again, Frankie and her family aren’t exactly angels (she’s recently been suspended after breaking another student’s nose). Though Frankie isn’t sure that Xavier can be trusted, when he goes missing, she takes it upon herself to find him. As Frankie plays detective, the clues lead her to Xavier and help her come to terms with her feelings about her mother and her own sense of self-worth. An edgy and drily funny novel that dives deep into how forgiveness—especially forgiving oneself—can help a person grow. Ages 13–up [em]Agent: Cheryl Pientka, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Oct.) [/em]