When You Leave - Softcover

Ropal, Monica

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0762454555 ISBN 13: 9780762454556

Publisher: Running Press Kids, 2015

Synopsis

Cass has a theory: everyone eventually leaves. Her father walked out, her mother is starting a new family, and she almost lost her best friend to cancer.

When Cass transfers to a preppy new private school, her plan is to stay anonymous by hiding her skater girl veneer beneath plaid skirts and knee socks. But when her cute locker neighbor, Cooper, takes an interest in Cass, keeping a safe distance isn't easy. And once Cass lets her guard down, the unthinkable happens: Cooper is mysteriously murdered.

As the investigation unfolds, Cass's close friend, Gav, is suspected as the killer. Determined to find answers, she must go through her list one by one until somebody cracks. However, will uncovering the truth really give Cass what she is looking for?

About this title

About the Author

Monica Ropal lives in friendly St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and three children -- whom she lovingly refers to as her three-ring circus. In addition to writing and playing ringmaster, Monica also works as a hospice nurse.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—Romance and a murder mystery intermingle in this gritty and engaging novel. Cass is a high school student, struggling to fit in at a fancy private school. Before her father's desertion and her mother's remarriage, Cass lived in a low-income neighborhood and hung out at the skate park. Her best friends are a group of boys who include Mattie, Gav, and Franklin. She's especially fond of Mattie—he lost his voice to cancer nine years ago, but they're so close that she can tell exactly what he's thinking. Now Cass is a preppy St. Bernadette's student by day, trying to blend in and remain unnoticed. When she falls for Cooper, a rich, charming boy, though, her old friends clash with her new love interest. Cooper is brutally murdered, and Gav is arrested for the crime. Cass is positive that he is innocent. She decides to play detective at St. Bernadette's, uncovering a complicated mix of friendships, love triangles, and dark secrets. As her investigation continues, she puts herself and her friends at risk to find the truth. Teens will sympathize with Cass and find the mystery compelling, but some of the characters—Mattie and Cass's mother—don't seem to be fully developed. The protagonist is reeling from her father's decision to leave the family and fearful of losing Mattie, too, after his bout with cancer. However, her relationships with the other characters often take a backseat to the mystery elements. There are plenty of twists and turns on the way to an enjoyable conclusion. VERDICT Readers will find much to like in this fast-paced and well-written story.—Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR

Edition details

• Publisher: Running Press Kids
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0762454555
• ISBN 13: 9780762454556
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 337