Underneath Everything is a seductive, gorgeously written debut about two girls bound by an obsessive and toxic friendship, perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver and Courtney Summers.
Mattie shouldn't be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason. But now Mattie is a senior, and she's sick of missing things. So here she is. And there's Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know—she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson.
But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can't figure out where Jolene's life ends and hers begins. Because there's something Mattie hasn't told anyone: She walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left.
- Toxic Friendship: One has the scar on her palm to prove their bond; the other has everything else. When Mattie and Jolene's obsessive relationship implodes, the fallout is just beginning.
- Romantic Suspense: She decides to win back the life she thinks Jolene stole, including her boyfriend, Hudson. But reclaiming the past is more dangerous than she ever imagined.
- Best Friends to Enemies: They used to be inseparable, weaving stories and sharing secrets. Now, one year after their falling out, Mattie is determined to rewrite the ending.
- Senior Year: Set against the backdrop of bonfires and an uncertain future, Mattie must untangle herself from Jolene's web before she loses her own identity for good.
Marcy Beller Paul is bad at reading maps but good at folding notes. She graduated from Harvard University in Massachusetts and worked as an editor in New York before moving back to New Jersey, where she now lives with her husband and two children. Underneath Everything is her first novel.