Too Close

Two fourteen year old girls. Two secrets, which bubble and simmer and finally explode. Bethany is convinced she can make it work. Laurette is French. She is the perfect best friend. The sister replacement. Against a backdrop of a summer holiday in England, Laurette gradually becomes aware that Bethany is not all she seemed to be in France. Unable to contact her parents, Laurette feels increasingly alone. Ann Bryant's perceptiveness and sensitivity shine through this novel. Her dialogue and characterisation are excellent, and the troubled Bethany, in particular, is complex and interesting. Right from the beginning the reader feels a sense of unease and Ann maintains the tension throughout all the twists and turns to a moving finale.