Zoe Markham - White Lies

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White Lies: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация

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‘A wonderful edge of your seat thriller that will have you guessing all the way to the end.’ – Carrie on GoodreadsA haunting YA thriller you won't be able to put down, White Lies is a boarding school story – with a shockingly dark twist.Everybody hurtsFor Abigail, a new school could be the fresh start she so desperately needs. With her parents in the army and her sister Beth too far away to run to, she knows this year needs to be different. She's never been part of the cool crowd and for the first time Abby wants to fit in. And all it takes is just one little white lie…because some truths are too painful to share.Everybody liesBut at Cotswold Community College, Abby isn't the only one with a past she'd rather forget. And when she stumbles across a closely-guarded secret, Abigail realises that her one little white lie could reveal everything she’s worked so hard to hide…What readers are saying about White Lies'I LOVED this one… there is a dark edge to the narrative, a scary feel to some of the events and just that little *something* that touches you on an emotional level when reading that grips you utterly… Add in some truly spooky and dark dealings, a touch of inspiration and a killer twist that I never once saw coming and you have an imaginative, clever and intelligent thriller that just happens to be in the Young Adult market. Pish to that, its better than any one of 150 girl books you might read this year or did last…' – Liz Loves Books‘The book was a easy and fast read that was layered with suspense making it captivating and gripping that I had to finish it and know what was happening. I thought I had it all figured out… but after reaching the end, I realized how wrong I was. It is an eerie mystery slash slightly horror story that plays with your mind and imagination.’ – Joy on Goodreads‘I couldn't put it down and it was short enough for me to whizz through… I still couldn't believe the unbelievable dark twist that this book took. It was so gripping and surreal that I'm still captivated by it! I loved the writing style of this author and it's made me incredibly eager to read more books by Ms. Markham.’ – Connie on Goodreads‘This is a mystery story with some hints of horror that really plays with your mind, especially when you think you’ve got it all figured out. It sets you on edge and makes you really question what is going on – if you’re a fan of the Red Eye series or just general horror/thriller books then this one’s for you!’ – Maia and a Little Moore‘This wasn't at all what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing to catch my attention was Zoe's writing style. Every word seemed to flow with the next making me want to keep reading. Zoe does an incredible job of bringing the character's alive.’ – Rosalie Reyes's review on Goodreads

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The building looked completely deserted, and with the sun refusing to come back out from under its blanket of cloud I was starting to get chills. I was also picking up a cheesy horror film vibe – casting myself in the lead role as the classic, vulnerable teenage girl – abandoned in a secluded spot…

In leafy, upper-class Oxfordshire, where endless old biddies peer through their curtains to check on their Volvos and bedding plants every five minutes…

Beth’s eyebrow lifted in my mind’s eye. And I conceded the point. There was probably nowhere safer. But as I looked up at the heavy oaks circling the courtyard they felt dark and oppressive somehow, like they could close ranks any second and trap me inside.

My heart started to pick up speed, and my fingers reached for the familiar, worn cotton as I fought to remind myself that I wasn’t alone; however much it might feel like it sometimes, I was never alone.

Chapter Two

Once I’d made it to the wide, crumbling stone doorstep, I had one last look around in case I’d somehow missed a big group of kids huddled together somewhere catching up on all the summer gossip. Maybe they were all up at the school itself; maybe I should’ve gone there first.

“It’s never like that in the books,” I remembered saying to Dad. “The dorms aren’t half a mile away from the school at the bottom of a hill at Hogwarts, are they?”

“Hog-whats?” Dad wasn’t much of a reader. “It’s a very old school,” he’d told me. “Not one of your concrete sixties’ monstrosities. You should be grateful!”

Panicking now, that I was in totally the wrong place, I delved into the front pocket of my case and pulled out the letter they’d sent at the beginning of the holidays.

‘Boarders are expected between 5p.m. and 7p.m. on Sunday 6th September.’

I looked down at my watch and sighed. No wonder there was no one about – I was two hours early.

I gnawed on my thumbnail for a while, before giving the door handle a surreptitious rattle: locked. I tried the buzzer next to it. Nothing.

I thought for a while, and decided I had two choices: I could haul myself and my case off up the hill in search of somewhere to get a hot chocolate, or I could just park myself there and wait it out. And as much as I loved anything and everything chocolate-based, I wasn’t built for climbing, so I slouched to the ground and wrapped my arms around my chest against the chill. I told myself I could use the time to get my head straight and make sure my grip was good and tight before all the other kids started arriving. But despite my best efforts it wasn’t long before those trees began to feel like they were closing in around me, and the silence slowly but steadily grew so very loud around me that I couldn’t bear it.

I dug my phone out of my pocket and my fingers went straight to Beth’s name – like chubby little magnets – when a sudden noise shattered the silence. I dropped the phone in surprise as something exploded out of one of the oak trees, arrowing across the courtyard in a flurry of disturbed leaves and frantic wings. I ducked down and swore reflexively, pulling my hands up over my head before realising nothing was actually attacking me. I looked up and saw a magpie. I felt ridiculous. Thank goodness no one had been around to see.

“Good-morning-Mr-Magpie-how’s-your-wife?” I blurted the silly greeting Mum always used out of superstitious habit, and the bird let out a rapid-fire series of yaks that sounded like laughter in response, then disappeared into a hedgerow across the lane.

A car door slammed nearby, and I swung my head around as I spotted what must have disturbed the bird in the first place. A dark hatchback sat across from the gate, which now swung open to let a handsome, older man – Silver fox! Beth would’ve said – into the courtyard. An equally handsome blond teen with a large rucksack slung over his shoulder followed close behind.

“Hello!” The George Clooney lookalike offered me a cheery smile as he walked over. “Are we too early? Strickland not about?”

“Um…who?”

“Mr Strickland? Or Mrs – it’s usually Ian who opens up and then Irene…” He drifted off and looked down at my nervous, fidgeting form. I sprang up into a standing fidget instead, almost going flying over my case in the process. The boy beside him, the spitting image of the man who could only be his dad, slowly took me in without saying a word. I felt my cheeks flush.

“I’ve only just got here,” I said. “I haven’t seen anyone yet. It’s my first day.”

“Ah, I didn’t think I’d seen you before.” He beamed at me. “You’ve not been left on your own, surely?”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” It wasn’t like I was a little kid or anything. I felt my cheeks do their thing even more.

“Well, you’ve got some company now,” he said. “This is my son – Tyler.” He punched the boy lightly on the shoulder. “Say hi, Ty!”

Tyler, all surfer hair and golden tan, rolled steely-blue eyes before a loud buzz belched out from the speaker by the door – making me jump yet again. My nerves were completely, embarrassingly shredded. A deep voice boomed from within. “What’s this then? Such keenness! Commendable!” A wheezy chuckle followed, then, “Well, come on up! Don’t stand about making the place look untidy!”

As the door clicked open, surfer-boy Tyler grabbed his dad in a quick, one-armed hug.

“See you Friday,” he said in a soft voice, clapping him on the back before ducking through the door. I was just about to awkwardly thank Clooney for the introduction when Tyler stuck his head back out and lifted an eyebrow. “You coming then, New Girl?”

“Ty’ll help you find your feet,” Clooney said, lifting my case up and over the step for me. “He’s just starting Year Twelve so he knows the ropes. Don’t let him boss you around though!” He gave me a friendly wink before making his way back towards the gate. When I turned around, Tyler had already gone back in. I took a deep breath, visualised Beth making shooing motions at me with impatient hands, and headed in after him.

The second both my feet were inside the building a single, piercing yaw rang out from behind me. I spun, expecting to see the magpie again, almost losing my balance and face-planting in the process; but as I turned, a gust of wind caught the door and slammed it soundly shut behind me.

Chapter Three

My heart thumped with a mixture of nerves and general out-of-shape knackeredness as I wrestled my case up the dim stairwell – finally emerging into the bright reception area like an exhausted mole. A short man, completely bald with a perfectly round belly sitting like a beach ball under his shirt, was chatting away cheerily to Tyler. Mr Strickland, I presumed. He looked like he’d been off somewhere hot for the summer, as the top of his head and the front of his nose were brightly burned – a flaming red a million miles from the sun-kissed look Tyler was rocking. That made me smile. He was, quite literally, a shining beacon of normality.

I stood out from both of them though: ghostlike in my comparative paleness, and chubbier than the pair of them put together. Vive la difference! Dad would have said. Get over it, Fatty, would’ve been Beth’s advice. It’s your own fault. Double sting. But I’d spent most of the summer indoors, with comfort food for company. She was right. I had no one to blame but myself.

“Couldn’t wait to get back eh? Missed the old place that much?” Beachball asked, grinning at Tyler, whose reply was another lazy eye-roll. Obviously a standard move. “And who do we have here?” He peered at me for a second, before recognition dawned. “Ah! You must be Abigail! Hello! How was your journey?”

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