The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan

March 19, 2018
In Cribb’s intricately plotted debut thriller, high-school senior Sloane Sullivan (her 19th identity) has been in the Witness Protection Program for almost 6 years, after witnessing a violent crime. Her minder, Agent Markham, whom she calls Mark, has taken care of her through both her mother’s murder and her father’s eventual suicide. She’s ready to get out of the program and move on with her life. Staying anonymous, however, seems like a tall order after she runs into her childhood best friend, Jason Thomas. Sloane just wants to be normal, but her past is catching up with her, placing everyone she cares about in harm’s way. Cribbs draws an effective portrait of a young woman forced to make unusual and mature choices while navigating the more conventional stresses of teen life, and Sloane is a smart, savvy narrator. The tension increases exponentially in the second half, when events force Sloane to put the disparate pieces of her past together, resulting in stunning revelations. Just when it seems that a resolution is in sight, more surprises build to an explosive, satisfying finale. Ages 12–18. Agent: Steven Salpeter, Curtis Brown.

March 15, 2018
A girl on the run unexpectedly encounters a familiar face in this debut thriller.Unable to remember details of the mob hit she witnessed six years earlier, high school senior Sloane Sullivan has changed her name 19 times so far--and learned to break free, blend in, and cut ties. Her parents are dead, but her guardian has kept her safe...until now. Newly arrived in North Carolina, Sloane just wants to finish high school, go to college, and escape both the witness protection program and the gangsters who want her dead, but when she discovers one of her new classmates is her childhood best friend and first love, black-haired, blue-eyed Jason Thomas, the chance to rekindle their romance makes Sloane reckless. Inevitably, Sloane (originally blonde and green-eyed) also attracts the amorous attentions of redheaded Sawyer and green-eyed, ethnically ambiguous Oliver--and the wrath of their ex-girlfriends. Having spent so much time assuming new identities, Sloane is nebulous as a character; her emotional journey is vivid but her history is vague. While there are enough twists to fill the Lifetime movie this novel resembles, and the marriage of torrid teen melodrama and an admittedly unrealistic crime story produces absurd (if action-packed) results, Cribbs excels at depicting complicated relationships and vulnerable characters.A solid beach read filled with love triangles and high stakes. (Thriller. 14-18)

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April 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Now, almost six years after entering the Witness Security Program, Sloane Sullivan is on her 19th name. She is determined that this identity will be her last: she will graduate high school, head to college, and officially start her life as Sloane Sullivan. All her plans are threatened when she finds Jason, her best childhood friend, at her new high school. Sloane starts breaking rules to protect her new identity while daring to get close to the boy she's always loved, all while attempting to discover the truth hidden in her past. This debut novel ambitiously combines elements of a character study, crime thriller, romance, and teen drama. Sloane's flashbacks and exposition provide character development, while her reactions to everyday high school drama feel authentic. Discerning readers will detect the suspicious nature of one of her relationships and will recognize this novel as a thriller early on, but others may not realize it until the second half. The story includes conversations about consent and power dynamics in romantic relationships. However, the few other female characters come across as one-dimensional plot devices, and Sloane's unhealthy reaction to a toxic relationship, though questioned by other characters, is not explored in real depth. While some may find these issues problematic, others will be too swept away by the intricate suspense and romance to notice. VERDICT Recommend this page-turning romantic thriller to fans of Ally Carter's "Embassy Row" series or Cherie Priest's I Am Princess X.-Elizabeth Lovsin, Deerfield Public Library, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2018
Grades 8-11 When Sloane Sullivan chose her name, she was hoping this would be the last one. Five years ago, she witnessed a crime she can't remember, lost both of her parents, and has been in witness protection ever since?�starting over in a new town with a new identity several times a year with Mark, the marshal assigned to protect her. She's close to graduation, with hopes of going to college and starting a permanent life with her Sloan Sullivan identity. Things get complicated when her childhood best friend is not only enrolled in her school but also turns out to be incredibly handsome and sweet; furthermore, she begins to suspect Mark is hiding something from her. This thriller is high on swoon and red herrings, but the twisty action doesn't start until later in the book. The pacing runs in circles a bit through the middle, but the budding romance carries the slower parts, and readers who are skeptical of the depiction of witness protection will get a satisfying payoff once the action rises.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)