Maddy and Juliet

Working in a low-end motel in a dead-end job is bad enough, but when the woman who beat her in every race she ever ran in high school turns up, Juliet Townsend thinks her life looks pretty grim. In Lori-Rader-Day's Little Pretty Things, Madeleine Bell's appearance at the motel accentuates Juliet's failure. Maddy is still gorgeous and is sporting a huge diamond ring. When Maddy tries to befriend Juliet again, Juliet shuts her down and leaves the motel.

The next morning determined to apologize for her rudeness, Juliet finds Maddy dead, hanging from the balcony. Before long Juliet becomes a suspect. After 10 years away why had Maddy returned and who would want to kill her?

When they were in high school Juliet and Maddy had been on the track team, Maddy was the golden girl and Juliet was always one step behind her. They were headed for big things when the Indiana state finals came around. But the day of the meet, Maddy lay convulsed in pain on the floor of their room, unable to compete. Instead of letting Juliet take her place, Coach and his assistant Fitz thought Juliet should go with Maddy, essentially crushing her dream.

While the motel where she worked is closed for the investigation, Juliet works as an assistant for the high school track team. She notices odd behavior in some of the girls and begins to piece together things from her past track experience. Soon she discovers disturbing signs that all is not well on the current girls track team.

Lori Rader-Day paints a grim picture of life in a small town and for those who remain behind after high school. I enjoyed Little Pretty Things and I look forward to other books by the author.

For books by Rader-Day, click here.