When a girl named Ali goes on vacation with her aunt and cousin things change...a lot. Questions are asked. Why does no one know about Sissy? Who is she? Where does she live? Why is Sissy so rude? Why is my mom so scared or nervous about us going to the lake? Why is my mom so easily frightened? Why does Sissy only wear dirty swimsuits? Just out the door a deep and dark and dangerous lake awaits. Will the lake take a victim?
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me intrigued throughout the entire story. If you are a fan of mysteries you should read it. Mary Downing Hahn is a very good writer. I always enjoy all of her books. The book is telling you to not lie or it will just haunt you for the rest of your life. This book was most likely written for 11-16 year olds. Mary Downing Hahn herself recommends those who enjoy ghost stories. It is detailed perfectly so when you read you get an image of what's happening. Hahn has a knack for bringing emotions into her book. Once I started reading I could not stop.
Ali...Ali O'Dwyer... Ali is the thirteen year old protagonist. Claire O'Dwyer is Ali’s mom. She is mostly in bed with huge migraines. Dulcie O'Dwyer is Claires older sister and Ali’s aunt. She has a child named Emma O'Dwyer. Emma is a lonely five year old. Sissy is a very pale girl and has bleach blonde hair with a dirty pale blue swimsuit who ‘befriends’ Emma and bullies her. Sissy tells Emma that Ali is a bad person and has no friends because all she does is follow her five year old cousin. So who is T? Ali found a ripped photo. A girl was ripped out, only a single letter shows her name. T. Why was T. ripped out?
Will Ali learn the truth about her mom, Sissy, and the lake? How are her Aunt and mom connected to the lake? Why won’t Sissy tell anything about herself? What happened here so many years ago? When will Ali learn about everything? Why was that picture torn? Who was she? When, where, how, and why?