A Thousand Perfect Lies by Monica Murphy

The quick cut: A girl living with her mother in the United States agrees to go to England under a fake name to try to clear her sister's name. 

A real review: 

 Family relationships can be difficult, especially when the parents end up going separate ways. For Billie, that is a very true statement when she agrees to go to England under a fake name and try to clear her sister's name. 

 Billie has spent most of her life with her alcoholic mother. Doing what she has to do to make it, she works a job and got her GED. It's a life she's willing to temporarily leave behind for her father that she's really never known. Why? Her sister Isla, who lives in England with their father, is desperate for help to prove that she didn't kill her best friend. Isla, currently in a coma at the hospital, is unable to explain what happened. Can Billie discover the truth? Or will she be discovered instead? 

 I enjoyed this story from the get-go, especially since the author immediately got into the action of the story. Billie has had to be tough for so long that she doesn't trust others easily, so when her dad's request comes and provides an opportunity to improve her life, she takes it. Having a parent who clearly has issues can only make that more complex. 

 A lot of the story revolves around family drama that has gone unspoken and unresolved for many years. The plot may take place on an elite boarding school campus, but the drama that unfolds is undeniably serious and adult in nature. It's also clear that the adults never really had the appropriate guidance or direction they needed to make good choices. Maybe that's the point though: when you come from rich or privileged families, the problems tend to be just as ridiculous as the amount of wealth they live with. 

 I liked Billie as a character and seeing her try to navigate Wickham gets complicated. She doesn't come from a wealthy background: quite the opposite in fact. Pretending to be something she's not is a stretch, but one she's willing to do for the sister she remained in contact with. There were a few plot weaknesses throughout the story, but they weren't significant enough to take away from the entertainment value to me. When the truth is revealed, it makes sense and leads to a satisfying conclusion for me.  

 A fun and thrilling mystery centered on wealthy kids at a prestigious boarding school.  

My rating: 5 out of 5