Six-year-old Violet Mitchell is a genius. She tests off the charts and earns a spot at the prestigious Riverside Academy, where teachers adore her and parents wish their children were more like her. But Anne knows what they don't see-the coldness behind Violet's smile, the way other children flinch when she walks by. At school, Violet is the perfect student. At recess, she's a different child. Classmates whisper about her cruelty, but adults never catch her in the act.
When popular seven-year-old Sophie becomes Violet's target, the psychological torture is so subtle that teachers dismiss it as typical playground drama. Then comes the field trip to the nature preserve. A beautiful spring day. An observation tower with a stunning view. And one child who doesn't come home. Sophie's death is ruled an accident, but three children saw what really happened. They saw Violet push her.
The problem is, there's no proof. And Violet's story never changes. As the investigation closes and life returns to normal, Anne faces the truth she's been running from since Violet was born. Her daughter is a murderer. The lawsuit against the fertility clinic reveals that five other children from Donor 847 have killed. Tom wants Violet institutionalized. Their marriage is crumbling. And Violet whispers something that confirms Anne's worst fear: "She shouldn't have called me a liar."The third book in the Anywhere But Here series delivers the devastating moment when a mother must choose between her daughter and justice-and makes the wrong choice.
Perfect for readers who loved We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Push.
Six-year-old Violet Mitchell is a genius. She tests off the charts and earns a spot at the prestigious Riverside Academy, where teachers adore her and parents wish their children were more like her. But Anne knows what they don't see-the coldness behind Violet's smile, the way other children flinch when she walks by. At school, Violet is the perfect student. At recess, she's a different child. Classmates whisper about her cruelty, but adults never catch her in the act.
When popular seven-year-old Sophie becomes Violet's target, the psychological torture is so subtle that teachers dismiss it as typical playground drama. Then comes the field trip to the nature preserve. A beautiful spring day. An observation tower with a stunning view. And one child who doesn't come home. Sophie's death is ruled an accident, but three children saw what really happened. They saw Violet push her.
The problem is, there's no proof. And Violet's story never changes. As the investigation closes and life returns to normal, Anne faces the truth she's been running from since Violet was born. Her daughter is a murderer. The lawsuit against the fertility clinic reveals that five other children from Donor 847 have killed. Tom wants Violet institutionalized. Their marriage is crumbling. And Violet whispers something that confirms Anne's worst fear: "She shouldn't have called me a liar."The third book in the Anywhere But Here series delivers the devastating moment when a mother must choose between her daughter and justice-and makes the wrong choice.
Perfect for readers who loved We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Push.