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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A death and its investigation; some violence in the mystery's resolution
Language
Some
Some profanity in the literary fiction register
Sexual Content
Some
Some sexual content involving adult characters
Substance Use
Some
Significant drinking among adult characters; some teen drinking
Emotional Intensity
A lot
Strong psychological content: the seductive danger of a charismatic adult, the mystery of what Hannah was and what happened to her, and Blue's intellectual obsession
What this book is about
Blue van Meer, the precocious daughter of an itinerant political science professor, arrives at a new school in North Carolina and finds herself drawn into the orbit of Hannah Schneider — a charismatic film teacher with a mysterious past and a strange circle of beautiful, damaged students. When tragedy strikes on a camping trip, Blue must piece together what actually happened. Pessl's extravagant debut is rich with literary allusions, dark humor, and a labyrinthine mystery that unfolds with genuine intelligence.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A charismatic adult teacher's potentially predatory relationship with students
A death and dark mystery at the novel's center
Reader Verification
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