Gilt Hollow

Gr 9 Up—Langdon draws readers into a town riddled with deadly secrets and dangerous lies lurking in every corner, from the protagonists' possibly haunted attic to the bustling coffee shop downtown. Threatening messages appear, and suspicious events begin occurring upon the return of convicted killer Ashton Keller. But is he really the true danger to this society? Meanwhile, Ashton's former best friend Willow is barely piecing together a normal adolescent life following Ashton's conviction and now sudden unexpected return from juvenile detention. Torn between her longtime love and loyalty to Ashton and her interest in dating other boys, getting through high school, and keeping her family safe and happy in the wake of her father's death, Willow finds herself right in the thick of some very dark business. Filled with detailed descriptions of the characters' physical appearances, this novel would be great for teens who want to mix some elements of danger and mystery in with their love triangles.