Cook, Eileen. 2016. With malice. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780544805095
Eighteen year old Jill Charron wakes up in the hospital with no recollection as to what happened. She has just been in Italy on the trip of her dreams with her very best friend, Simone. Jill and Simone have been inseparable since the fourth grade. Though Jill’s memory isn’t returning, she is more horrified by the day as she learns that she is being accused of murder and causing the accident that took her friend’s life and landed her in a rehab hospital. Jill learns bits and pieces of what people are saying went on during the trip - that she and Jill were fighting, that there was a guy involved, that she slapped her. All of which is unfathomable to her. With twists and turns that will prevent you from putting this novel down, you’ll never guess the ending.
This thriller was more than I expected. With the main character not remembering anything from the get-go, the author hooked me from the first page. The story is told from Jill’s point of view, but scattered throughout it are the police reports from various friends, parents, and other students on the trip also. There are TV scripts to show what the media is saying about her and the text from a blog that was started in support of Simone against Jill. The various points of view add to the suspense and mystery of what really happened. This book would be enjoyed by a reader of any age who enjoys fast-paced thriller. Other titles by Eileen Cook include Remember, Year of Mistaken Discoveries, The Almost Truth, Used to Be, and Do or Di, among many others.
With Malice appeared on the Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list in 2016.
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