I had low expectations for Sara Shepard's The Lying Game, as it's not the usual type of YA book I read. However, I must admit--I was surprised. It was well written. It had a fast pace that sucked me in, and I read it in a few hours. It was well plotted and still has me guessing. 
 The first two lines of the book's description are such an intriguing hint about what's to come: "I had a life anyone would kill for...Then someone did." I requested a galley of this book from NetGalley based on those two lines alone even though I am not familiar with Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series. I have to say that I was impressed with her writing. She crafted a mystery that drew me in, and she created suspense by giving several people a motive. However, the abrupt ending was unexpected, as I thought there would be more resolution. When I started reading, I didn't realize it would probably be several more books before the big reveal. 
 My favorite part of The Lying Game? Sara Shepard's use of both third person and first person for the narration. I was impressed how she seamlessly blended the two styles in order to give us both Sutton and Emma's perspectives. Even though Sutton was despicable while alive, hearing her first-person narration after her death made her more likeable, as she seemed to begin to realize the gravity of her mistakes. I genuinely liked Emma for her caring ways and how she tried to rise above the unfortunate events of her childhood, and the first/third person blend allowed us to understand both Emma and Sutton. The paranormal fan in me hopes that in future novels, Shepard will find a way to allow Emma and Sutton to communicate. 
 One question, though, regarding Ethan. It was hinted that perhaps he had had a crush on the real Sutton in the past, which I found out of character for him. The real Sutton was manipulative, selfish, reckless, and malicious. I just can't believe Ethan would have liked the real Sutton in the past. Thankfully, Emma seems so much more well suited for him. 
 As an aside, I worry the pop culture references will date this book too quickly. Already some of the songs mentioned made the book seem "so last year." And Sutton? What kind of name is that? There's a meat company called Sutton and it sounds too close to mutton, so every time I read that name, I couldn't help but think of meat. 
 The Lying Game is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of suspense and intrigue. While I wish Sara Shepard had offered more answers at the end, fans of her Pretty Little Liars series will undoubtedly enjoy this new offering. This book seems suited for older high schoolers; adult fans of YA may feel a little too old for it. Some of the content (teen drinking, drug use, sexual references) may make it unsuitable for younger teens.