Ask Me

February 3, 2014
Pauley (Cat Girl’s Day Off) updates the conceit of a compulsively truthful, Cassandralike protagonist in this well-executed mystery. Aria, 17, is both mysterious and familiar—the girl cringing in the corner, mumbling weird stuff. It’s not awkwardness or a wretched home life that makes her behave this way, though. Aria is an oracle, who must answer truthfully every question she hears. She doesn’t have conscious access to most of this knowledge, and she’s often confused by what she says. After classmate Jade goes missing, it’s Aria who gives the crucial clue that leads to discovery of the body. But when she is drawn into the quest to discover Jade’s killer, the twists of her oracular gift obscure the answer until it’s nearly too late. Pauley’s characterizations are superior, and the startling, sometimes painful things Aria says make for sharp dialogue. The only stumble is in the denouement, when the emotions built over the preceding pages unravel too quickly and superficially. For the most part, however, this is an absorbing and resonant read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Susanna Einstein, Einstein Thompson Agency.