Book Review - CRYER'S CROSS by Lisa McMann

Everything changes when Tiffany Quinn disappears.

In the exceptionally small town of Cryer’s Cross, Montana, life is turned upside down when high school student, Tiffany vanishes. When a search is created to try and find her, Kendall Fletcher can’t help but think something terrible has happened and that’s it only the beginning. And since she’s stricken with OCD, Kendall’s brain continues to go a mile a minute, coming up with possibility after possibility of where Tiffany could have gone. When the search comes up empty, most give up hope while others refuse to quit. Soon, things go back to normal and Kendall returns to school with her best friend—and sometimes boyfriend—Nico Cruz. The already small class is joined by two new students: Jacian Obregon and his younger sister, Marlena. News quickly spreads that Jacian was questioned in Tiffany’s disappearance and it doesn’t take Kendall’s mind long to come up with ideas of how he chopped the innocent girl up in tiny pieces.

Unfortunately, in a town as small as Cryer’s Cross, Kendall can’t help but bump into Jacian when she would rather run the opposite direction, screaming. As one of the best players on the school’s soccer team, she actually finds a competitor in Jacian as he is also quite good. His sister also joins the team, a fun-loving teen who becomes fast friends with Kendall. Because she uses soccer as a main distraction for the OCD, Kendall tries her best to avoid Jacian despite being slightly attracted to him at the same time. Eventually, the days come and go and Tiffany is believed to be lost forever. Only to be replaced by Nico. When Kendall begins to notice her friend acting strange, she doesn’t want to think she’s losing him. Then when he disappears her world completely shatters.

With the town officially on the edge of chaos—and center of the news—Kendall searches for any clues that might explain what happened to Nico and to Tiffany. What she finds is a desk. A desk that first belonged to Tiffany, then Nico, and now sits empty. Etched with odd graffiti begging for help and voices that whisper in Kendall’s ear when she finally sits in the lonesome chair, things start becoming clearer. Though she doesn’t want to believe her crazy theories could be true, Kendall can’t ignore the connections. And with her attraction to Jacian growing, she becomes conflicted, her mind debating whether or not to keep looking for Nico or let him go and move on with her life.

Those who have read McMann’s previous novels will be used to her writing style. Since this was my first time reading her, I didn’t know what to expect. No long drawn details here. McMann has an edgy, shifting style that actually works well with the story of CRYER’S CROSS. It may not be for everyone, but if you look past the actually writing and think of it along with the plot, it’s almost genius. No bunnies or rainbows in this horror tale. McMann weaves a creepy, suspenseful—and sometimes romantic—novel that will no doubt have kids fearing that empty desk in their classroom. While it’s not the best scary story I’ve come across, the climax and the truth of what happens to those who sit at that particular desk did make me cringe.

Kendall is a great role model for others with OCD in that she refuses to let it control her life. Yes, there are times in the story when it does, but she always finds a way to fight back. It also proves that it’s nothing to be ashamed of as Jacian, after catching the way Kendall always has to rearrange the classroom before the students come in, still manages to fall in love with her. Jacian, himself, is also a worthy leading man. McMann doesn’t beat around the bush. She presents Jacian in the clearest way possible, yet allows the reader to fall in love with him alongside Kendall. For parents debating whether or not CRYER’S CROSS is appropriate for the young ones, I say this… No blood and guts flying across the page. Instead, McMann displays a psychological thriller that teeters on the line of horror. Creepy? Yes, but what CRYER’S CROSS should be most remembered for is Kendall, a loyal and strong friend I would want on my side.