Reconstructing Amelia

When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter's exclusive private school, she's shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter.

Kate rushes to Grace Hall, but what she finds when she finally arrives is beyond comprehension.

Her daughter Amelia is dead.

Despondent over having been caught cheating, Amelia has jumped from the school's roof in an act of impulsive suicide. At least that's the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. In a state of shock and overcome by grief, Kate tries to come to grips with this life-shattering news. Then she gets an anonymous text:

Amelia didn't jump.

The moment she sees that message, Kate knows in her heart it's true. Clearly Amelia had secrets, and a life Kate knew nothing about. Wracked by guilt, Kate is determined to find out what those secrets were and who could have hated her daughter enough to kill. She searches through Amelia's e-mails, texts, and Facebook updates, piecing together the last troubled days of her daughter's life.

Reconstructing Amelia is a stunning debut page-turner that brilliantly explores the secret world of teenagers, their clandestine first loves, hidden friendships, and the dangerous cruelty that can spill over into acts of terrible betrayal.

“McCreight captures the complexities, cruelty and angst of teenage girls so well my stomach was in knots. What really happened to Amelia? Youll find yourself staying up all night to find out.” Jennifer McMahon, < i=""> New York Times <> -bestselling author of < i=""> The One I Left Behind <>

“The real story of Amelias life and death emerges slowly, through a creative blend of Kates present, Amelias past, and such varied communication methods as texts, e-mails, blog entries, and Facebook status updates. . . . Fans of literary thrillers will enjoy the novels dark mood and clever form.” < i=""> Publishers Weekly <>

“A multilayered legal thriller. . . . Comes to a seamless and unanticipated conclusion.” < i=""> Kirkus Reviews <>

“An elaborately plotted mystery. . . . A harrowing story. . . . McCreight does a fne job of building suspense and creating characters, notably Kate and Amelia, whom the target audience—both adults and older teens—will care about and empathize with.” < i=""> Booklist <>

“Like Gone Girl, Reconstructing Amelia seamlessly marries a crime story with a relationship drama. And like Gone Girl, it should be hailed as one of the best books of the year…A” < i=""> Entertainment Weekly <>

“Reconstructing Amelia will keep you hooked till the last page.” < i=""> BookPage <>

“McCreight combines a poignant, pulled-from-the-headlines story with writing sanctified by Antietam Review and Oxford magazine.” < i=""> Library Journal <>

“We love a powerful debut, and this is just that.… Its Mean Girls meets The Secret History meets the cyberbullying case of Amanda Todd––and its unputdownable.” < i=""> Daily Candy <>

“Reconstructing Ameliais a clever, scary mean-girls tale.” < i=""> USA Today <>

“Fast-paced and suspenseful…. a page-turning mystery and thriller will appeal to…fans of Jodi Picoult.” < i=""> School Library Journal <>

“[A] mystery with enough red herring to stock Lake Michigan…this is the novel most likely to be found in coming weeks not on the beach but on the F train. ” < i=""> New York Times <>

“Just finished a fantastic novel–Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight. So. Well. Done. If you liked Gone Girl, youll love this too.” Jodi Picoult

“Clever and scary . . . McCreight has her finger on the private school zeitgeist. . .and this disturbing tale will make older readers fondly recall the days when kids got in trouble for passing (print) notes in class.” < i=""> USA Today <>

“Gossip Girl meets Gone Girl.” < i=""> Entertainment Weekly <> , & #8220;Summer Must & #8221; List

“Wow! I was pulled in after reading the first page.… Its sort of a thriller/prep school teen drama that is full of secrets.” People.com Staff Pick

“A tale of elaborate mystery intertwined with the tenderness of a mothers love, Reconstructing Amelia exudes suspense at every turn…. Gripping and tragic, [it] is a true page turner.” < i=""> Click <>

“Kimberly McCreights debut novel shines a light on teen-girl culture.…I wanted to keep reading.” < i=""> Pittsburgh Post-Gazette <>

“Did Amelia Baron really get caught cheating and then commit suicide—or is the truth more sinister? A nail-biter for Gone Girl fans.” < em=""> People < m="">

In Reconstructing Amelia, the stunning debut novel from Kimberly McCreight, Kate's in the middle of the biggest meeting of her career when she gets the telephone call from Grace Hall, her daughters exclusive private school in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Amelia has been suspended, effective immediately, and Kate must come get her daughter—now. But Kates stress over leaving work quickly turns to panic when she arrives at the school and finds it surrounded by police officers, fire trucks, and an ambulance. By then its already too late for Amelia. And for Kate.

An academic overachiever despondent over getting caught cheating has jumped to her death. At least thats the story Grace Hall tells Kate. And clouded as she is by her guilt and grief, it is the one she forces herself to believe. Until she gets an anonymous text: She didnt jump.

Reconstructing Amelia is about secret first loves, old friendships, and an all-girls club steeped in tradition. But, most of all, its the story of how far a mother will go to vindicate the memory of a daughter whose life she couldnt save.

Fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl will find Reconstructing Amelia just as gripping and surprising.

Kimberly McCreight, named one of Entertainment Weekly's "13 to Watch in 2013," attended Vassar College and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. After several years as a litigation associate at some of New York City's biggest law firms, she left the practice of law to write full-time. Her work has appeared in such publications as Antietam Review, Oxford Magazine, and Babble. She lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her husband and two daughters.