Sweetfreak

Carey Logan is a British 14-year-old who is best friends with Amelia. Carey’s older sister Poppy was dating Amelia’s brother George. Carey showed Amelia a photograph of Poppy kissing a Spanish boy while she was on holiday. Jealous George dumped Poppy when he saw the photo. Amelia starts receiving truly disturbing messages online from an unknown sender named Sweetfreak. She convinces herself that Carey is the guilty sender. Their friendship ends. The police suspect Carey of online harassment. Now Carey must prove herself innocent.

The reader initially fails to warm to the heroine of this story. It is Carey herself who triggers the end of her sister’s relationship by showing the photo to George. And whatever troubles affect other people, her first and only thought seems to be for herself. But as events conspire to place Carey at the centre of a nexus of suspicion (even her mother doubts her innocence) then the reader’s sympathy begins to be earned. She is cast in the lead role in her school’s musical. But she is suspended from school and of course loses the prized lead.

When the police are looking for Carey she runs away with no idea where she is going. It did not seem entirely convincing that a sensible fourteen year old would act in such a wildly senseless manner.

The novel maintains its pace and ends with a powerful surprise denouement.