THE FEVER by Megan Abbott

Deenie, Gabby, Lise, and Skye are four high school students who are friends. They are their own little sisterhood who like to hang out together. Their secrets are shared amongst no one but themselves.

 Lise suddenly falls ill at school, and it is not pretty. She begins vomiting and having uncontrollable convulsions. As she lays in the hospital, a few days later Gabby becomes ill while performing a musical solo at the school assembly in the auditorium.

Deenie becomes worried with the feeling that the sickness is beginning to target their group. After Skye falls victim to the illness, Deenie is almost certain the infection is contained within their sisterhood.

Since the illnesses occurred at the high school, the health department and police step in. The parents are up in arms declaring it is only affecting girls. They claim the Human Papillomavirus shots that were pushed on the high schoolers is the cause.

Deenie does not agree, because no other girls outside their group is sick. Skye begins pointing the finger at the lone girl who has not become ill, Deenie.

There is a race against time to find the common thread among the Lise, Gabby, and Skye. The thread that has Lise’s body bloated and in a coma; the thread that has Gabby’s eyes constantly twitching; the thread that has Skye pale as snow and hallucinating. Why did the attacks only transpire at the school? Why wasn’t Deenie affected?

Megan Abbott has written an engrossed thrilling mystery with a suspenseful ending. You will turn pages quickly to find the unsuspecting answer. I found myself being the sleuth detective, but missed it by a long shot---twice. 

I recommend this book to readers who like a good mystery full of suspense. I promise you will not know what is happening to the girls until the end. (Available June 17, 2014)

I received this book free from Little, Brown and Company/Division of Hachette through the Net Galley Review Program, for an unbiased honest review.