The End of Everything    by Megan Abbott Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2011 (2011) Hardcover, CD Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Life was so good for thirteen year-olds, Lizzie Hood and her next-door neighbor Evie Verver. They lived in each other's pockets. Secrets as well as ice cream were shared. Evie's father was a great dad. He made up for the missing one in Lizzie's life. Lizzie was left in a mist of anxiety when Evie disappeared. The last Lizzie saw of her was when Evie refused a ride home from Lizzie's brother. Evie's family, her neighbors, and her entire town joined in a search for her. Rumors flew. Fear ran rampant. What could have happened to that beautiful child? Lizzie is left with her thoughts and then doubts. Dusty, Evie's older sister, makes strange remarks and exhibits bizarre behavior. The plot of this gripping novel is tense. What is mind-boggling is Lizzie's subsequent take on her friend's actions. Lizzie spends hours of her time with her thoughts and dreams – to my mind, highly unusual thoughts for a thirteen year-old. Deeply introspective and right on the button. The ending is just what the author had you thinking was going to happen. And proves what we all find out at one time or another in our lives - that we really don't know the people we thought we did. The End of Everything is a well-written story, that deals with the anguish of being a teenager, coping with many wonderful happenings and discovering the world around you, but also finding that all is not as it seems. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews