Science Fiction & Fantasy
![Ginny Myers Sain - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_ginny_myers_sain.jpg)
Dark and Shallow Lies
A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling debut supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and Rory Power.
La Cachette, Louisiana, is the worst place to be if you have something to hide.
This tiny town, where seventeen-year-old Grey spends her summers, is the self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World-and the place where Elora Pellerin, Grey's best friend, disappeared six months earlier.
Grey can't believe that Elora vanished into thin air any more than she can believe that nobody in a town full of psychics knows what happened. But as she digs into the night that Elora went missing, she begins to realize that everybody in town is hiding something-her grandmother Honey; her childhood crush Hart; and even her late mother, whose secrets continue to call to Grey from beyond the grave.
When a mysterious stranger emerges from the bayou-a stormy-eyed boy with links to Elora and the town's bloody history-Grey realizes that La Cachette's past is far more present and dangerous than she'd ever understood. Suddenly, she doesn't know who she can trust. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent-and La Cachette's dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.
La Cachette, Louisiana, is the worst place to be if you have something to hide.
This tiny town, where seventeen-year-old Grey spends her summers, is the self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World-and the place where Elora Pellerin, Grey's best friend, disappeared six months earlier.
Grey can't believe that Elora vanished into thin air any more than she can believe that nobody in a town full of psychics knows what happened. But as she digs into the night that Elora went missing, she begins to realize that everybody in town is hiding something-her grandmother Honey; her childhood crush Hart; and even her late mother, whose secrets continue to call to Grey from beyond the grave.
When a mysterious stranger emerges from the bayou-a stormy-eyed boy with links to Elora and the town's bloody history-Grey realizes that La Cachette's past is far more present and dangerous than she'd ever understood. Suddenly, she doesn't know who she can trust. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent-and La Cachette's dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.
Editorial Reviews
* "Dreamy prose conjures a mythical Southern Gothic atmosphere, mixing violence with a Byronic characterization of Elora's stepbrother Hart. Taut pacing builds sustained terror on the page with each successive suspect in this formidable debut." -Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Murky waters, hidden gators, and nasty cottonmouths match the setting to its darkly unsettling story….Fans of Brenna Yovanoff's Fiendish or Natalie C. Parker's Beware the Wild will find this atmospheric thriller deeply satisfying." –BCCB
"A darkly atmospheric mystery set in the bayous of Louisiana."- School Library Journal
"Haunting and arresting, this is one stunning debut. Ginny Myers Sain has written a totally engrossing small-town mystery about what happens when you finally dig up long-buried secrets." -Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They'll Never Catch Us
"Don't even try to resist-Ginny Myers Sain will lure you into the spellbinding world of the deep Louisiana bayou with this riveting missing girl mystery populated by a bewitching cast of characters; spun to life in lush, atmospheric prose; and teeming with a dark mythology that is part folklore, part psychic mysticism, and entirely compelling." -Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos
"Enchanting and chilling at once, you'll instantly get sucked into this atmospheric tale of kindred spirits brimming with secrets that could tear them apart. Ginny Myers Sain's haunting, lush, lyrical prose will keep you captivated till the end." -Diana Urban, author of All Your Twisted Secrets
"Murky waters, hidden gators, and nasty cottonmouths match the setting to its darkly unsettling story….Fans of Brenna Yovanoff's Fiendish or Natalie C. Parker's Beware the Wild will find this atmospheric thriller deeply satisfying." –BCCB
"A darkly atmospheric mystery set in the bayous of Louisiana."- School Library Journal
"Haunting and arresting, this is one stunning debut. Ginny Myers Sain has written a totally engrossing small-town mystery about what happens when you finally dig up long-buried secrets." -Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They'll Never Catch Us
"Don't even try to resist-Ginny Myers Sain will lure you into the spellbinding world of the deep Louisiana bayou with this riveting missing girl mystery populated by a bewitching cast of characters; spun to life in lush, atmospheric prose; and teeming with a dark mythology that is part folklore, part psychic mysticism, and entirely compelling." -Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos
"Enchanting and chilling at once, you'll instantly get sucked into this atmospheric tale of kindred spirits brimming with secrets that could tear them apart. Ginny Myers Sain's haunting, lush, lyrical prose will keep you captivated till the end." -Diana Urban, author of All Your Twisted Secrets
Readers Top Reviews
Sherry BKindle D
- mystery, coming of age, supernatural. It's about lifelong friendships struggling not to come undone cuz of violence, heartbreaking loss, the need to know more & why in a tiny Louisiana bayou town full of psychics hiding the truth. At times I hurt too much from the main character's pain, at other times the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. Just a lot of emotions while reading this book. And, bonus, I didn't figure out who did what but it made sense when revealed.
KendaKay24Sherry
Ginny Sain's masterfully written debut YA thriller is a Must Read!! The many plot twists kept me guessing every step of the way, plus Ginny's descriptive language and her quick and clever humor made every page an exciting adventure and a genuine joy to read!! Read This Book and Enjoy the Ride!!
CrochetingCricket
It's not often that an author can successfully use misdirection as artfully as Ginny Myers Sain does in Dark and Shallow Lies. The first 2/3 of the book kept me guessing, but I was certain I had figured out the mystery all the way up to the climax. I hadn't. This book might be in the young adult category, but it's suitable for adults, too (full disclosure: I'm 40-something and an avid reader.) It's a wonderfully told story, the atmosphere is tangible, the symbolism beautiful...I'm actually grieving because it's over. Read it...just don't plan on getting much sleep until you've finished it.
GeauxGetLitCroche
Coming from your south Louisiana girl, this book was on fleek! Full of mystery and intrigue, this was a page turner and a book rich of culture and chills! I loved it so much and it did ring true of what it can be like living down here. Cajuns are known to be spiritually gifted. This is about a fictitious town where they hail from all the way down the boot. Loved all the Cajun references made! Do not miss this book!
Danielle's BooksG
"Knowing is hard," he says, "but it's a thing you can survive. The not knowing will kill you in the end. It's the secrets that fester." First, let me start by thanking the author and publisher for sending me an ARC copy of this book. Now, let me begin by saying that this was the perfect book to read during the Halloween season!! It had all those spooky and gothic vibes that you love to experience during this time of year! I love the southern feel to the authors style of writing with this novel! I feel like it gave the story that much more connection with the reader. The plot is phenomenal, and well thought out! I found myself jumping back and forth for a while trying to figure out who killed Elora. It is full of twist and turns and that New Orleans way of life everyone loves to experience. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a spooky story about an unsolved disappears in a town full of psychics!
Short Excerpt Teaser
The last time I saw my best friend, she called me a pathetic liar and then she punched me in the mouth. The shock of it almost kept me from feeling anything until it was over. And I had no idea what Elora was thinking in that last moment. Because she didn't say. And I'm not a mind reader.
Honey is. My mother was. I guess. All the women in my family, right up to me.
But not me.
I'm thinking of that night last summer as I stand on the front porch of the Mystic Rose and stare at Elora's missing poster, trying to catch my breath. I'm wondering why they chose that picture. The one with her eyes half-closed. She hated that picture.
Jesus.
She hates that picture.
I've been steeling myself for this moment since I got that phone call back in February. Trying to imagine what it would be like to come home and step off the boat into a La Cachette without Elora. And I knew it would be bad. But I hadn't been prepared for the poster.
The words MISSING GIRL printed in red caps.
The sheriff's phone number.
My chest tightens. I drop my backpack to sink down and sit on the front steps so I can pull myself together. Clear my head of that weird flash that hit me out of nowhere.
Elora running from someone.
Being chased through the rain.
Swallowed up by the dark.
A few seconds to shake off that terror. Her terror. That's all I need. Then surely I'll be able to breathe again.
The screen door slams, and I hear footsteps on the porch behind me. It's Evie. "Hey, Grey." She perches beside me on the steps, like a bird, and offers me half a stick of gum dug out of the pocket of her cutoff shorts. "Miss Roselyn said you was comin' this mornin'. You just get in?"
La Cachette, Louisiana, is the self-proclaimed "Psychic Capital of the World," so I always find it odd that every summer visit starts with people firing off questions they should already know the answers to.
How was school dis year?
Still makin'good grades?
Gotcha a boyfriend yet?
"Yeah." I unwrap Evie's offering and nod toward the backpack at my feet. "Got off the mail boat a few minutes ago." The gum's a little stale, and I wonder how long she's been carrying it around.
"We didn't know if you'd come this year . . ." Evie's voice trails off, and she glances at the curling edges of the MISSING poster. At the picture in the center. Half-closed eyes and a long dark ponytail. That bright blue tank top with the faded yellow stars. And a knock-you-on-your-ass smile.
Elora.
"She's my best friend," I say. "My-" But I can't choke out the words.
"Your twin flame," Evie finishes for me, and I nod. She settles onto the step and slips her hand into mine. "So you had to come."
Evie's gentle sweetness is as familiar as the worn smoothness of the porch step. And the smell of the river. I'm glad she was the first one to find me.
Sweat stings the corners of my eyes, and I pull up the collar of my T-shirt to dab it away. Barely eight thirty in the morning and already a million degrees with 500 percent humidity. I lived down here full-time till I was almost nine years old, so you'd think I'd be used to it, but it always takes me a while to reacclimate after spending the school year up in Arkansas with my dad. I mean, it's hot there, too . . . but not like this.
Nowhere is hot like this. Or wet like this. Spending the summer in La Cachette is like living inside someone's mouth for three months out of the year.
I pull my eyes away from Elora's picture in time to watch the back half of a big black snake disappear into a clump of tall sedge grass beyond the boardwalk. It's too far away to say for sure if it's a moccasin. But I figure it probably is. That thick body gives it away. And I know they're always out there, sliding back and forth beneath our feet like the slow roll of the tides. Every once in a while, one of them finds its way up onto the boardwalk and into someone's house, where it meets its doom at the business end of a long-handled hoe. Or a shovel.
I don't like to think about the snake, or where it might be heading, but it's better than staring at that poster while the words missing girl burn deep into my brain.
"You okay, Grey?" Evie asks. She's twisting a strand of almost-white-blonde hair around one finger.
...
Honey is. My mother was. I guess. All the women in my family, right up to me.
But not me.
I'm thinking of that night last summer as I stand on the front porch of the Mystic Rose and stare at Elora's missing poster, trying to catch my breath. I'm wondering why they chose that picture. The one with her eyes half-closed. She hated that picture.
Jesus.
She hates that picture.
I've been steeling myself for this moment since I got that phone call back in February. Trying to imagine what it would be like to come home and step off the boat into a La Cachette without Elora. And I knew it would be bad. But I hadn't been prepared for the poster.
The words MISSING GIRL printed in red caps.
The sheriff's phone number.
My chest tightens. I drop my backpack to sink down and sit on the front steps so I can pull myself together. Clear my head of that weird flash that hit me out of nowhere.
Elora running from someone.
Being chased through the rain.
Swallowed up by the dark.
A few seconds to shake off that terror. Her terror. That's all I need. Then surely I'll be able to breathe again.
The screen door slams, and I hear footsteps on the porch behind me. It's Evie. "Hey, Grey." She perches beside me on the steps, like a bird, and offers me half a stick of gum dug out of the pocket of her cutoff shorts. "Miss Roselyn said you was comin' this mornin'. You just get in?"
La Cachette, Louisiana, is the self-proclaimed "Psychic Capital of the World," so I always find it odd that every summer visit starts with people firing off questions they should already know the answers to.
How was school dis year?
Still makin'good grades?
Gotcha a boyfriend yet?
"Yeah." I unwrap Evie's offering and nod toward the backpack at my feet. "Got off the mail boat a few minutes ago." The gum's a little stale, and I wonder how long she's been carrying it around.
"We didn't know if you'd come this year . . ." Evie's voice trails off, and she glances at the curling edges of the MISSING poster. At the picture in the center. Half-closed eyes and a long dark ponytail. That bright blue tank top with the faded yellow stars. And a knock-you-on-your-ass smile.
Elora.
"She's my best friend," I say. "My-" But I can't choke out the words.
"Your twin flame," Evie finishes for me, and I nod. She settles onto the step and slips her hand into mine. "So you had to come."
Evie's gentle sweetness is as familiar as the worn smoothness of the porch step. And the smell of the river. I'm glad she was the first one to find me.
Sweat stings the corners of my eyes, and I pull up the collar of my T-shirt to dab it away. Barely eight thirty in the morning and already a million degrees with 500 percent humidity. I lived down here full-time till I was almost nine years old, so you'd think I'd be used to it, but it always takes me a while to reacclimate after spending the school year up in Arkansas with my dad. I mean, it's hot there, too . . . but not like this.
Nowhere is hot like this. Or wet like this. Spending the summer in La Cachette is like living inside someone's mouth for three months out of the year.
I pull my eyes away from Elora's picture in time to watch the back half of a big black snake disappear into a clump of tall sedge grass beyond the boardwalk. It's too far away to say for sure if it's a moccasin. But I figure it probably is. That thick body gives it away. And I know they're always out there, sliding back and forth beneath our feet like the slow roll of the tides. Every once in a while, one of them finds its way up onto the boardwalk and into someone's house, where it meets its doom at the business end of a long-handled hoe. Or a shovel.
I don't like to think about the snake, or where it might be heading, but it's better than staring at that poster while the words missing girl burn deep into my brain.
"You okay, Grey?" Evie asks. She's twisting a strand of almost-white-blonde hair around one finger.
...
