The Girl in the Wall

Ariel's birthday weekend looks to be the event of the season, with a private concert by rock star Hudson Winters on the grounds of her family's east coast estate, and all of Ariel's elite prep school friends in attendance. The only person who's dreading the party is Sera, Ariel's former best friend, whose father is forcing her to go. Sera has been the school pariah since she betrayed Ariel, and she now avoids Ariel and their former friends. Thrown together, Ariel and Sera can agree on one thing: this could be one very long night.They have no idea just how right they are.Only moments after the concert begins and the lights go down, thugs open fire on parents and schoolmates alike, in a plot against Ariel's father that quickly spins out of control. As the entire party is taken hostage, the girls are forced apart. Ariel escapes into the hidden tunnels in the family mansion, where she and Sera played as children. Only Sera, who forges an unlikely alliance with Hudson Winters, knows where her friend could be. As the industrial terrorist plot unravels and the death toll climbs, Ariel and Sera must recall the sisterhood that once sustained them as they try to save themselves and each other on the longest night of their lives.Review"Two high school seniors re-evaluate their failed friendship under dangerous circumstances. Benedis-Grab alternates between the two girls' perspectives; nearly every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, keeping tension high. The action and high stakes should keep readers engaged." --Publishers Weekly"Quickly paced and without a dull moment, Benedis-Grab manages to write a disturbing, yet entertaining, novel that will entrance future readers. Budding young romance adds an extra touch to the already thriving story line, and the will to survive makes this an inspiring read. I recommend The Girl in the Wall to readers addicted to fast-paced storytelling and action. Benedis-Grab's novel is a must-read." --Blogcritics.org"In so many books, when the author tries to tell the story in alternating voices it can quickly become confusing. In The Girl in the Wall it works. Each girl has her own voice and you can easily distinguish them both. Once I started, I could hardly put them down. Daphne Benedis-Grab is definitely an author on my to-watch list." --Mel's Reading Blog"This book was so intense! I sped through it in one sitting. It's one of the few YA thrillers I've ever really enjoyed." --I'd So Rather Be Reading blog"Quickly paced and without a dull moment, Benedis-Grab manages to write a disturbing, yet entertaining novel that will entrance future readers. Budding young romance adds an extra touch to the already thriving story line, and the will to survive makes this an inspiring read. I recommend The Girl in the Wall to readers addicted to fast-paced storytelling and action." --Confessions of a Book Addict blog"The Girl in the Wall is an action-packed novel that will make your heartbeats go crazy while craving to read more and more. I was so captivated by this story that I spent hours completely lost in it trying to bring myself to stop, but well, I couldn't. I highly recommend it. You should absolutely get it as soon as it comes out." --Stories After Twelve blog"Four stars! The Girl in the Wall was everything I hoped it would be and it sounds like Merit Press has a hit on their hands! You're definitely going to want to check out this action-packed thriller this Christmas." --Panda Reads blogThis contemporary YA novel packs a punch. Using alternating perspectives - one of my favorite devices! - Benedis-Grab weaves a compelling, scary tale of one fateful night in the lives of two former best friends. Also, it's gratifying to see teenage girl characters kicking butt while also patching up their friendship." --Persephone Magazine"One of the things that I loved about this book was that the main two characters, Sera and Ariel, change as they learn more about themselves and face the challenges ahead of them. Just as I expected from the beginning, The Girl In The Wall kept me very entertained." --Tumbling Books blogAbout the AuthorDaphne Benedis-Grab earned an MFA from The New School in creative writing and her thesis became her first book for teens, Alive and Well in Prague, New York. She has built houses for Habitat for Humanity and taught adult literacy classes, and now lives in New York City with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled cat.