Publishers Weekly
07/07/2014
Bree, Kitty, Olivia, and Margot are an unlikely group—at least according to students at Bishop DuMaine, a private school where viciousness is regularly meted out by the ruling class. These four girls make up a secret student revenge squad called DGM (Don’t Get Mad), which has been wreaking havoc on the popular crowd and the school’s nastiest teachers on behalf of their victims. In an effort to discover the students behind DGM, principal Father Uberti has assigned a group of bullies called the ’Maine Men to rout its members out. When one of DGM’s targets turns up dead, the killer makes it look like the work of DGM, and suddenly the girls are receiving mysterious clues related to the murder. With a dizzying number of characters and suspects, it can be difficult to keep track of who’s who, but as DGM gets close to catching the killer, and the girls threaten to turn on one another, the suspense that McNeil (Ten) builds should keep readers curious to discover what happens next in this planned series. Ages 13–up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown. (Sept.)
Courtney Allison Moulton
Praise for POSSESS: “A dark, unique, and intelligent novel with frightening twists around every corner that left me breathless.
Kimberly Derting
Praise for POSSESS: “With demons, secrets, and a butt-kicking heroine, POSSESS is a whole lotta dark and twisted fun!
ALA Booklist
Praise for POSSESS: “McNeil strikes a fine balance between outright scares and sarcastic humor…[a] light, entertaining read.
Christopher Pike
Praise for TEN: “TEN is a real page turner! Gretchen McNeil knows how to plot a thriller: Her setup is flawless and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.
Nancy Holder
Praise for TEN: “Gretchen McNeil’s TEN is my new number one! I jumped at every creaking floorboard in my house and on the page. This is sure to be a teen thriller classic!
Booklist
Praise for TEN: “In the esteemed tradition of teen horror fiction, TEN hits all the high notes: a stormy night, illicit liaisons, cut phone lines, suspicious disappearances, double-crosses, secret histories, and plenty of twists.
Romantic Times
Will engage readers.
Bustle.com
If you’re a Pretty Little Liars fan, it’s safe to say you’ll love Get Even
Katie Alender
GET EVEN is an edge-of-your-seat, sink-your-teeth-into-it mystery -- filled with vivid, intriguing characters, set against the ruthless landscape of a modern high school. I’m dying for the next book!
Jessica Brody
A revenge story with murder, mayhem, and Gretchen McNeil’s signature snark? Yes please! Gretchen proves once and for all that revenge is a dish best served deadly. Readers will be immediately sucked into the dangerously intriguing world of DGM and by the end they’ll be dying for the sequel.
Elizabeth Eulberg
Don’t get mad, get reading this wild ride filled with twists and turns, revenge and romance, suspense and Shakespeare. I can’t wait to see what Gretchen McNeil comes up with next.
Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
GET EVEN expertly mixes suspense and snark, proving once again that Gretchen McNeil is a master of the teen thriller.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Praise for 3:59: “This book is scientifically action-packed, complete with monsters and drama. Teens who are fans of the ever-popular Dr. Who television series will love this book.”—VOYA
School Library Journal
07/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—A popular actress, a super brain with sheltered home life, a senator's rebellious daughter, and a top athlete/student leader—Olivia, Margot, Bree, and Kitty are all juniors at a prestigious prep school. They have nothing in common, or so they'd like their classmates to think. The four girls are DGM, (Don't Get Mad) a secret society that enacts revenge for bullied students. They take on everyone, even teachers. The four members' lack of connection helps the group stay anonymous, but when one of their targets is killed, DGM is suddenly in the spotlight, and the girls work to find the real killer before they are exposed. McNeil gives each character a unique voice and point of view and as the narrative switches among them all, the story moves along quickly. The tone is reminiscent of a 1980s teen movie: despite the bullying and murder, the story is rather light and unbelievable. The school administration is dead set on outing the members of DGM, even in the midst of a murder investigation. The principal and one teacher are caricatures of an evil, scheming leader and a bloated, militaristic gym coach. One of the girls has hacking skills that rival the NSA. There are interesting twists, and the mystery is doled out in intriguing tidbits, but once the climax hits there is no payoff, and the complete lack of resolution may make readers feel off balance and unwilling to continue the story in the inevitable sequels.—Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT
Kirkus Reviews
2014-07-16
A new series aiming at the Pretty Little Liars sweet spot kicks off. Bullies run rampant at prep school Bishop DuMaine, ignored by principal Father Uberti. That is, until a group called Don't Get Mad begins giving the worst offenders their just deserts. No one knows who is in DGM—no one would suspect it's four very different girls with no apparent ties of friendship. Student body vice president Kitty initially brought together actress Olivia, invisible Margot and rebellious Bree after a freshman year class project, and since then, they've successfully neutralized some of the worst offenders at Bishop DuMaine. But then their latest target ends up dead—holding evidence that implicates DGM in his death. With the sadistic Coach Creed and the 'Maine Men, a "school-sanctioned goon squad," determined to reveal DGM's members, the team's bonds begin to fray, especially when they begin receiving anonymous photos that hint at the girls' secrets. Will they be able to discover the murderer's identity without revealing their own? That question is regrettably left unanswered. Although some characters are well-rounded—Kitty and Margot and some minor characters—others are less successful. Bree's rebelliousness exists only to exist, it seems. The plot slowly and inexorably increases the tension, only for the cliffhanger to act as an unwanted pin in the balloon. A compelling contemporary thriller for readers who don't mind waiting for Volume 2. (Suspense. 12-16)
