Blog tour: The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer!

The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer

Release Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 352

Abby has always covered for her sister's, Maya's, wrong doings. Not one to follow the rules, Maya dropped out of school, rarely came home, and hung with a questionable crowd. But Abby has always been there for her--been the buffer between Maya and her parents, covered for all the trouble she caused, and suggested Jefferson Andrews as Maya's tutor for her GED. Jefferson Andrews is the star of the high school--a stellar student despite his poor household and a teenager admired and loved by all--who eventually becomes romantically involved with Maya.

But then Jefferson Andrews shows up dead, and Maya was the last known person with him. Has Maya gone too far this time? Hardly remembering what happened the night Jefferson died but adamantly stating that she did not kill him, Abby knows she needs to hide Maya, who is already seen in less-than-favorable light by her parents, before Maya is found and brought to the police.

With Maya hidden away, Abby begins her own secret investigation to clear her sister's name, but her own investigation may lead her to not just clues that reveal more about Jefferson's murder, but also clues about Jefferson's background (which reveals his true--and not so beautiful--personality), and Maya's messed up life.

As the investigation progresses and more clues are found, just how deadly a sister can be soon becomes apparent...
The Deadly Sister is an great summer mystery! Although confusing at times, readers will enjoy finding clues along with Abby and guessing how they fit into the crime. The twists will keep readers turning the pages until more of Maya, Abby and Jefferson's backgrounds are revealed and the killer discovered! Cleverly worded at some points, this novel allows readers to interpret them how they will, and make their own guesses for who's guilty and who's not.

I feel that the ending could have been a bit more shocking if it had been revealed through actions and more clues (that could be interpreted in many ways) being unearthed, rather than it just be stated in a near monologue. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading The Deadly Sister! It was a little slow for me at first, but once the pace picked up, I could hardly put it down! I'm definitely glad I kept reading!

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Eliot Schrefer, author of The Deadly Sister, The School for Dangerous Girls, and Glamorous Disaster, has generously taken the time out to answer a few questions:



Which of the characters you've created is/was your favorite to write about?

The antagonist from my first novel, Glamorous Disasters, took over every scene she was in. Since the book was satire, I was able to go over-the-top with her, really go gothic and horrible and unpredictable. At the same time she had this yearning need, and I think she's one of the most sympathetic characters in the book.

What is your favorite place to write?

I'm a big fan of cafe writing. Years of childhood spent not heeding my mother's advice and listening to music while I did homework paid off—I get into work mode when I have headphones on, and the rest of the cafe falls away. Yet, when I reach a pause point in my writing and come up for air, there's bustle and people around me. It breaks up the essential loneliness of the writing process.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I think the main reason many aspiring writers don't finish a draft is that they don't allow themselves to be bad. The urge is to perfect what you have before you move on, which is fatal to the writing process—write a truly crummy first draft, and then spend as long as you want making it better. Just keep reminding yourself that the first draft doesn't have to be good, it just has to be there.

If you could spend a day as any fictional character, who would you like to be?

Oh, I would be Tibby from Howards End. Not because I love the character, but because he's the brother to the Schlegel sisters, and I would love to spend an afternoon having tea with them in their gray little London townhouse. Their dialogue in that book is amazing—profound and yet light and crisp and personable.

What is your favorite word, and why?

I'm in Italy right now, so the word that comes to mind is stanco, which means tired. Because, to an American ear, it captures something ineffable about being tired, that there's something stank, something sharp and pungent, about it.

What is your favorite childhood book?

The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende.

Describe yourself in 3 words?

I was at a bar with some friends once, and we assigned one another categories from the wine list. I got “light, citrus-y, and crisp.” I think it works.

And one just for fun: If you won the lottery, how would you spend your prize money?

Easy. A house with a garden. And I'd love to fund a sanctuary for primates in the Congo—with all the internal conflict, they're getting harder to protect.

Thanks for stopping by, Eliot!

Check out this Q&A video by Eliot where he discusses a few aspects of his upcoming book!

Don't forget to visit Eliot Schrefer's website & pick up a copy of The Deadly Sister in bookstores today!