Lin Thompson

The Best Liars In Riverview

Aubrey and Joel are like two tomato vines that grew along the same crooked fence—weird, yet the same kind of weird. Then Joel disappears. Vanishes. The whole town is looking for him, and Aubrey was the last person to see Joel. Aubrey can’t say much, but since lies of omission are still lies, here’s what they know for sure:

- For the last two weeks of the school year, Aubrey and Joel have been building a raft in the woods.
- The raft was supposed to be just another part of their Running-Away Game, when sixth grade and bullies like Rudy Thomas became too much.
- And now the raft is gone, too.

Aubrey doesn’t know where Joel is, but they might have a hunch about where to find him. As Aubrey, their friend Mari, and their sister, Teagan, search along the river, Aubrey has to fess up to who they really are, all the things they never said, and the word that Rudy Thomas used that set all this into motion.

Publisher: Hachette/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 8, 2022
ISBN: 9780316276726

"A gentle and genuine coming-out story."―Kirkus Reviews

“A sensitively written first novel…this heartfelt story shows rather than tells how friendship can lead to understanding.”―Publishers Weekly

* “Thompson’s debut is a heartfelt coming-of-age journey that explores identity, friendship, and learning to accept who you are, even if you don’t quite understand it yet.”―Booklist, starred review

Available for order:

AMAZON | B&N | INDIEBOUND

Lin Thompson (they/them) is a Lambda Literary Fellow of 2018. Lin grew up in Kentucky but now lives in Iowa with their wife and cat.

https://linthompson.com/

Tags: Middle Grade, Contemporary, LGBTQIA+