Review of Find Me by Romily Bernard

Bernard, Romily.  Find Me.  HarperTeen, 2013.

Wicket Tate and her younger sister, Lily, are living with their newest set of foster parents in an affluent neighborhood.  Lily loves her new life, but Wick is only cautiously comfortable.  She is a hacker extraordinaire, but she only hacks to keep she and Lily safe.  Besides, Wick is only helping women who have domestic problems.  If she and Lily have to leave because their dad shows up, the money will come in handy.

One morning, Wick finds her former best friend’s diary on her foster parents’ doorstep with a note that says, “Find me” attached.  Tessa committed suicide, so why would anyone need to find her?  Did the detective who keeps stalking Wick put it there?  The answer comes in the form of Tessa’s sister, Tally, who tells Wick that Tessa was raped, and Lily is the next target.  Tally wants Wick to use her hacker skills to discover who raped Tessa and to save Lily.

To complicate matters, Wick’s dad and partner are planning a con scheme and are dragging Wick into it.  Wick hoped her dad was out of her life, but he may never be.  She can’t tell her foster parents because what would they think?

Wick and her computer lab partner, Griff, work through clues to find the rapist and bring him to justice.  Will they be able to locate him in time to save Lily?

What a thrilling mystery this is!  Romily Bernard’s debut novel is filled with twists and turns to keep the pages quickly turning.  This is one of those books readers will not be able to put down. 

The two main characters, Wick and Griff, are strong and dependable.  Wick has been through so much in her life—her mom’s suicide, her dad’s brutal abuse, several foster homes—but she has not broken.  Grief and guilt over her mother can be felt pouring from her.  Griff has his own problems, but he is a stabilizing influence in Wick’s life when she finally allows him to be.  He is a loving, reassuring, and an all-around good guy.  Wick and Lily’s father and his partner are pure evil.  Wick’s dad manages to control the girls’ lives through his contacts even when he is not around.

Find Me is not for immature readers.  It is the first volume in a new series of the same name.  Remember Me, the second installment, is scheduled to debut on Sept. 24, 2014.  I highly recommend Find Me for high school and public libraries and give it five out of five fleur de lis!