HAYLEY KRISCHER

Young adult author. Journalist.

Out from Penguin teen
10.5.21

Get a

personalized

copy here!

From the author of the unforgettableSomething Happened to Ali Greenleafcomes an intoxicating thriller about the dark paths female friendships can take, set against the backdrop of a high school cheerleading squad. Perfect for fans of Megan Abbott and Kathleen Glasgow.

Shade and Jadis are everything to each other. They share clothes, toothbrushes, and even matching stick-and-poke tattoos. So when Shade unexpectedly joins the cheerleading team, Jadis can hardly recognize who her best friend is becoming.

Shade loves the idea of falling into a group of girls; she loves the discipline it takes to push her body to the limits alongside these athletes . Most of all, Shade finds herself drawn to The Three Chloes—the insufferable trio that rules the squad—including the enigmatic cheer captain whose dark side is as compelling as it is alarming.

Jadis won't give Shade up so easily, though, and the pull between her old best friend and her new teammates takes a toll on Shade as she tries to forge her own path. So when one of the cheerleaders dies under mysterious circumstances, Shade is determined to get to the bottom of her death. Because she knows Jadis—and if her friend is responsible, doesn't that mean she is, too?

In this compelling, nuanced exploration of the layered, intoxicating relationships between teen girls, and all the darkness and light that exists between them, novelist Hayley Krischer weaves a story of loss and betrayal, and the deep reverberations felt at a friendship’s breaking point.

Reviews for

the falling girls
"High school drama, cliques, jealousy, obsession, the power of friendship, and the toxicity of codependence are explored with sensitivity... all balanced seamlessly against family dynamics, making for an unusually complex story. Engrossing."

—Kirkus Reviews

"This fast-paced, thrilling read belongs in all school libraries. The theme of this story is how serious, and consuming toxic high school girls’ relationships can become."

—School Library Journal

"Krischer’s sophomore novel explores the kinds of toxic relationships that teenagers often find themselves in. A heavy dose of cheer terminology immerses readers in that world, while strong themes of independence, friendships, and boundaries will speak to teen readers. Gripping."

—Booklist

"A riveting, intimate portrayal of just how intense and all-consuming female friendships can be. Urgent and piercing, The Falling Girls is a gut-punch of a book. Hayley Krischer’s latest novel is not to be missed."

—Jessica Goodman, bestselling author of They Wish They Were Us and They'll Never Catch Us

"With The Falling Girls, Hayley Krischer has woven a suspenseful, poignant, and tangled web of friendships set against the electric backdrop of high school cheer. Like teen girlhood itself, the intensity of these relationships is sometimes beautiful, sometimes dark. Like the best thrillers, it is ultimately deadly.”

—Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos

"A compelling, crushing, and spot-on story about toxicity, feminism, and friendship, The Falling Girls is a knock-your-socks off novel that packs an emotional wallop. A gorgeous and powerful book about American girlhood."

—Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and You'd Be Home Now