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A Psalm for Lost Girls

A Psalm for Lost Girls

by Katie Bayerl

I’ll Give You the Sun meets True Detective in this brilliant YA debut about saints, sisters, and learning to let go.

Tess da Costa is a saint—a hand-to-god, miracle-producing saint. At least that’s what the people in her hometown of New Avon, Massachusetts, seem to believe. And when Tess suddenly and tragically passes away, her small city begins feverishly petitioning the Pope to make Tess’s sainthood official. Tess’s mother is ecstatic over the fervor, while her sister Callie, the one who knew Tess best, is disgusted—overcome with the feeling that her sister is being stolen from her all over again.
 
The fervor for Tess’s sainthood only grows when Ana Langone, a local girl who’s been missing for six months, is found alive at the foot of one of Tess’s shrines. It’s the final straw for Callie. With the help of Tess’s secret boyfriend Danny, Callie’s determined to prove that Tess was something far more important than a saint; she was her sister, her best friend and a girl in love with a boy. But Callie’s investigation uncovers much more than she bargained for—a hidden diary, old family secrets, and even the disturbing truth behind Ana’s kidnapping. Told in alternating perspectives, A Psalm for Lost Girls is at once funny, creepy and soulful—an impressive debut from a rising literary star.

Praise for A Psalm for Lost Girls:
A Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated YA Debut of 2017
A Bustle Most Anticipated Young Adult Debut of 2017
A Spring 2017 Amazon Pick – Spring’s Best Young Adult Fiction

★ “[A] gripping story of loss and grace. . . . Richly and evocatively written, Bayerl’s story is ideal for fans of Jandy Nelson and Melina Marchetta.”—Publishers Weeklystarred review 

★ “Fans of realistic fiction, mystery, or crime thrillers will find themselves at home in this spectacular debut. . . . A compelling must-have for YA collections.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“Now and then comes a book that is able to put it all together: real and compelling characters, page-turning suspense, brilliant writing. This is one of those books.”—Francisco X. Stork, award-winning author of Marcelo in the Real World and The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

“[P]acked with vivid cultural scenery, this ambitious debut offers readers a journey worth taking.”—Kirkus Reviews 
 
“Many issues are presented in Bayerl’s novel—mental illness, modern sainthood, sisterly love, family dynamics, romance—giving it wide appeal among readers.”—VOYA

Ideal for fans of both mysteries and character-driven novels.”—Booklist 

Lyrical and nuanced . . . Bayerl’s debut will appeal to a wide range of readers. . . . A haunting tale of family, first love, and miracles.”—RT Book Reviews 

A mystery, a thriller, and a prayer, gripping and anguished, told in the poignant weaving of voices from beyond and voices left behind.”—Julie Berry, Printz Honor author of The Passion of Dolssa

  • Pages: 368 Pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
  • Imprint: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
  • ISBN: 9780399545269
Penguin Teen