13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough

13 Minutes
By Sarah Pinborough
Published by Gollancz (18 February 2016)
ISBN: 978-1473214033

Publisher's description

I was dead for 13 minutes.

I don't remember how I ended up in the icy water but I do know this - it wasn't an accident and I wasn't suicidal.

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but when you're a teenage girl, it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me, I'm sure of it. But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me. Does it?

My verdict
13 Minutes is a Young Adult psychological thriller, but certainly doesn't read like a Young Adult book at all. Sarah Pinborough has a talent for getting right into the heart of her characters' emotions.

This is the story of a group of 16-year-old girls - their fickle and fragile friendships, their pent-up feelings and their need to fit in (or not fit in).

Tasha is found in water and then revived. She was clinically dead for 13 minutes. But she has no idea why or how she ended up there - or who can provide some answers. But as she delves into the past few weeks, she discovers that something was bubbling under the surface and her friends may not be as trustworthy as they seem.

This is a beautifully written book. It's impossible not to get engrossed into the girls' lives - it all seems very real and very vivid. The plot is intriguing, chilling and tragic, and will keep you guessing right until the last page.

I loved Sarah Pinborough's The Death House. 13 Minutes is sure to be another winner.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.