Running Past Dark

August 15, 2023
A Virginia teen grieving the loss of her twin sister is bullied by people in her town and finds an outlet in ultra running. Senior Scotlyn O'Doul's sister, Cait, died in a car accident with their high school's football coach, Jory Wilson. An absence of skid marks at the accident scene leads investigators to conjecture that Cait may have deliberately run the car into a wall, devastating Scotlyn and her mother, who has turned to heavy drinking since Cait's death. Coach Jory was adored by the community, and many people accuse Scotlyn of lying when she reveals that Cait told her he'd raped her. When her Japanese American exercise physiology teacher tells her she would be perfect for ultra running, she finds a new purpose and a less painful coping mechanism for her grief than the self-harm she has been engaging in. Scotlyn's vulnerable but tough first-person narrative tone will bring readers into her corner, and they'll ache for her feelings of loneliness as her mother struggles more and more dramatically with her alcohol use disorder. Scotlyn, who is white, wonders if she can trust Nico, a Latine guy she has long had feelings for. The underlying answer to the mystery of what actually happened with the accident is complex. Scotlyn's preparations to run the Hellgate, a 100K race, provide an unusual, auspicious thread that will spur readers on to the resolution. A twist-filled, highly original mystery with a message of hope. (Mystery. 14-18)

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Starred review from September 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Scottie O'Doul begins her senior year of high school filled with anger and grief. The previous May, her twin sister, Cait, allegedly drove into a stone wall and killed herself, taking the school's much-loved and popular coach with her. Scottie doesn't believe it; she does, however, believe that the coach had something to do with it. Many in the community made Scottie and her mother into scapegoats, to the extent of breaking into their home and destroying their possessions. Her mother seeks solace in alcohol, but that's not for Scottie. She endures abuse, mostly verbal, almost the minute she sets foot in school, but then she latches on to a serendipitous focus: ultrarunning. A teacher connects her with a group that trains for ultramarathons, and while Scottie's regime is brutal, she feels increasingly comfortable with them and welcomes their support. All the while, she is trying to figure out what happened to her sister, who was not suicidal. Between her training goal and the mystery, she reconnects with a boy, Nico, and finds her strength and resilience. Scottie is the epitome of grit, facing her problems with courage and determination. Nolan sensitively but realistically explores themes of sexual abuse and self-harm, as well as therapy and recovery. Scottie's search for the truth is ultimately successful, if unexpected and painful, and it brings closure not just to Scottie, her mother, and their friends, but to the entire community.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.