Dark and Shallow Lies is a YA thriller with atmosphere and twists that you probably should expect, but with as many as there are, one is sure to surprise you. Sain creates an atmospheric world deep in bayou country, so deep it's in the Mississippi River delta. The story is based in La Cachette, where most everyone has some kind of psychic ability, except Grey as far as she's ever know. After her mother dies she goes to live with her father in Little Rock, returning to stay with her grandmother Honey during the summers. But the summer before she was on the outs with her best friend Elora, and when Elora disappears while Grey's away it leaves her with a lot of questions when she returns for one final summer. It turns out that Elora disappearance opened a whole can of worms that doesn't just affect their summer clan of ten, but the whole community since the group was four years old. And did I mention that just as the pieces are slowly starting to fall into place for Grey with the help of an elusive stranger, that a major hurricane is bearing down on La Cachette? This was so much fun, and hard to put down. And while it does have elements of magic realism and Cajun mythology to it, it isn't paranormal - just really good at burying you deep in the muck and seeing if you'll survive to come out on the other side.