''Dare Me'' is a 2012

mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a reas ...

written by

Megan Abbott Megan Abbott (born August 21, 1971) is an American author of crime fiction and of non-fiction analyses of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing from a female perspec ...

. The novel centers on American cheerleading. The book explores themes of friendship, obsession and power.

Plot

The story is based on the world of American

cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...

. The main characters are Addy, the 16-year-old narrator, her friend Beth and the cheerleading coach. The friendship between Addy and Beth goes back to their childhood. Beth is manipulative and often cruel; she has always been the leader with Addy her faithful lieutenant. A new coach arrives, things change very quickly and very soon she and Beth engage in a battle of wills. Addy adores Coach and is always willing to do her bidding, which in turn fuels Beth's jealousy; when the other team members gather at Coach's house for drinking sessions, Beth does not go there, but always watches, waiting for her moment. The girls are pushed to physical and psychological extremes as they vie for the best position on the team. Injury is just one wobble away. Then one dark night Addy is drawn into a nightmare.

Reception

''Dare Me'' was generally well-received by critics, including starred reviews from ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

,'' ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'', ''Kirkus'' called the novel " mpelling, claustrophobic and slightly creepy in a can’t-put-it-down way." ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' called the book a "mesmerising piece of prose combining deep characterisation and insight with a truly nerve-shredding crime plot." ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' said the it is "deliciously slick and dark, matching her characters’ threatening circumstances, and the plot is tight and intense." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' gave the book an A- rating and highlighted that it makes a

traditionally masculine genre feel distinctly female. It feels groundbreaking when Abbott takes noir conventions — loss of innocence, paranoia, the manipulative sexuality of newly independent women — and suggests that they’re rooted in high school, deep in the hearts of all-American girls.

Adaptation

In late January 2019, a series based on the novel was ordered by

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison ...

and

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

References

External links

''Dare Me'' at Megan Abbott's website
{{Megan Abbott 2012 American novels American crime novels Cheerleading American novels adapted into television shows Reagan Arthur Books books