The Pact by Jodi Picoult

The title "The Pact" refers to a suicide pact between two seventeen year old friends, Emily and Christopher. The author examines what happened from the point of view of all the characters. The shock, disbelief, and pain of the parents is vividly portrayed as well as the gradual unfolding of the events as seen by Christopher. The author writes movingly and sustains psychological suspense until the end. In the process, the reader begins to ask questions and ponders the unknowns in relationships between parents and teens. Jodi Picoult can be counted on to examine a timely topic in a deeply emotional, heart-wrenching narrative.