By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“That’s Not My Name” is a YA thriller written by Megan Lally and published on December 26, 2023. The book follows a teenage boy trying to solve the mystery of his missing girlfriend while being the main suspect in the case. Meanwhile, a girl is found on the side of the road with no memory.

The book is told from two points of view. Drew, whose girlfriend, Lola, has recently gone missing, is on a search with his cousin and his girlfriend’s best friend to find out where she went. Together, the three of them follow any leads they can get their hands on without attracting more attention to Drew. 

“I need Lola to call,” Drew says. “All these weeks later, I still expect to see her name on my screen every time it rings. With every ping of a text message, I think it’s her. And every time it’s not, I feel it all over again – the suffocating loop of hope turns to dread.”

The second point of view follows Mary, the girl found in the woods who is brought in by a man who claims to be her father. Her story follows her as she gets adjusted to her ‘new’ old life with no memories. 

“How can my own father not know what I’m allergic to?” Mary thinks.

Lally does a great job keeping readers on their toes with both points of views, wondering what happened to Drew’s girlfriend (and is this guy really Mary’s father?) The characters are well written with depth and personality. 

Drew is a teenage boy who will do anything to figure out what happened to Lola. He is determined to find her and prove his innocence to the entire town who has painted him as the boyfriend who hurt his own girlfriend. 

“Worst of all: Would she still be here now if I didn’t do what I did,” Drew wonders.

Mary is curious and confused as she navigates her life with no memories. She stays strong throughout the novel even as things get more and more suspicious. 

This book rivals other YA mystery novels such as “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” with an intense plot that does a fabulous job of keeping the readers enticed in the story with twists and turns, where they feel the need to keep reading to figure out the truth. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars