Cartwheel by Jennifer DuBois

When Lily Hayes steps foot in Buenos Aires, she is ready to have an amazing semester abroad. Her roommate, Katy, seems a little boring, but next door is a reclusive and handsome young millionaire to get to know. Weeks later Katy is found dead in their shared room, and everyone assumes that Lily is the culprit. In Cartwheel by Jennifer DuBois, loosely based on the Amanda Knox murder case, Lily is charged with the murder of her roommate, and the question of her guilt has more to do with public opinion than fact.

As a character, Lily is the quintessential entitled, obnoxious American whose unthinking arrogance brings her downfall, yet at the same time it is her naivete and vulnerability that makes her sympathetic as a character. The author treads the line between Lily's guilt and innocence with skill, making it clear that Lily occupies a moral grey area which makes it difficult to decide on her role in the murder. This (sometimes overly) verbose novel is a reflection on cultural differences, the state of high profile murder trials today, and how perception affects belief.  Though it can be frustratingly vague, readers who enjoy literary character studies mixed with an intriguing murder will flock to this book.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian