The Rumor Game - by Dhonielle Clayton (Hardcover)

About the Book

At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for Washington, D.C.'s elite, a rumor gains momentum as it collects followers on social media, pulling three girls into its path--Bryn, who wants to erase all memories of the mistake she made last summer; cheer captain Cora, who desperately wants to believe in her boyfriend's faithfulness; and shy Georgie, newly hot after a summer at fat camp and ready to reinvent herself--but who can stop a dangerous rumor once it takes on a life of its own?

Book Synopsis

"A juicy, elegant, absolutely flawless thriller with a twist. It's the diverse Gossip Girl we've been waiting for!" --Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times best-selling author of Grown and White Smoke

"Explosive." --Entertainment Weekly

All it takes is one spark to start a blaze.

At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for the children of DC's elite, a single rumor has the power to ruin a life.

Nobody knows that better than Bryn. She used to have it all--the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and even popularity thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground.

Now it's the start of a new school year and the spotlight has shifted: It's geeky Georgie, newly hot after a summer makeover, whose name is on everyone's lips. When a rumor ignites, Georgie rockets up the school's social hierarchy, pitting her and Cora against each other. It grants her Foxham stardom . . . but it also makes her a target.

As the rumors grow and morph, blazing like wildfire through the school's social media, all three girls' lives begin to unravel. But one person close to the drama has the power to stop the gossip in its tracks. The question is--do they even want to?

From Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, authors of the Tiny Pretty Things duology (now a Netflix series), comes another edge-of-your-seat social thriller perfect for fans of We Were Liars and Cruel Summer.

Review Quotes

"A juicy, elegant, absolutely flawless thriller with a twist. It's the diverse Gossip Girl we've been waiting for!"--Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times best-selling author of Grown and White Smoke

Explosive.
--Entertainment Weekly


Perfectionism, parental pressure, and the desire for popularity are issues at the heart of this story featuring a diverse cast of characters. Despite the gossipy tone and fast pace, serious issues are explored. An emotional and engaging drama full of twists and turns.
--Kirkus

Told through narrative chapters, text message chains, emails, and letters that capture the nuances of each of these varied voices, the story winds through numerous twists and turns that will keep readers glued to the page as the girls try to figure out if they can stop the rumors from taking everything they love and desire--and if that's even what they want. After all, with attention comes popularity, and the stakes are high enough that these students might sacrifice everything in order to achieve high-school celebrity status. A fast-paced thrill ride.
--Stephanie Cohen, Booklist

Trickery and pettiness abound in this gripping, Gossip Girl-leaning novel told in the three teens' alternating voices. Evaluating the role social media can play in conflict, this page-turner by previous collaborators Clayton and Charaipotra (the Tiny Pretty Things series) keenly addresses the ways that damaging information can affect individuals based on intersections of beauty, gender, race, and other factors of privilege.
--Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Dhonielle Clayton is the New York Times best-selling author of the Belles series, The Mirror: Shattered Midnight, and the coauthor of Blackout and the Tiny Pretty Things duology, now a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, DC, suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books, and president of Cake Creative, an IP story kitchen dedicated to diverse representation. She's an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Up next: The Marvellers, her middle grade fantasy debut. You can find her on social media @brownbookworm.

Sona Charaipotra is the author of Symptoms of a Heartbreak and How Maya Got Fierce, and coauthor of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, now a Netflix original series. She earned her master's in screenwriting from NYU and an MFA in creative writing from the New School. A working journalist, Sona has held editorial roles at People, TeenPeople, ABCNews.com, MSN, and most recently, the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog (RIP), and contributed to publications from the New York Times to TeenVogue. She is a former We Need Diverse Books board member, and co-founder of CAKE Literary, a boutique book packager focused on high-concept diverse titles. Find her on the web talking about books, Bollywood movies, and chai.