THE LIE

Single-minded Norrie's entire worm revolves around shutterbug Mark: During the school year, she took up photography and the yearbook to be near him; this summer, she's his partner snapping pictures of tourists on Maryland's beachfront. Her love is unrequited--until he sees her with a handsome older man, kindling his interest and starting the kind of summer romance most girls only dream about. Norrie's mistake is not admitting the ""handsome older man"" is her cousin's husband Brad, off-limits but a good pal. When Brad and Mark's paths cross, Norrie has to admit her ""lie"" and the relationship is off. Sonnenmark almost--but not quite--makes a point about Mark's shallowness: He liked Norrie only when she seemed to be sought after. Meanwhile, the breathless, teeny-bopper narration exhibits all the usual concerns of this age group--moaning about large hips, etc.--but the title is misleading: the ""lie"" is more a languishing misunderstanding, while its discovery is a foregone conclusion without impact.