Product Description

Cheating, partying, blackmail, and now...murder?

Can the Billings Girls remain untouchable?

Reed's boyfriend, Thomas Pearson -- the popular, easygoing, irresistibly handsome and charismatic boy she fell in love with -- is dead. No one knows how it happened, and everyone is after the truth. Or are they?

Life at Easton Academy begins to feel very different. Taylor is acting like the poster child for Prozac, Kiran is spiking her cornflakes, Noelle is being kind of...nice, and Arianna keeps floating along as if nothing has happened.

Thanksgiving break arrives and Reed and Josh find themselves alone on campus. They are forced to confront the feelings they've been hiding. Those feelings combined with an empty campus result in the hottest hookup Reed could possibly imagine. But when Reed breaks the news about Josh to the Billings Girls, there's no fun game of tell-all. Instead, Josh begins to look like suspect No. 1 in the murder of Thomas Pearson.

The perfect life Reed has constructed as a Billings Girl begins to crumble. And as everyone becomes more convinced of Josh's guilt, Reed's private suspicions lead her somewhere she doesn't want to go.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #273754 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781416918752
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Kate Brian is the author of the NY Times and USA Today best-selling Private series and it's spin-off series, Privilege. She has also written many other books for teens including Sweet 16 and Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Charade

My first funeral. My first funeral was for the first guy to ever see me naked. This could not be right.

It wasn't for a grandparent or for a friend's elderly aunt with wrinkles so deep you could stash stuff in them, but for Thomas. Thomas Pearson. The first classmate I had met at Easton Academy. The first person who had made me feel semi-welcome. Gorgeous, mysterious, intense Thomas Pearson. The person I had lost my virginity to.

So many moments kept replaying themselves in my mind, and no matter what I did, I couldn't seem to make them stop. The moment Josh Hollis had rushed back through the fog to tell me that Thomas was dead. The moment I had found the note from Thomas telling me he was going to be all right, and how stupid I felt now to have believed it. The last moment I had seen Thomas, leaving my dorm room at Bradwell. It seemed like so long ago. I didn't even live there anymore. Thomas had never seen my new room at Billings. Now he never would. Because now he was lying cold and dead in a coffin. In the ground somewhere, in a coffin. The family had opted for a private burial, so I didn't even know where he was. I just knew he was down there somewhere. Rotting.

Every time I thought about it, I gasped for breath.

"What is it?" Noelle Lange asked me.

We were standing next to the huge marble fireplace in one of four massive living rooms in the Pearsons' co-op on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. A few kids from school were staring at me, just as they had been ever since Thomas had first gone missing. It was like they were just salivating for the nervous breakdown they were sure I was going to have. But so far I hadn't even cried in their presence. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. I waited for the soul-gripping fear to pass before answering.

"Nothing," I told her. "That just keeps happening."

"You're still in shock," Ariana Osgood whispered, her voice soothing. "It's perfectly normal."

Noelle nodded and put her hand on my back. Noelle. Being comforting. That was a new one. Mostly she just opted for sarcastic and mocking. She also looked softer than usual today. Less threatening. Her light-gray cashmere crewneck and simple black skirt were perfect, of course, but her brown hair was product-free and fell around her face, framing it in a way that made her appear gentler. She had also forgone the mascara and subtle eyeliner she always wore. Without it, she almost looked her real age. Like she was my equal.

I looked around the spacious room, feeling numb now and extremely hot. Hundreds of people had turned out for the wake. They mingled in the muted opulence in their designer suits and black dresses, sipping wine and talking in low tones. Peppered among the gray-haired gentlemen and Botoxed ladies were dozens of kids from school, all of whom looked shocked and shaken. Like Noelle, some of Easton's most renowned Shiseido worshippers hadn't even bothered with makeup. They perched on sofas and settees, dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs, consoling one another. The guys, meanwhile, stood around with their hands in their pockets, looking skittish. As if their confidence had been somehow shaken. Maybe if Thomas Pearson was capable of dying, they weren't quite as invincible as they had once thought. Reality had just set in for these guys who normally walked around in a dream world, a world where they were completely untouchable.

"Could this be any more morbid?" Kiran Hayes said, swinging her wineglass around a bit too brazenly. "This many people didn't turn up when the pope died. It's like everyone has some sicko fascination just because he was a kid."

Kiran tipped her wineglass toward her mouth and downed what was left in one gulp. An actual billboard model, she was the most beautiful person I had ever met in real life. And after knowing her for a month, I was starting to feel like she might also be the one most likely to end up in rehab. A few pieces of her dark hair had fallen out of her carefully twisted bun, and her green eyes were unfocused. Still, every guy in the room was checking her out when they thought no one was watching.

"I bet one of these blond chignons walking around here is covering it for the rags," Noelle said stoically. "A good prep school scandal is their wet dream."

There was the Noelle I knew and feared.

"Noelle!" Ariana scolded, her blue eyes piercing. Her own blond hair was also back in a loose chignon. In her dark clothing, with her diamond earrings securely fastened in her ears, Ariana looked less wispy and more in charge than she ever had before.

"What? No one heard me," Noelle said, smoothing her long, dark hair behind one shoulder. "And I'll bet you my entire trust fund I'm right. Just wait. 'The Thomas Pearson Tragedy' will have a four-page spread in Hamptons Magazine next month."

"I can't believe anyone would want to exploit his death," I said. "It's not like he's famous or something."

"He was around here," Noelle said with a sigh.

At that moment, Taylor Bell, who had been sniffling and quietly weeping all day, burst into another round of tears. Her dark-blond curls shook as she buried her cherubic face in a handkerchief. Ariana reached out and rubbed Taylor's arms.

Taylor's display of emotion made me so uncomfortable I had

to look away. She and the rest of these girls hadn't even liked Thomas. They had, in fact, hated him. Warned me to stay away from him. And now, like everyone else, they were all completely shattered. As if Thomas had meant the world to them.

Still, it wasn't like I should have been that surprised. Love him or hate him, Thomas had been a classmate. One of them. They had known him for years. So of course they would be shocked and freaked. I was just surprised at how freaked.

My strained eyes fell on Missy Thurber -- big nostrils, bigger attitude -- leaning back against the tastefully papered wall in her chic black suit, her nose all red from crying. At her side, as always, was Lorna Gross, whispering in her ear, looking very somber. I suddenly wanted to hurl something at them from across the room. Where the hell did they get off pretending to mourn? Neither of them had ever spoken to Thomas in their lives.

Between them and Taylor and Kiran's continued rantings, I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic. Then I saw Constance Talbot, my former roommate, making her way across the room toward me. The last time I had seen Constance she had told me off with tears in her eyes for dating the guy of her dreams, Walt Whittaker. Walt Whittaker, who was here somewhere, chatting up a few members of the older generation, as usual. Whit and I were definitely no longer an item (not that we'd ever really been one), but I had no idea whether or not Constance knew this or not.

I stood up straight as she stepped up to me, my whole body tense. Constance met my gaze, then threw her arms around me.

"Reed! I am so, so, so, so sorry!" she said over my shoulder.

I was so surprised, it took me a moment to respond. But then I hugged her back. Hard. In a million years I never would have been able to predict the relief that rushed through me at her gesture of friendship. Apparently Constance was a lot more important to me than I'd realized.

"Thanks," I said as she pulled away.

Her green eyes were bright and red-rimmed, her wavy, dark-red hair held back in a simple ponytail. It was hard to tell if she was paler than usual or if it was the lighting, but somehow the freckles on her nose stood out more today, making her look almost precious.

"Are you okay?" she asked me, biting her lip.

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know," I said. A bubbly sob rose up into my throat and I swallowed it back. "It's all just a little surreal."

Surreal didn't even begin to describe it, but it was the only word I could come up with. Every other second I experienced a new and intense emotion. Just forty-eight hours ago I had been on a train back to Easton from the city, telling Josh -- Thomas's roommate -- that I was over Thomas. That I was moving on. And I had felt really good about that decision. Thomas, after all, had disappeared from school without warning. Without a goodbye.

I had found that note from him days later, but it had raised more questions than it had answered. And for weeks he hadn't bothered to get in touch with me, even to let me know that he was all right.

I had decided that a guy like that was not worth my time. That I deserved better.

But now I had found out that the reason Thomas had been incommunicado was that he was dead. And every time I thought about how indignant and angry and self-righteous I'd been over the past few weeks, I felt this soul-sucking guilt unlike anything I had ever felt before.

"It must make it harder, not knowing how he died," Constance said. She turned around to stand next to me and survey the room.

"You bet your ass it is," Kiran said, a bit too loudly. She grabbed another wineglass from a passing waiter and drained half of it.

"Kiran, keep your voice down," Ariana said.

"What? I'm just saying I'd like to know, you know, exactly how they think it happened, that's all," Kiran ranted. "Wouldn't it make you feel better to just know, once and for all, what they're thinking? If they have any theories?"

"You're rambling," Ariana said, taking the glass right out of Kiran's hands and placing it on the mantel, out of reach. Kiran looked after it longingly.

"I wonder if his parents know," Noelle said, narrowing her eyes as the golden-haired Mrs. Pearson strode into the room to whisper in the ear of the caterer. "They'd have to tell the parents, right?"

No one spoke. It wasn't as if we knew the inner workings of the justice system.

"Look at them," Kiran said, lifting her chin toward Mrs. Pearson, who had now been joined by her silver-haired husband. She snapped at a waiter and procured a fresh glass of wine. Ariana rolled her eyes. "They're just chatting like this is some charity function. When I go, I hope my parents don't look that poised."

"Kiran! Oh my God!" Taylor said, her quivering jaw dropping.

"What? I'm just saying," Kiran replied, rolling her eyes.

"T...

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Right when Reed Brennan was accepted into the Billings Girls' clique and had finally gotten over her ex-boyfriend (if you could call him that) Thomas Pearce, she discovers that Thomas, the guy that she truly loved, was found dead. Now Reed feels guilty for ever moving on or thinking the worst about Thomas. It's hard for Reed to mourn his death since everyone around her is watching her every move and emotions. It doesn't help either that Thomas's parents couldn't care less that their son has passed away--or how Taylor, Kiran, Noelle, and Arianna are all acting very strange. Especially Taylor, who seems to be crying more than Reed over the death of Thomas.

Being at school doesn't help Reed's problems either. She can hardly focus on her school work, since her mind is always on Thomas. There are detectives there investigating Thomas's death, guessing that he was murdered, and interviewing all of the students about Thomas and his past.

But there is only one person that can actually keep Reed sane, and that's Josh. He's the only that actually makes her laugh now and she feels happy whenever she's around him. Except for the fact that he was Thomas's best friend and he did share a room with Thomas. Right when Reed begins to fall for Josh, she discovers things about his past that not only could hurt their relationship but also be the answers to all of the questions that she has.

Kate Brian does it again in this third installment of the PRIVATE series. UNTOUCHABLE delves deeper into the lives of the students that attend Easton Academy. Who knew a private school could have so many secrets? With another cliffhanger, the only thing the reader can think about is, "why is the next book so far away?"

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

A series that won't stay 'Private' for long
Sophomore Reed Brennan thought that all of her worries were over the day she stepped out of Po-dunk, Pennsylvania, and into the glorious world of Easton Academy. And when she was accepted by the illustrious Billings Girls (Taylor, Kiran, Noelle, and Ariana) she felt that nothing in her life would ever be wrong again - perfection would follow her anywhere she went. But that all changed the day she found out that her MIA boyfriend and resident campus drug-dealer, Thomas Pearson, wasn't actually in a rehab center, but, rather, the victim of a brutal attack that left him dead. Now, everything around Reed seems to be part of a horrific fairytale. Suddenly, Reed wants nothing more than to feel numb. To have the ability to erase any and all thoughts about the guy she thought she knew and loved. But the people around her are making that more and more difficult as each day goes by. Noelle is being beyond nice, replacing Reed's old derogatory nickname of "glass-licker" by her true name; Kiran is drinking more than ever; Taylor won't pull herself out of her Prozac-nation rut of sobbing all the time; and Ariana is more haunting than ever. As if that weren't strange enough, the girls keep showering Reed with lavish gifts, from Dior, Coach, and everywhere in between. But when Thanksgiving weekend rolls around, and each of the Billings Girls make their way home to their upscale mansions and penthouse apartments, Reed finds herself one of the few students left on campus, along with Thomas' roommate, Josh Hollis. The chemistry between Reed and Josh is undeniable, and before Reed even has a chance to think twice, she's experienced one steamy hook-up with the hottie. But when she divulges the details about her romantic holiday weekend with Josh to the Billings Girls, Reed finds herself forced to suffer through a frightening game of tell-all. One that makes Josh look like the number one suspect in Thomas' murder. Now, Reed feels as if it's up to her to get to the truth. But the only way to do that is by getting past the Billings Girls.

Kate Brian has absolutely, without a doubt, outdone herself with UNTOUCHABLE. While the first two books in the PRIVATE series (PRIVATE and INVITATION ONLY) were addicting, UNTOUCHABLE has brought a new element to the collection. One so scandalous, that readers will be rendered speechless as they traverse the privileged world of the Billings Girls and their selected comrades. Reed, as in the previous books, is a fun character, whose naivete can, at times, be trying. The morbidity displayed by her in UNTOUCHABLE, however, makes her appear more likeable and mature, as does her ability to finally stand-up to the delusional Noelle, along with the rest of the Billings Girls. While PRIVATE and INVITATION ONLY brought more sexual scandal to light, UNTOUCHABLE brings a type of sadness into the picture, leaving a dreary, yet intriguing impression on the reader - even after the last page is turned. Kate Brian has created a fictional world that is hard to tear yourself away from. Her characters are bizarre, and vicious; yet addicting, and in-depth. Readers of the previous PRIVATE novels will find themselves immersed in the new mysteries that are revealed within the pages of UNTOUCHABLE; while, at the same time, find themselves salivating at the prospect of what the killer cliff-hanger will hold for the next installment. A series that won't stay PRIVATE for long.

Erika Sorocco

One of those books that keeps you from doing all the things you previously planned on doing.
Untouchable, the third installment of the Private Series, was AMAZING. Not only does it include more secrets, undeniable connections, and scandals so big they'll make your head spin, but somehow the outrageous plots seem so real and probable. Reed defintely wasn't expecting any of the things she's expierienced to happen when she got her scholarship to Easton, but they did.

The love triangle between Reed Brennan, her dead boyfriend Thomas Pearson, and his former-roommate Josh Hollis is incredibly real and page turning. You'd think that falling in love would be hard when you've lost your, albeit, drug-dealing, boyfriend, and it is, but Josh just being Josh makes it sooo easy.

Then, of course, there just HAS to be something wrong with the man in question. It sort of aggrivated me because I wanted Josh to just be, and stay, perfect and not have any skeletons in his closet. But, whats the point of a book if there is no drama, especially in Easton Academy.

So this book was beyond incredable and I'm having a hard time controlling myself from hunting down Kate Brian and demanding she give me an early copy of Confessions. I think I speak for all of the Private readers out there when I say this cliff-hanger of an ending really leaves you craving for more.