Analiese Newell is a young piano prodigy in the 1956 South. Her best friend, Etta May, has a beautiful voice who's always singing. This is also a year that the cicadas come back in a plague-like fashion for the first time in 13 years.

Secrets will be uncovered when Analiese becomes strangely fascinated with the beguiling Marlissa. She is a wealthy girl and a strange girl. Her family is interesting and scary.

This is a great coming of age Gothic novel with so much mystery. Sometimes you have to suspend belief at some of the goings-on, but this tale is told so richly and vivid! I had some visceral reactions to the cicada's swarm.