The Lying Game

Name: The Lying Game
Author: Sara Shepard
ISBN: 9780061869709

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Sara Shepard

Reading Level 4-5 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible Find on Bookshop.org

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

Emma races through crowded hallways, heart pounding, as she slips into her missing twin Sutton’s glamorous shoes. No one suspects the secret she’s hiding — but when Sutton disappears without a trace, Emma realizes danger is closer than she thought. Who wanted Sutton gone, and will Emma be next?

Themes

Mystery Family Coming of AgeTwinsSibling Relationships

Quick Assessment

A teen who discovers a long-lost twin takes over the twin's glamorous life after she vanishes, then investigates whether she was murdered by one of many people with reasons to want her gone. Parents should know the story involves a killing, suspense and physical danger, plus deception, family secrets and a luxurious world with plenty of drama. It is best suited to older readers who can handle a murder mystery with morally complicated characters.

Why we rated The Lying Game ME (Moderate)

The Lying Game is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 307 pages. Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

We rate The Lying Game as ME (Moderate, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, The Lying Game explores mystery, family, coming of age, twins, and sibling relationships — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, family, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Mild

Thematic

Moderate

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?