Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be followed around by reporters and paparazzi and having everyone but yourself know who you are? Child X is the mystery novel by Lee Weatherly that portrays this predicament.

Juliet, the protagonist, becomes the subject of scrutiny after her parents divorce because everyone knows who she is, except her. She is Child X, just a regular British girl in middle school. After seeing herself in the newspaper, she soon learns that the father she knew and loved is in fact not her biological father, and she has a hard time accepting that. After being followed around, stalked by news reporters, and stripped away of privacy, Juliet has definitely had enough.

Written completely in the narrative of thirteen year-old Juliet, this novel will make readers feel as if the author was not Weatherly, but in fact Juliet, or what many like to call her, Child X. Although predictable at some points, the plot gets balanced out with a great twist towards the end. It is definitely a successful debut novel for Weatherly. There is a moderate amount of British slang used throughout this novel, but not enough to make an American reader clueless as to what has been said.

Child X is a compelling novel that will have you wondering about what other adventures Juliet gets into. If you are really good at predicting plot outcomes, this novel may not be for you. However, if you aren’t an expert in predicting outcomes of novels, just don’t care to know what happens next, or want a great quick read, then Child X is definitely recommended for you. (4 out of 5 stars)