Candor by Pam Bachorz (Egmont, 2009, 9781405250276)
A deceptively simple yet chilling tale about a new town in America, where all the teens are brainwashed by subliminal messages, hidden in the muzak, into behaving perfectly. The architect of this society is Oscar's dad, who believes that he has the perfect son - but Oscar knows about the messages and how to subvert them, and has a profitable line in counter-brainwashing, helping teens escape from Candor. When Nia arrives, he is attracted to her rebellious artistic nature, but his attempts to keep her stay real end in tragedy. This is quite a discomforting tale which raises lots of issues in a subtle but pressing manner, which kept me hooked until the heartbreaking ending. Recommended for thoughtful young adults with a strong sense of individuality.