Pretty Little Things by Jilliane Hoffman

Lainey Emerson just moved and hasn't made any new friends yet at her new school.  But that doesn't deter her from making friends online, in particular, a really cute boy named Zach.  He makes her feel pretty and wants to meet her.  She wonders if he will be too upset when he finds out she wasn't really sixteen like her myspace says, but only thirteen. She tells her mom she is going to the movies with a friend she just met at school, but she is really going to meet Zach.  But, Lainey doesn't come home.

At first, her mother thinks she must be staying at her friends, but after a few days, she decides to call the police.  Special Agent Bobby Dees is called in, one of the best investigators of missing children.  From his initial investigation, he believes Lainey ran away and it disturbs him.  His own Katie ran away a year ago and he still can't find her.  He is determined that this child will be found.

But the media has a field day with Lainey's disappearance, accusing the police that they aren't doing their job.  There are multiple disappearances of teenage girls in the past few years and most were declared as runaways.  But when a disturbing painting is received, the investigation steps up.  Named the Picasso, a serial killer is on the loose, and Bobby will have to step up his game if he hopes to stop this sadistic killer of teenage girls.  

After more investigation, he realizes the killer is picking up these girls online.  If this person has been abducting girls all this time, perhaps Katie didn't really run away and the Picasso has her.  But will he be to late in figuring out who the killer is before anymore girls are killed?

Pretty Little Things is a top-notch page turner that will have you burning the midnight oil.  It's devastating to read about these  internet stalkers, but sadly is all too real.  The chapters are short, but the message is clear and with all of the twists and turns, it's hard to figure out who the killer is until the final shocking climax.  Mystery and thriller lovers won't want to miss this one!!