PAPER COVERS ROCK by Jenny Hubbard

Journal entries written by Alex during his junior year at a boarding school tell the story of the drowning death of his best friend Thomas.  These entries reveal that Alex, Thomas, and Glenn were by the river drinking together and jumped into the river.  Only Thomas did not survive.  The entries also reveal Alex's profound guilt and his strained relationship with Glenn who orchestrates a cover-up of some of the facts surrounding the drowning--especially their drinking.  And just what does Miss Dovecott, their young, attractive English teacher know?  She came upon the scene just as they pulled Thomas out of the river.  Does she know something even Alex doesn't know?

This is a wonderful book!  It's very well written, including Alex's poems sprinkled throughout. The surprise ending works.   It almost reads like something Pat Conroy might have written. I loved it.