The Night She Died Author:Jennifer Patrick "A remarkable achievement . . . compelling . . . Ms. Patrick deserves the praise readers will heap on this work."-Terry Kay, The Valley of LightSeventeen-year-old Sterling O'Connor works at the local Dairy Queen in a small town in Georgia. With his bleached-out hair and multiple piercings, smart, edgy Sterling has already cut a swathe thr... more »ough the local high school "talent." One day a stranger walks in, an older woman from up north-Washington, D.C. His attraction to Lara is instant and all-consuming. To 30-year-old Lara, he is just a kid with a crush. But he does have something going for him.Alone, and a stranger in town, Lara finds herself spending time with Sterling as well as Eric, who runs the record store. She buys an old Victorian house and hires Sterling to help fix it up. As they become closer, she becomes increasingly drawn to him. Rumors about her relationships with both men soon begin to circulate and tensions between the three of them escalate.When Lara is found shot to death in her bedroom, Sterling is the prime suspect. Jennifer Patrick was born in Durham, North Carolina. After receiving a BA in English and psychology from Swarthmore College, she attended The University of Georgia's master's degree program in creative writing. She went on to receive a second master's from UGA in counseling and human development. She has published magazine articles and had essays featured on Georgia Public Radio. Jennifer lives in Athens, Georgia.« less