The Rabbit Trap

Lexie’s high school experience starts out so well. Her landing a seat in the Columbus Jr. Symphony rewards her musical skills. Her classes introduce her to really nice kids. But there isn’t enough time in the day to practice, become active with her friends in theater, and achieve good grades. And then there is her mother’s reluctance to accept her new friends, and her need for support to adjust to her new culture, surroundings and pressures.

Her parents, Anne and Kenneth Hamilton have their own issues. Anne has almost lost one of her younger daughters to a swimming pool accident. When Kenneth has an opportunity to take a professor position at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, she cannot wait to leave the small town in Georgia where she had raised her two older children to avoid the feeling that she could still lose one of her little girls. Kenneth has recently injured his back. Still trying to heal from the injury and deal with the stress of a new position, he becomes dependent on Percocet and Xanax.

Lexie tries to make her way on her own in the social maze of teenage culture in a suburban high school. When she catches the eye and the heart of a senior boy but then breaks up with him, her friends spread the rumor she is gay.

Her sophomore year and junior year bring further challenges. She reaches into her parents’ medicine cabinet to feel normal. She accidentally ODs. Her mother thinks Lexie needs further discipline and restrictions. Lexie denies she needs help. She loses patience waiting to gain her mother’s trust.

More than a Young Adult novel, The Rabbit Trap will give parents and teens quite a few topics to discuss.