Lissa's father, who she calls by his initials "JB", as she can't bear to call him Dad, is a "jailbird" and a complete embarrassment to her. Once a popular teenager with hoards of friends, she now feels isolated - watched and judged by her teachers and her classmates alike. When she finds out her father is coming home, Lissa is thrown into confusion and feels angry and betrayed - her family has been coping perfectly well without him and she's damned if she's going to welcome him home with open arms. At this vulnerable time Lissa meets Diane, a snobbish and sharp-tongued girl who is not quite all that she seems. Diane encourages Lissa to do a terrible thing in the name of revenge and to lie for her, almost getting a charismatic and dedicated teacher sacked in the process. An intriguing and well-written book for older readers.