Close Your Eyes

Nicci Cloke is a full-time writer, part-time doer of random jobs. These jobs have included Christmas Elf, cocktail waitress, and childminder. She is also the organiser and host of Speakeasy, the only London literary salon to host regular YA events. Her first YA novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, was published in 2016, followed by CLOSE YOUR EYES in 2017. BOYS WILL BE BOYS is her third novel for young adults. Her first adult novel SOMEDAY FIND ME was published by Fourth Estate in 2012 and her second LAY ME DOWN was published by Cape in 2014. Follow Nicci on Twitter: @niccicloke.

Southfield High School is oh so normal, with its good teachers, its bad, and its cliques. But despite the cliques, there's a particular group of friends who have known each other forever and know that they can rely on each other for anything.

There's the twins: Vis, rebellious, kind, and just a tiny bit worried about what the hell she's going to do once this year is over, and Aisha, smart, quiet and observant. Then there's Remy, the loudmouth, and Gemma, who's more interested in college boys and getting into the crap club in town. And then there's Elise: the pretty one.

But at the start of Year 11, when the group befriend the new boy, Elijah, things start to change. The group find themselves not as close as they used to be.

Until one Tuesday, when the students are trapped inside the school building. And one of them has a gun.

Close Your Eyes is the story of a school shooting which, through interviews, messages and questionable actions, asks: Who is truly responsible?

At Southfield High School, there's a particular group of friends who have known each other forever and can always rely on each other. But at the start of Year 11, when the group befriend the new boy, Elijah, things start to change. The group find themselves not as close as they used to be. Until one Tuesday, when the student body is locked inside the school building. And one of them has a gun.