False Appearances

False appearance is a major and dominant theme in "Deadly Little Secret" by Laurie Faria Stolarz. It focuses on characters being presented as straightforward, but becoming complex over time, and shattering previously held perceptions. It adds to the mystery surrounding the character of Ben and later Matt.

At first, Ben is presented as a murdering outcast. He eats alone, was present at the death of his girlfriend, and is the mostly likely candidate to be stalking both Camelia and Debbie Marcus. Matt, in juxtaposition, is presented as a kind, caring, and thoughtful all-American boy - the kind of boy that Kimmie thinks Camelia needs. Yet, Camelia is inexplicably drawn to Ben and away from Matt.

As the novel unfolds, it is revealed that Ben and Matt are very complex characters. Ben's girlfriend's death truly was accidental and he did not murder her. Furthermore, his desire to stay...