Cover of That's Not My Name

Book Highlights

That's Not My Name

by Megan Lally

What it's about

Following the disappearance of his girlfriend, a teenage boy finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. He must race against time to uncover the truth and clear his name while navigating police suspicion and his own fractured sense of identity.

Key ideas

  • Identity under pressure: The protagonist grapples with the terrifying question of whether he truly knows himself when everyone else has already branded him a killer.
  • Amateur investigation: The story leans into the high-stakes, chaotic energy of teens taking matters into their own hands to solve a crime the police missed.
  • The weight of public perception: The narrative explores the isolation that comes when the people around you decide you are guilty before hearing your side of the story.
  • Survival mindset: Staying alive and sane becomes a daily act of defiance while waiting for the truth to surface.

You'll love this book if...

  • You enjoy fast-paced YA mysteries that balance dark tension with witty, cynical humor.
  • You're looking for an unreliable narrative that keeps you guessing about the protagonist's own memories.

Best for

Readers who enjoy gritty teen thrillers with a sarcastic edge and high-stakes detective work.

Books with the same vibe

  • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
  • One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
  • Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

22 popular highlights from this book

Key Insights & Memorable Quotes

The most popular highlights from That's Not My Name, saved by readers on Screvi.

“I’m not okay yet, but I’ll survive today. I’ll survive the days to come”
“Get in, losers, we're going sleuthing”
“The important thing is I have a tomorrow. I know who I am. The rest will come”
“Oh sure. Ditch school, impersonate a police station secretary, ambush a witness, get kicked out of a diner, steal security footage, cause an old lady emotional distress, and stay out all night—that’s all on the up-and-up, but sleeping in the same bed as a boy is where she finds an uncrossable line.”
“You'll ruin your picture-perfect attendance if you take off in the middle of the day. The horror.”
“Pot, meet kettle,” I mumble.”
“He smiles. “Don’t worry. Nobody will see you.”I can’t explain the stab of unease that sentence brings.”
“Life really goes to shit when everyone thinks you killed your girlfriend.”
“Where are you baby girl? I scream and her head splits open, peeling away like a costume to reviel Wayne.Staring.Always staring.”
“Hold on, you sanctimonious asshole!”
“I smile to hide my tornado of emotion.”
“Never let them take you to a secondary location.”
“Wannabe Nancy Drew over here probably thought she’d get me to confess and then backflip out the window or something.”
“I scan the timeline, scribbled on the back of some old homework, detailing everything that happened from the moment I picked her up for school in the morning. Her classes, after-school practice with the team, the fight with her parents, me picking her up at her house at just after 10 p.m., the boat launch, the stop she made at the convenience store right before midnight, and finally the cops finding her phone by the side of the road the next morning.”
“His glare sears into me, and I think he might regret not running me over when he had the chance. “The kid I knew would never have left her alone at night. He wouldn’t have waited until the next day to call and see if she got home okay. He wouldn’t stop cooperating with the police. I don’t know you at all.”
“Get in, losers, we’re going sleuthing.”
“To be idle is a short road to death, after all.”
“I’m a Virgo. I always come prepared.”
“Officer Bowman’s chair creaks as he leans forward. He’s young-ish. Maybe 26 or 27? With a baby face and baby blue eyes, he looks like a lemur with a badge.”
“Max leans over from the driver’s seat. “Get in, losers, we’re going sleuthing.”
“What if I’m not Mary? What if I’m not Mary? What if I’m not Mary?”
“couch and watch another season of Schitt’s Creek? Nothing against the Roses, I’d die for Moira, but I’d also kill to get the hell out of here.”

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