Dare Me (2012) Signed First Edition Reference

Dare Me was published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown in 2012, Abbott’s breakthrough novel. The book is set in the world of competitive high school cheerleading, where the arrival of a new coach disrupts the existing power structure and leads to betrayal, sexual intrigue, and murder. The novel is a masterclass in female power dynamics rendered through the vocabulary of athletic competition and adolescent intensity.

The Book

Abbott’s insight is that the world of competitive cheerleading — with its physical discipline, hierarchical structures, and emotional extremity — provides a perfect microcosm for noir storytelling. The relationships between the girls, and between the girls and their coach, crackle with the same tension and menace as any classic noir triangle. The novel was adapted into a USA Network television series in 2019.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown, New York Publication date: 2012 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $40–$120
• Inscribed copies: $60–$200
• Unsigned first edition: $10–$25

Abbott’s most commercially successful novel and the book that defined her mature voice. The television adaptation broadened her audience.