Wanted

Wanted is the eighth book in the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, which was published on June 8, 2010 by HarperTeen.

Aria is featured on the book cover. Under the dust jacket, the front cover of the hardcopy book reads "Be careful what you wish for. ~A"

Back Cover Summary
In Rosewood, majestic estates sprawl for acres, and Tiffany toggle bracelets dangle from every girl's wrist. But not all that glitters is gold, and the town harbors secrets darker than anyone could imagine—like the truth about what really happened the night Alison DiLaurentis went missing. . ..

Back in middle school, Ali plucked Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer from obscurity and turned them into the beautiful, popular girls everyone wanted to be. Ali was the best friend they ever had. But she also made them do terrible things and taunted them with their worst secrets.

Not every story has a happy ending, especially when four pretty little liars have done so many wicked things. In the dramatic conclusion of Sara Shepard's bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer could get everything they've ever wanted—unless A has one more horrifying twist in store.

In Detail Summary
Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer are shocked to learn of the existence of Alison's twin sister, Courtney, when she's introduced at a press conference. Courtney had spent her life in institutions due to "health issues" and her existence was kept secret by her family. She's finally released and goes home to Rosewood, where she attempts to resume her sister's life and begins tentative friendships with Ali's old friends. She later reveals that she's actually Ali; that the real Courtney had pretended to be her on the night of Ali's disappearance, and she was the one who was killed. When she tried to tell her family who she was, they didn't believe her because Courtney was notorious for pretending to be Ali, and sent her back to the institution in Courtney's place.

The girls are thrilled that Ali is back, and jump at the chance to go with her to the family's house in the Poconos after a school dance. On the way there, Spencer gets a frantic call from her mother telling her that Melissa has disappeared. Spencer had begun to believe that her sister was the one who killed Ali and that she may be after the rest of them, but once they arrive at the house it's revealed that Ali is the killer. They discover that the girl they were friends with years ago was actually Courtney, and the real Ali was stuck in an institution. She had killed Courtney for ruining her life, attempted to kill the girls in the forest fire, tried to have them arrested, and is now going to kill them by setting the house on fire.

They're able to escape after stumbling onto Ian's body hidden in a closet and releasing a bound Melissa, who Ali had kidnapped and was planning to kill as well. Ali is trapped inside the house and it's assumed she died in the fire, although her body is never found. After learning that her ex-husband shipped Hanna off to a mental institution, Ashley Marin transfers back to Rosewood and kicks Hanna's father, Isabel and Kate out of the house, thrilling Hanna. Hanna and Mike get back together, and Meredith goes into labor, giving birth to a girl named Lola.

Aria and Noel get back together after it's revealed that Ali kissed him, not the other way around, and Ella breaks up with Xavier after learning of his inappropriate behavior towards Aria. Spencer's father proclaims that even though he and her mother may not get back together, things are going to change for the better in their family, and Spencer and Melissa grow closer after almost being killed.

Emily buries everything she can find that reminds her of Ali at Courtney's grave, hoping she can finally find closure, but is unsure of whether the noises she hears at the cemetery are real or imagined. And somewhere, a new girl starts her senior year at an anonymous school, a girl whose name just so happens to be an anagram of Alison DiLaurentis...It's Laura St. DeLions.

Hanna
Hanna is having an issue with regaining her popularity. When she finds Kate, Naomi, Riley, Mason, James, and Mike in Steam, with Mike gets suspicious. When she asks what has happened, Mason shows her a picture. Its a picture of Mike's gym locker. Inside, is his stuff, and front and center, D&G underwear, with skid marks. They start calling mike Skidz, and he is unpopular, just like Hanna. She breaks up with him to regain popularity, but gets back together with him, realizing it isn't worth it. Kate is still calling her "Psycho" and is trashing Hanna.

Aria
Aria is suspicious of Courtney, and doesn't believe that Courtney is who she seems. She's very insistent on avoiding her. At the same time, she is having problems with Meredith and Byron. Meredith is having a baby soon, and Mike is resentful on spending time with them. She also has to avoid her mom because of Xavier, after he tries to grope her in the past books. Courtney and Noel are also spending a lot of time together. She thinks something is going to go on, like Alison and Noel being in a relationship. At the Valentine's Day dance, she sees Noel and Courtney kissing. Courtney calls out Noel, making it like Noel advanced onto Courtney. After it's revealed that Courtney was Alison and Alison was Courtney after the Time Capsule Flag thing in sixth grade, Noel tells Aria that Courtney kissed him, and Aria believes him. They kiss, and get back together.

Spencer
Spencer is having a hard time with her parents and Melissa. She finds out that, a picture in her father's Yale yearbook, a picture that she thinks is Olivia, pregnant with her, is Jessica DiLaurentis, pregnant with Ali and Courtney. She finds emails from her dad to her. It's revealed that Spencer's father impregnated Jessica at the same time Olivia was pregnant with Spencer, from an egg from her mother and sperm from her father. She reveals it at dinner, thinking her mother knew, and that it was a motive for her to kill Ali. When she realizes her mother never knew. She kicks her father out, becomes upset with Spencer, and her and Melissa ignore her for a bit. They talk to her again, but are still mad at her. At the Poconos house, she finds Ian's body and a kidnapped Melissa in the closet. In the end, Spencer's parents tell her and Melissa while they are not yet getting back together that they are going to eat dinner once a week.

'Emily
Emily still doesn't want to let go of seeing Ali in the woods. When she finds out about Courtney, she thinks this is a chance for her to get together with Courtney. So they start flirting, and Courtney and Emily end up hooking up. After Courtney (revealed to be Ali) is killed in the fire, Emily realizes she has to let go of the past, since Alison and Courtney aren't the girls she wanted, or loved.

Messages from "A"


To: Four Bitches. From: A.

Once upon a time, there were two beautiful girls named Ali and Courtney - but one of them was crazy. And as you know, with a few magical twists of fate, Ali became Courtney for a while. But what you don't know is that Courtney became Ali, too.

You heard me right, Pretty Little Losers...and it's all because of you. Remember when you stalked me in my backyard for the Time Capsule Flag? And remember that girl who trotted out to the lawn and talked to you? That wasn't me. As you so astutely figured out, Courtney was home switching from the Radley to the Preserve that weekend. And oh, how poor widdle Courtney didn't want to go. She had her neat, crazy little life at Radley...and she didn't want to start over in a hospital.

If she had to start over somewhere, it was going to be Rosewood. And start over she did. She was supposed to go to the Preserve the very morning she saw you skulking around my yard - and man, did she jump on the chance fast. One minute she and I were arguing - I was so happy she was on her way out - and the next she was out in the yard, pretending to be me, talking to you guys like you were BFF's. Talking about my flag as if she hadn't been the one who'd stolen it first and ruined my masterpiece with that stupid wishing well. And how was I supposed to know that everyone - my mom, my dad, even my brother - would think it was me out there and Courtney inside? How was I supposed to know my mom would grab me and say it's time to go, Courtney? I pleaded with her that I was Ali, but my mom didn't believe me, all because Courtney took my A-is-for-Ali ring when I wasn't looking. My mom yelled outside to the girl who wasn't Ali that we were leaving, and the girl who wasn't Ali turned, smiled, and said, Bye!

Off we went. Courtney got my perfect life, and I got her wrecked one. Just like that.

She ruined everything. She put her lips all over Ian Thomas. She nearly got arrested for blinding prissy Jenna Cavanaugh. She ditched Naomi and Riley, the coolest girls at school. But the very worst thing she did in my name was choose four new best friends in their place. Girls she knew I would never look twice at, girls who weren't special in any way. Girls who she knew would fall all over her, desperate for the opportunity to be in her exclusive club. The girls who'd help her get everything she wanted.

Any of this sound familiar, ladies?

But don't worry. This little fairy tale can still have a happy ending for me. I saw to it that my sister paid for what she did. And now, so will you.

I tried to burn you. I tried to make you crazy. I tried to have you arrested. I've even messed with you this week - surprise! I flung myself at Aria's boyfriend. I sent Hanna fake tickets to a certain fashion show. I let Em believe there was a happily-ever-after for us after all. Smooch! And Spencer...I have a surprise for you. Look closely! It's right under your nose.

I suppose I should thank Courtney for her meticulous diary keeping. It helped me - and Mona - so much. It's all led up to this big moment. The curtain's about to go up, bitches, and the show is about to begin. Get ready to meet your maker. It won't be long now.

Kisses!

A (the real one)



Break-ups

 * Hanna and Mike: Desperate to be popular again, Hanna dumps Mike, who is also getting a bit low in social status. The two reunite by the end of the book.
 * Aria and Noel: Aria is suspicious of Noel's friendliness towards "Courtney". Aria's had a crush on him since middle school and Ali was the only one who knew it. Ali also went out with Noel after Aria told her and the girl is now worried that he might be attracted to Courtney. She catches them kissing at the Valentine's Day dance and breaks up with him. However, they get back together after the truth about Courtney (Alison) is revealed, when Aria finds out the Alison kissed Noel first.

Hook-ups

 * Ali and Noel: Ali (known as Courtney to everyone else) kisses Noel at the Valentine's Day dance in order to get Aria to go to the Poconos with her and the rest of the girls. Her plan worked so well that Aria broke up with him on the spot.
 * Ali and Emily: Ali kisses Emily and tells her the 'truth' about her identity. Emily is ecstatic to have her friend back and wants to have a real relationship with her. However, by the end of the books she learns that Ali is not the girl she knew and loved.

Notes and revelations

 * Courtney and Alison switched lives, and Alison went to the Preserve, Courtney came to Rosewood.
 * Ian's missing body is found in the DiLaurentises Poconos home, revealing that Alison killed Ian. (A rotted corpse was splayed in the bottom of the almost-empty closet. The legs were bent halfway up the wall at a disfiguring angle, and the head lolled off to the side, resting on top of an Adidas shoe box. The skin was a sallow yellow, and there was a horrible waxy substance on what was left of the cheeks. The skin and muscles around the mouth had rotted away into a hollow pit. The beautiful golden hair looked like a wig, and the forehead swarmed with maggots.)
 * Billy Ford was cleared of all charges, for killing Courtney, Jenna, and Ian.
 * It is revealed that Wilden did not kill Leah Zook.
 * Alison was revealed to have killed Ian, Courtney, and Jenna out of anger, and was the second "A".
 * Meredith and Byron's baby is born, a girl named Lola.