Kara Thomas writes page-turning thrillers with true crime DNA, about complicated girls navigating hard histories, dangerous entanglements, and dark deeds. Her latest is The Cheerleaders, centering on a small-town girl whose older sister was the final girl to die in a string of terrible incidents—including an accident, a double-murder, and an alleged suicide—that wiped out half a high school cheer squad. Thomas talked to us about her dastardly Google search history, her fascination with complicated female characters, and what inspires her twisting tales.