WHEN I WAS DEATH

Determined to uncover the truth about her sister’s death, a teen joins a roving group of girls who kill for Death.

Roslyn Volk has been a shell of her former self ever since her older sister, Adeline, died mysteriously after a summer spent with a strange group of five girls. Adeline had returned home changed, so when the teens visit Roslyn’s Michigan town, she decides to join them in hopes of uncovering the truth behind her death. The group members, who were supposed to die young, have been spared by Death, and now they must travel the country killing people as his proxies. Desperate to learn the truth, Roslyn makes a deal with Death: She’ll kill for him, and he’ll answer her questions about Adeline. But as time passes and the girls’ situation grows more dangerous, she wonders if she’ll be joining her sister sooner than expected. Henderson’s YA debut is a gripping, horror-filled read that examines grief and the aftermath of loss. As Roslyn rediscovers the joy of living, the novel explores how people face their own mortality. The girls encounter various types of deaths, from natural causes to a horrific car accident, and the tension builds steadily throughout. Each member of the large cast is carefully delineated, allowing readers to understand them and their motivations. The sisters’ dad is white and their mom is Black, and most of the supporting cast members present white.

A hauntingly raw look at life, death, and grief.