BEWARE THE ABBOTT BOYS

A teen’s connection to triplets becomes complicated in this double murder mystery.

Hayden has been friends with the Abbott triplets—Bram, Henry, and Adam—her entire life, having grown up near their mansion on a hill. The family’s auto shop is also located on the property, and the boys work there part-time. Last year, Bram’s girlfriend, Mariana Sanchez, died when her car caught on fire right after the brothers had worked on it. Although her death was ruled an accident, everyone in Silver Creek, Vermont, was suspicious that the Abbotts were to blame. So when Kennedy Russo, another local girl, is found dead, all eyes turn to the triplets. But Hayden feels conflicted—she’s best friends with gentle Henry, attracted to brooding Bram, and concerned about volatile Adam. Surely none of them has anything to do with the death of her popular classmate Kennedy? The boys have already been convicted in locals’ minds, and the police have leads that implicate one of the brothers; Hayden believes it’s up to her to get to the truth. Told in alternating timelines and voices, Ichaso’s latest is filled with abundant twists and turns. However, the undeniably engaging story includes a few too many red herrings and far-fetched motives that detract from an otherwise propulsive reading experience. Hayden and the Abbott brothers present white.

A gripping, if slightly overstuffed, mystery.