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IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU by Lynn Slaughter

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU

by Lynn Slaughter

Pub Date: Jan. 30th, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62414-535-3
Publisher: Page Street

Five months ago, high school senior Clara Seibert’s twin sister, Moura, was murdered in their home.

The killer hasn’t been caught, but many people remain convinced Clara murdered her sister in a fit of jealousy. After all, the nonmusical Clara lived in her famed pianist sister’s shadow, even when it came to their parents’ attention. When Clara begins receiving threatening emails from someone blaming her for Moura’s death, she sets out to uncover her sister’s killer before the mystery emailer follows through on their promise to kill Clara. The white teen discovers many possible suspects: Moura’s rival and friend, a pianist named Alex Kwon; Moura’s secret girlfriend or the boy she publicly dated as a beard; or perhaps one of the many people Moura reportedly manipulated on her way to the top. The deeper Clara digs, the more danger she puts herself in, but all that matters is getting to the truth of what happened to her sister. A subplot in which columnist Clara interviews teen dating violence victims for the school newspaper sometimes comes across as a public service announcement, but it is honestly raw in its intensity. Aside from Alex, the primary cast is an almost all-white one. Clara is a rather bland character, but her determination will endear her to readers, who will find her attempt to connect emotionally with her parents to be especially touching.

A solid whodunit for genre fans.

(Mystery. 14-18)