by Michael Betcherman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2019
Thought-provoking if not especially engaging.
A former high school football star attempts to prove a convicted murderer’s innocence while adjusting to a permanent injury.
Champion quarterback Matt Barnes’ life and identity revolved around football. After a snowboarding accident left him with a permanent limp, Matt feels adrift. He finds a new role when he accepts an internship with Justice Project, an organization that defends wrongfully convicted prisoners, and takes on the case of a man serving time for murdering his parents 21 years before. Unfortunately, Matt’s partnered with Sonya, his brilliant, if irritating, rival, and their search for the real killer seems hopeless; the remaining witnesses would rather discuss the state championship than long-ago murders, and promising leads hit dead ends. His hometown’s obsession with football lends sympathy to Matt’s depression and occasional self-pity, and Matt’s halting steps toward self-acceptance are believable. Though Betcherman’s (Face-Off, 2014, etc.) expository prose and dialogue slow the pacing and render emotional topics somewhat flat, his overview of wrongful conviction and its psychological toll on prisoners and their families may compel readers to seek further information. An author’s note explains the real-life cases that inspired the plot and provides links to related websites. Most characters default to white, but naming conventions and hairstyles may be intended to imply some racial or ethnic diversity; Sonya is gay, closeted, and possibly black.
Thought-provoking if not especially engaging. (author’s note) (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2250-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
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by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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by Laura Nowlin
by Holly Jackson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2020
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
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New York Times Bestseller
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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