A brisk, delightful whodunit with a sympathetic teen hero.
In this YA thriller, a North Carolina teenager realizes she’s the chief suspect in a fellow high schooler’s murder.
Charlotte Gray can’t explain why Bellany Silverfield hates her so much. The popular girl has detested Charlotte since they met in middle school. Regardless, Charlotte is there for Bellany’s 17th birthday party, as she’s good friends with her enemy’s twin brother, Bridger. That night, Charlotte picks up some juicy gossip—Bellany may be cheating on her boyfriend, Quentin. But when Charlotte tries to verify that tidbit, all she finds is Bellany’s body in the woods. Charlotte stays mum, as she’s got a motive and no alibi. Sure enough, it’s mere days before cops start looking at her as a potential killer (without revealing the manner of Bellany’s death). Charlotte starts her own list of suspects, from Quentin and a vengeful schoolmate to the unidentified “rude blonde girl” she first spotted at the party. Charlotte hopes to convince others that one of these people is the culprit, but it won’t be easy when someone is trying to frame her for murder. Leathers skillfully shrouds the story and the cast in mystery. For example, someone likely took Charlotte’s truck for a joyride during the party, and one person’s mother is a convicted killer (“She murdered her husband about fifteen years ago and just got out of prison last year”). Few of the characters are likable, as many seemingly turn on Charlotte, who’s an appealing amateur sleuth. But she does discover a romantic interest, which alleviates the narrative’s gloomy tone. The author’s straightforward prose offers pithy descriptions, making this short (under 130 pages) series opener a quick, easy read. The tale is also persistently edgy, as Charlotte gets anonymous, threatening texts and fears her arrest is imminent. Unfortunately, some curious subplots and gleefully dubious characters lead nowhere, as they’re simply red herrings. They nevertheless drive the story to a smashing, memorable ending.
A brisk, delightful whodunit with a sympathetic teen hero.Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2021
ISBN: 979-8479796661
Page Count: 209
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
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
A prototypical survival story: after an airplane crash, a 13-year-old city boy spends two months alone in the Canadian wilderness. In transit between his divorcing parents, Brian is the plane's only passenger. After casually showing him how to steer, the pilot has a heart attack and dies. In a breathtaking sequence, Brian maneuvers the plane for hours while he tries to think what to do, at last crashing as gently and levelly as he can manage into a lake. The plane sinks; all he has left is a hatchet, attached to his belt. His injuries prove painful but not fundamental. In time, he builds a shelter, experiments with berries, finds turtle eggs, starts a fire, makes a bow and arrow to catch fish and birds, and makes peace with the larger wildlife. He also battles despair and emerges more patient, prepared to learn from his mistakes—when a rogue moose attacks him and a fierce storm reminds him of his mortality, he's prepared to make repairs with philosophical persistence. His mixed feelings surprise him when the plane finally surfaces so that he can retrieve the survival pack; and then he's rescued. Plausible, taut, this is a spellbinding account. Paulsen's staccato, repetitive style conveys Brian's stress; his combination of third-person narrative with Brian's interior monologue pulls the reader into the story. Brian's angst over a terrible secret—he's seen his mother with another man—is undeveloped and doesn't contribute much, except as one item from his previous life that he sees in better perspective, as a result of his experience. High interest, not hard to read. A winner.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1987
ISBN: 1416925082
Page Count: -
Publisher: Bradbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1987
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