SECRETS OF THE BLUE HAND GIRLS

A teen at a Manhattan private school must come to terms with her past in order to solve a mystery.

As a junior at Davison High School, Kay’s goals are to keep her scholarship and get into Northwestern. When the first letter arrives in her locker, instructing her to dye her hand blue, Kay must decide whether she wants to accept this invitation to join her school’s “secret society of teenage vigilantes.” Doing so could help her find out the truth about her best friend, Emily, who died in ninth grade. It might also help her get close to her crush, Zola, who she suspects might be writing the notes that keep arriving with more mysterious instructions. As Kay gets pulled into the society, she works with her new friends on missions, some connected to dark secrets involving the school’s leadership. But she soon begins to wonder who she can really trust. Miller’s debut is filled with intrigue and tension. The characters quickly feel distinct, and their portrayals build in complexity as their truths are revealed. Most characters are cued white (Davison isn’t “abysmal” when it comes to racial diversity, but it’s “no paragon of inclusion”), and some conversations about racial and socioeconomic differences feel heavy-handed and expository. Nevertheless, the author hooks readers through the plot’s twists and turns as well as discussions of relatable topics, including jealousy and social dynamics.

A gripping story in which the power of friendship helps uncover the truth.