A twisty story that will keep armchair sleuths guessing—and rooting for its appealing amateur sleuth.
A recent high school graduate from a well-to-do family investigates the gritty underworld of 1920s Chicago.
Piper Sail has a lot on her mind. Still mourning the loss of her best friend, Lydia LeVine, whose kidnapping and murder she solved, Piper is grappling with what to do with her life: “If only that were a career option for women—being a detective.” When Louisa Dell, a student at Piper’s alma mater, Presley’s School for Girls, asks Piper to look into her brother Clarence’s supposed suicide, Piper launches herself into another investigation. She navigates the social restrictions of the time with aplomb, while also continuing her romance with handsome detective Mariano Cassano, much to her status-conscious family’s chagrin. Readers will enjoy Piper’s tenacity and her unwillingness to be socially pigeonholed even as she takes risks and courts danger. Morrill nicely depicts Piper’s growing independence as she steps into adulthood, while realistically showing that a young woman of means would face blowback for entertaining the unconventional career of private investigator. The author presents several potential suspects, keeping readers on their toes right alongside Piper, who’s an engaging and sympathetic protagonist. The exploration of shifting family dynamics and looming adulthood feels relatable, no matter the time period. Most characters are cued white.
A twisty story that will keep armchair sleuths guessing—and rooting for its appealing amateur sleuth. (historical note) (Historical mystery. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9780310175810
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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