alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for an eARC.
4.5 stars
CWs: Murder, death of a parent (cancer), adult/minor relationship (minor details), descriptions of dead bodies (alluding to suicide), drowning
This was a really good, fast-paced YA Murder mystery thriller. I read it in one sitting, and I didn’t want to put it down. The writing style was easy to get sucked into, and the mystery and the secrets of this town kept me completely hooked. The author had me guessing so much, and while I figured out one plot lines answers, the other one surprised me.
Cecelia was a really good character. She was struggling with her grief over her mom’s death, moving in with her grandmother who is basically a stranger, and then having one of her new friends turn up murdered and being the one to find the body. Throw in a cute guy who is willing to help with her investigation, and Cecilia is dealing with A LOT. The author handled all of it really well. Cecelia was relatable, realistic, flawed, and her emotions came across really well. I liked her investigation and how she got to know her new friend group, and the emerging relationships that she was forming with them.
There was a lot of tension and secrets in the plot. The idea of a potential copycat killing of Cecelia’s grandmothers debut novel which was based on the “real” murder of Caroline Quinn which the town has mourned for 52 years was really fascinating. I liked that in digging into the current murder, Cecelia was finding answers about Caroline’s. And the ending was really intense!
4.5 stars
CWs: Murder, death of a parent (cancer), adult/minor relationship (minor details), descriptions of dead bodies (alluding to suicide), drowning
This was a really good, fast-paced YA Murder mystery thriller. I read it in one sitting, and I didn’t want to put it down. The writing style was easy to get sucked into, and the mystery and the secrets of this town kept me completely hooked. The author had me guessing so much, and while I figured out one plot lines answers, the other one surprised me.
Cecelia was a really good character. She was struggling with her grief over her mom’s death, moving in with her grandmother who is basically a stranger, and then having one of her new friends turn up murdered and being the one to find the body. Throw in a cute guy who is willing to help with her investigation, and Cecilia is dealing with A LOT. The author handled all of it really well. Cecelia was relatable, realistic, flawed, and her emotions came across really well. I liked her investigation and how she got to know her new friend group, and the emerging relationships that she was forming with them.
There was a lot of tension and secrets in the plot. The idea of a potential copycat killing of Cecelia’s grandmothers debut novel which was based on the “real” murder of Caroline Quinn which the town has mourned for 52 years was really fascinating. I liked that in digging into the current murder, Cecelia was finding answers about Caroline’s. And the ending was really intense!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, and Cancer
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