Murder on a summer break

In the sweltering heat of summer, a festival becomes a site of some spontaneous fun . . . and murder. Weston's entertaining follow-up to Murder on a School Night (2023) reunites teen detectives Kerry and Annie for a mystery in a world where social media rules. The duo (though more so Annie) have a passion for reels and posts and a drive to become internet-famous, but when they attend a festival for influencers where a series of murders occurs, they have to balance showing off their cool outfits of the day with investigating the crimes. With a playful dash of that whodunit feeling, Weston sharply explores the impact of social media and technology on teens, while tension between the girls--Annie's drive to continue her short-lived fame as a sleuth is at odds with Kerry's ambition to become a professional journalist--keeps the story grounded in the characters' relationship. Full of laughs and emotion, this fun mystery sneaks in some lessons about social media and the hunger for fast fame.

Two feminist detective best friends are back to solve a string of killings at an influencer festival. Kerry and Annie achieved minor notoriety following the events of 2023'sMurder on a School Night. Annie named them the "Tampon Two" after they found the perpetrator of a series of murders involving period products in their small English village of Barbourough. In the year since, both girls have landed internships: Kerry at the local newspaper and Annie at the Ministry of Justice in London. Annie is desperate for more fame, however. She wants to be like the feminist influencer they both admire, Winona Philips: "Smart! Political! Worshipped by all!" Although Annie so far has only two followers on the popular ReelLife platform, the girls are attending the local Festival of Fame, during which influencers will have the chance to connect with their fans. Soon, however, sexist "prankfluencer" Timmy Eaton is found dead with a condom covering his face ("proving that it really does fit all sizes. #Ad"), though the inept local police characterize it as an accident. The absurd, over-the-top scenarios elevate this mystery into an effective, scathing indictment of influencer culture. As Kerry and Annie begin their investigation in earnest, two more influencer murders take place. Clever plot twists abound, and zany influencer antics keep the story entertaining. Most characters read white. A clever, laugh-out-loud parody offering spot-on social commentary.(Mystery. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.