Review by Booklist Review
The first week of senior year was meant to be fun for best friends and boarding school students Amy and Sarah. It plummets into disaster when Amy wakes up to find Sarah and her boyfriend, Ryan, murdered in Sarah's bed. Now, the rumor mill is speculating that Amy is responsible for their deaths, since she was the only one there. Except, she wasn't--Amy's boyfriend, Joseph, was with her for part of that night, but since he's a townie, Amy wants to protect him from suspicion. Elsewhere on campus, Liz, the driven editor of the school newspaper, is investigating the murder, hoping it will lead to an important journalism scholarship. When Amy is reassigned to be Liz's roommate, the relationship starts frosty until they find themselves relying on each other for their lives. Taut and suspenseful, the academic thriller wields an unexpected villain, revealing the seamier aspects of wealth and privilege and the painful realities of complex friendships. Believable characters with distinct personalities enhance this gripping race to whodunit.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Amy wakes up after a night of partying in the woods at her New England boarding school to discover her beloved roommate Sarah and Sarah's boyfriend Ryan were violently murdered in their suite while she slept right next door. Her proximity to the crime scene makes her first in line to be questioned by the police, but Amy knows she didn't have anything to do with their deaths. The school insists upon a new roommate, but prying journalist Liz and her desire for a fellowship-winning story are the last thing Amy and her boyfriend Joseph, who is the son of a coach but not a Meadowbrook student and therefore not allowed on campus, need. As the investigation heats up, Sarah and Ryan's secrets begin to be revealed, and it turns out that Amy may not have known her as well as she thought. Both Amy and Liz will need to be careful as they pick apart those secrets or they may find themselves in the killer's way, too. Compelling if not always entirely likable characters are tangled in a web of desperation and hidden motivations; short chapters and good pacing keep the pages turning, while red herrings keep the solution just out of reach. VERDICT A cutthroat boarding school story recommended for purchase where murder mysteries are particularly popular.--Allie Stevens
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two high school seniors with very different motives reluctantly join forces when two of their classmates are murdered. Amy Alterman considers herself lucky to have had Sarah Oliver in her life. Since they were in their first year at Meadowbrook Academy--a prestigious institution for the children of the extremely wealthy--the soccer besties have been inseparable. Liz Charles, who attends Meadowbrook on scholarship, doesn't have any close friends on campus, but she does have theMeadowbrook Gazette, the school's online newspaper. Liz is determined to make a name for herself in journalism no matter the cost. So, when Sarah and her boyfriend, Ryan Pelham, are found brutally murdered in Sarah and Amy's dorm room, Liz excitedly breaks the story without considering the consequences. Amy, who soon becomes her classmates' prime suspect, desperately tries to clear her name while also protecting her "townie" boyfriend, Joseph Stone. In this plot-driven page-turner, Liz and Amy are thrown together despite their mutual distrust as they try to figure out who really committed the heinous double murder. The unlikely companions discover that the truth isn't easy to find and that even the people they trust the most are likely hiding something. This compelling novel will keep readers guessing, as the narrative moves steadily toward its satisfying conclusion. Central characters are cued white; Amy's Jewish identity is skillfully and naturally woven into the story. A fast-paced, attention-grabbing boarding school murder mystery.(Mystery. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
