Starred review from July 18, 2022
Desperate for a win after she’s fired from her school newspaper and wait-listed by her dream college, Brynn Gallagher, 17, lands an internship at a true crime TV show by pitching a story from her own past in McManus’s (You’ll Be the Death of Me) most impressive mystery yet. When Brynn was an eighth grader at Saint Ambrose prep school in Sturgis, Mass., three classmates, including Brynn’s estranged best friend, Tripp Talbot, went into the woods and stumbled across the corpse of the school’s popular new English teacher, William Larkin. Though Shane’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, the trio were purportedly never suspects, and the case went cold. Shortly thereafter, Brynn and her family relocated to Chicago, but now they’re back in Sturgis, and Brynn intends to use her re-enrollment at Saint Ambrose—and her internship—to uncover the thorny truth surrounding Mr. Larkin’s death. Brynn and Tripp’s candid, emotionally complex alternating first-person accounts enrich character while imparting immediacy and drive. The central whodunit spirals into myriad tertiary puzzles, making for a serpentine read rife with convincing red herrings and ground-shifting reveals. Main characters cue as white; the supporting cast is ethnically diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

August 1, 2022
Grades 8-11 Four years ago, when Brynn was a scholarship student at the prestigious, private Saint Ambrose high school, her favorite teacher was murdered. Three students were discovered with his body--rich kids Shane and Charlotte and Brynn's former best friend, Tripp. It's Tripp who provided the alibi, and it's because of him that none of the three has ever been suspected of anything. Brynn moved away shortly after the murder, but now she's returned to Saint Ambrose for her senior year with an internship at Motive, a true-crime podcast. She hopes the gig will get her into journalism school, but she needs a good story--what's better than investigating the death of her teacher and the three students who escaped suspicion? But as Brynn tries to relearn the complex social hierarchies of Saint Ambrose, the case she thought was safely in the past comes startlingly into the present, and everyone, including Tripp, seems to be hiding something. McManus, well known for her fast-paced mysteries, brings that signature blend of high-stakes high-school drama and murderous twists readers won't see coming. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: McManus was on best-seller lists with her debut, One of Us Is Lying (2017), even before it was a streaming show, and she's been hitting them reliably ever since. Stock up with her latest.

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Starred review from September 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-Brynn Gallagher isn't excited to return to Saint Ambrose School. Her family moved away five years ago after the murder of her favorite teacher, Mr. Larkin; the body was found by three students in the woods behind the school, but the murder was never solved. Now they're moving back, and Brynn must finish her final semester of high school where the murderer might still attend. Brynn is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. She got an internship at Motive, a true crime podcast, and plans to put her journalist skills to work to learn the truth about what happened to Mr. Larkin. Brynn's investigation is muddied by her complex relationship with Tripp Talbot, her ex-best friend and one of the three students who found the body. But, with the help of her intrepid younger sister Elle, her old middle school friends, and a budding romance with Tripp, Brynn brings readers on her wild ride. As usual, McManus pulls readers into a complex world of murder and suspense, here with dual narratives from Brynn and Tripp; romance; and twists and turns that hit readers right before they see them. Fans of McManus will be happy with this sixth novel and the Easter eggs she leaves. VERDICT McManus's latest is a win for mystery and suspense fans and has a little something for everyone. Readers will find this one more sophisticated than some of her previous work, and no less entertaining.-Rebekah J. Buchanan

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Starred review from June 1, 2022
A budding reporter returns to her old school and reopens a cold case murder. Four years ago in Sturgis, Massachusetts, three Saint Ambrose eighth grade students found the murdered body of Mr. Larkin, a beloved new English teacher, in the woods behind the prep school's campus. The culprit was never caught, and the case remained unsolved. Soon after, Brynn Gallagher's family moved to Chicago, but her father has been transferred back to their hometown, and now she's going to finish up her senior year at Saint Ambrose. Brynn is a promising investigative journalist, and after she nabs an internship with a true-crime podcast, she decides to look into finally solving the murder of her favorite teacher--even if it means deceiving her peers. Tripp Talbot was Brynn's best friend in middle school, but they became estranged after Tripp humiliated her in front of their classmates. He also happens to be one of the kids who found Mr. Larkin's body, and the lies he told the police haunt him to this day. As secrets unravel in Brynn's pursuit of the truth, Tripp and Brynn reconcile and become closer. This thrilling novel hits all the right spots, with red herrings and twists galore. Perspective shifts between Brynn and Tripp (with a couple of flashback breaks) tell a character-driven story with family drama, plenty of buried secrets, and lovely romantic vibes. Most characters are White. An edge-of-your-seat page-turner; the strongest yet from a master of the genre. (Thriller. 14-18)

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