NEVER BELIEVE A LIE TWICE

A teenager adjusts to his new life and family while trying to solve a decades-old murder in this YA mystery.

Sage Christopher isn’t exactly distraught when his father, Marty, dies in a car accident. This alcoholic, abusive, and hapless con man, the only family Sage has known, wasn’t much of a dad. Still, the 13-year-old Las Vegas denizen is surprised when a social worker sends him to live with grandparents on the other side of the country. He meets them for the first time, and Pops and Gram show him nothing but kindness and hospitality. Regardless, Sage has plans to high-tail it out of Evansville, Connecticut—but first he’s got a murder to look into. Marty left behind indications that he was shaking down a killer in this small East Coast town. The apparent victim was a local newspaper tycoon missing for nearly 20 years, and the paper has a standing million-dollar reward for whomever finds him. All Sage has to go on is a threatening note the killer sent Marty, coldly asserting that “Murder is easy” and signing it “C.” That could be any number of people, from a few townsfolk to Pops and Gram, who share their grandson’s surname. Sage nevertheless quickly whittles down his suspect list and zeroes in on a potential murderer. He looks for clues in old newspaper articles and the rooms he searches when alone. This puts him closer to a million-dollar payout but may also catch the attention of someone who’s made it abundantly clear that killing won’t be a problem.

Troy aptly develops this story’s young protagonist; he’s an unfortunate kid without a real home or a dependable family who suddenly has both. Sage begins the story living in a seedy motel room. The foster-care system just wants to get rid of him, with the social worker practically pushing him onto an eastbound train. His grandparents are sweet but not cloying; Gram cooks regular meals for this food-insecure teen but subtly gives him the chore of washing dishes afterward. In addition, the teen valiantly stands up against the school bully and makes several new friends, most notably Sonny. Sage compares Sonny to Jimmy Olsen (Superman’s photojournalist friend). But the mystery plot is not quite as enthralling. Sage doesn’t do much investigating, and none of the clues he digs up are entirely unexpected. Still, he’s a street-smart teen who utilizes skills that Marty taught him, such as furtively eavesdropping on others and successfully stashing any evidence he’s collected. The author blankets the overall narrative in suspense, as Sage at one point feels an unknown murderer has eyes on him. Even when he’s sure he’s identified the culprit, he can’t always ensure his safety. There are touches of humor as well. Sage eliminates Chester as the killer C not because he’s a floppy-eared bloodhound—the dog is simply too lazy to commit a murder. This budding investigative journalist may pop up in a sequel, especially since readers never get to see a couple of Sage’s skills in action.

A proficient, sympathetic hero elevates this straightforward but entertaining thriller.