THIS BOOK KILLS

Sixteen-year-old Londoner Jesminder Choudhary is horrified when one of her classmates is killed—especially when she finds out that the murder scene was re-created from one of her writing assignments.

When news breaks of Hugh Henry Van Boren’s death, Jess receives a chilling anonymous text: “Thanks for the inspiration. I couldn’t have killed Hugh without you.” Jess, who’s of Indian descent and a scholarship student at Heybuckle School, knows that she would make an easy scapegoat for the outraged parents of her classmates if they discovered the connection with her story. When it appears that the police are unable to properly investigate the crime, and the Van Borens’ private investigator proves incompetent, Jess and her best friend, Clementine-Tangerine Briggs, take matters into their own hands. Could the killer be Millie Calthrope-Newton-Rose, Hugh’s ex-girlfriend who was furious at him for cheating on her? Could it be someone in Jess’ Gifted and Talented class who had easy access to her murder mystery assignment? Or is there a connection between Hugh and the Regia Club, a secret society that wields immense influence at the school? The book is structured as a retrospective written by Jess, whose reliance on a scholarship heightens her awareness of her wealthier, mostly white, classmates’ privileges and entitlement. She has a sharp sense of humor, which comes through in her sarcastic commentary and well-timed breaking of the fourth wall. The supporting cast includes some queer representation.

A proper prep school puzzler.