A taut and entertaining whodunit with an appealing amateur detective.
Hirajeta’s debut YA mystery finds a teenager determined to unmask an apparent killer who’s anonymously threatening her.
For 17-year-old Natalie Bishop, sketching in the Acres—a secluded, woodsy spot in her small American city of Marton—provides solace. The high school senior has a lot on her mind, from a failed photography class project to the four-year anniversary of her father’s death. But these pale in comparison to what she sees in the woods one night: a masked man disposing of a body. She flees, shaken, and soon wonders if maybe she was mistaken about what she saw. Then someone drops something at her front door: the sketchbook she left in the woods. A scribbled note inside it assures her that she’ll be left alone—if she stays quiet about what she witnessed. Going to the cops might not be the best idea, as the author of the note also boasts of “friends in high places.” This drives Natalie to track down the writer herself, drawing on two important clues: a tattoo she glimpsed on the masked man’s neck and a wallet she found at the scene. But she’ll definitely need help, especially once the apparent killer’s threats escalate. Hirajeta’s tale thrives on the believability of the amateur investigation; Natalie makes several mistakes and even commits a crime or two, including driving someone else’s car sans permission. Although some of her decisions seem based on wild guesses and flimsy evidence, she also readily acknowledges her naïveté. The teen sleuth is surrounded by an outstanding cast of characters, namely her empathetic mother and her bighearted and more pragmatic best friend, Marisa. Animated descriptions enliven the pages, too, as when Natalie’s anxiety makes her heart a “tape on fast-forward” and her close proximity to a potential murderer makes her feel as if she’s in a “walk-in freezer.” Although Natalie’s suspect list is relatively short, her prey remains evasive, which generates a hefty amount of suspense. The final act wraps up things perhaps a bit too easily, but it’s a gratifying ending nonetheless.
A taut and entertaining whodunit with an appealing amateur detective.Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781685123079
Page Count: 308
Publisher: Level Elevate
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
