Pretty Dead Queens

October 1, 2022
A young woman lands in a Gothic mansion in a small seaside town in Northern California and rapidly becomes mired in its mysterious history. After her mother dies, nearly-18-year-old Cecelia Ellis moves in with the grandmother she hardly knows. Maura Weston is nothing short of a celebrity, a rich, bestselling author of mysteries--the first and most famous of which was inspired by the 1970 murder of her own friend Caroline Quinn, a homecoming queen. Immediately taken in by a friendly but complicated group at Seaview High, Cecelia's grief over her mother's death is largely subsumed by her interest in Caroline's murder and then by another present-day mystery that unfolds. A large cast of supporting characters, including Ben and Gabriel, two different guys who both interest Cecelia, all seem to be hiding something. Readers will be kept guessing about who she can trust, and the thriller sustains its central tension as one person after another is suspected of misdoings. That Cecelia so rapidly becomes immersed in this insular town following her mom's death and her move from Los Angeles requires some suspension of disbelief, but her clever wit blended with flashes of vulnerability makes for an easily sympathetic narrator. Cecelia reads as White, and she remarks early on about the racial homogeneity of Seaview; Gabriel and his sister, who befriends Cecelia, are Filipinx. There are queer supporting characters. An intricately plotted whodunit that maintains suspense to the end. (Thriller. 14-18)

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October 28, 2022
Grades 9-12 Solving the mystery of two homecoming queens murdered 50 years apart gives a young woman an outlet for her grief in this suspenseful whodunit. After her mother dies of cancer, 17-year-old Cecelia moves in with her estranged grandmother, who lives in a quaint California coastal town where she also happens to be famous. A best-selling mystery author, Maura Weston is Seaview's bread and butter; there's even an annual fan convention (WestonCon) in her honor. When another homecoming murder occurs, Ceceila notices how similar the crime scene is to Maura's first--and most famous--book, Killer Queen, which itself fictionalized the actual murder of Maura's best friend in 1970. Cecelia throws herself into investigating this copycat killing, but when her focus on obsessed WestonCon fans yield little, she's forced to look at her new friends, all from influential Seaview families. Cecelia is an appealing narrator, witty and vulnerable, with more dogged enthusiasm than sense in her detecting. Donne sets up an irresistible premise for mystery lovers, blending toxic family legacies, small-town secrets, and true-crime culture into a twisty tale with a shocking conclusion that careful readers may nonetheless predict.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-After the death of her mother, 17-year-old Cecelia Ellis moves to rural Seaview to live with her estranged grandmother, who is a local celebrity for writing murder mysteries. While coming to terms with her grief, Cecelia learns that her grandmother's first book was based on true events: 30 years ago, the homecoming queen was drowned in a pool during the big game. History repeats itself when one of her friends ends up dead in the exact same manner as the original murder. Rumors fly, friendships are tested, and Cecelia throws herself into the investigation, determined to find out the truth about what happened to her friend, and to find out what really happened 30 years ago. The cast is diverse, representing a number of ethnicities and sexual orientations. Teens who have experienced grief will relate to Cecelia, who spends much of the book learning about her mother through the town she grew up in and processing the feelings that come with the death of a parent. Donne creates realistic dialogue and characters that are fully realized with complex histories. There is an underlying romance where two teenagers have sex, but it is written thoughtfully, and nothing is explicit. VERDICT Recommended first purchase for all collections. Hand this fast-paced thriller filled with plenty of twists and drama to fans of Holly Jackson or Karen M. McManus.-Ashley Grillo

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