Suddenly a Murder

July 17, 2023
In classic Clue fashion, debut author Muñoz delivers a nail-biting mystery about a group of teens trying to uncover the murderer among them. Hoping to give her Mexican American best friend Isadora Morales an opportunity to connect with Izzy’s crush, Greek-coded Marlow West, white-cued Kassidy Logan devises a 1920s-themed graduation week for their friend group at Maine’s Ashland Manor. The events Kassidy has planned combined with the atmosphere of the manor, best known as the setting of whodunit film The Secret of the Ruby Dagger, promises fun-filled antics, until Kassidy’s boyfriend is mysteriously stabbed to death—with a knife that belongs to Izzy. Once investigators arrive to question the six remaining teens, loyalties start breaking down as the friends begin to turn on one another. And as each of the teens’ closely guarded secrets come to light, they prompt more questions than answers in this ticking clock mystery. While the nonlinear narrative contributes to unclear plotting and some characters are stereotypically rendered, Muñoz’s attention to class dynamics and interpersonal loyalty anchors the happenings in cerebral themes. By skillfully molding tension via well-placed clues and gripping dialogue, the creator believably cultivates shocking reveals and bittersweet resolutions. Ages 12–up.

August 1, 2023
Seven teens celebrate their graduation at a weeklong, 1920s-themed party where one friend is murdered and the others become suspects. When Mexican American faculty kid Izzy Morales and her rich white best friend, Kassidy, graduate from their posh Maine private school, Kassidy surprises Izzy with a weeklong, all-expenses-paid stay at Ashwood Manor, the mansion on a private island that was once the set of their favorite black-and-white mystery movie. The exclusive guest list includes only five others: their classmates Blaine, Kassidy's white playboy boyfriend; Fergus, also white, a gay theater nerd and Blaine's best friend; queer Black elite athlete Ellison; Chinese American valedictorian and lacrosse player Chloe; and Greek American literary gazillionaire Marlowe, who's Izzy's crush. For authenticity's sake, Kassidy orders her guests to surrender their cellphones and clothes, which will be returned to the mainland; she's provided them with custom-altered vintage outfits for the week. As growing tensions and interpersonal dramas derail the party, Blaine is discovered dead in his room. Two homicide detectives arrive on the scene to investigate and try to determine which of the 18-year-olds committed the murder. Alongside the central mystery, the author successfully explores a host of serious issues, including substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, and the armor of socioeconomic privilege (the apartment Izzy lives in is worlds away from her classmates' lifestyles). The puzzle will keep readers engaged as it unfolds through multiple third-person perspectives and flashbacks. An un-put-down-able, bittersweet whodunit. (Mystery. 14-18)

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September 1, 2023

Gr 9 Up-To celebrate the end of high school, Izzy's best friend, Kassidy, treats her to a week-long vacation on a private island, home to their favorite black-and-white murder mystery film. Along with a group of friends, they make their 1920s party dreams come alive with fancy clothes and opulent jewels, decadent dinners, and lavish parties. It's all fun and games until Kassidy's boyfriend is discovered dead in his room. Everyone is hiding something, and everyone is a suspect, especially Izzy, who brought a knife to the party. Locked room murder mysteries can be lots of fun when done well, and while this one is adequate, it slightly misses the mark in its execution. The red herring given in the story's prologue makes readers feel as though they are not trying to solve who killed Blaine, but rather how he was killed, which is a fun twist on most murder mysteries. The narration ping-pongs between Izzy's first-person point-of-view in the present and various characters' flashbacks, which provide necessary context and potential motivations for the murder; however, it also somewhat muddles the story's pacing. Veteran mystery readers will likely solve the crime before the story's end, but the setting and characters are quirky enough to still make reading it a good time. VERDICT The characters themselves may have just graduated high school, but this story will likely be more fun for the younger end of the high school spectrum.-Chelsey Masterson

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2023
Grades 9-12 Agatha Christie meets Karen M. McManus in this suspenseful mystery centered on seven friends who gather at a mansion-museum on a remote island for a group vacation. All are newly graduated from Maine's Marian Academy; six are wealthy, and one, Izzy, attended on scholarship. The vacation has a 1920s theme, and all are provided with clothes and accessories. The guests get into the cosplay in spite of the ripples of drama popping up--until one of them is murdered. Cue the arrival of two detectives, and in true claustrophobic form, an impending severe storm strands them on the island. Izzy narrates in a propulsive present-tense voice, and she's initially set up as a suspect with an ambiguous motive. Responsible, hardworking, and headed for Brown, she also has a moral dilemma that could change everything. Other potential clues can be found in flashback chapters, until the culmination in the library with the detectives. Mu�oz captures the spirit of the classic mystery, deftly weaving the threads without missing a plot point. A strong debut from a promising new voice.

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