Jessica Warman

YES!! Go read this book!!

This book is definitely going to be on my end of year favorites list. This is just the type of Mystery/Thriller I like, and I'm kind of mad it wasn't shoved in my face earlier!!

The first thing that jumped out at me was the setting. This whole thing takes place in a town called Shelocta, which is a real town located about 15 miles from where I live. I always find it fun to read books that are set in Western PA-- it gives me an instant connection to the book. Also, this was set in the 90's!! The references weren't enough to put my 90's nostalgia into high gear, but it was cool to go back in time a little.

Then, there's the characters. Remy, the boy next door, was my fave. I don't know why I like the kinds of book boys that are aloof, but you know that if the m/c breaks through their outer shell they'll be adorable, but I do. Remy is the kind of character that is frustrating, but worth sticking with. Sam wasn't someone I super connected with, but the mystery was enough to keep me with her.

The Mystery: I wanted to know what happened to the sister. I wanted to know why in the hell someone would dress as Santa Claus on New Year's Eve. If Steven was supposedly innocent, I wanted to know how/why there would be 2 people dressed as Santa Claus after Christmas. There was so much grief and pain to wade through to get the heart of what happened, but once we got there, there were more answers than I was expecting.

Bonus: Mixed in are police interviews and excerpts from a true-crime book about the case. I love a good epistolary element to break things up & these ones added a lot to the book.

I gotta talk about that ending!!! I won't give any spoilers, but AHHHHH. This ending totally messed with my head and freaked me out. I don't usually sit around thinking someone is going to break into my house, but the night I finished this, I jumped at every creak and shadow.

OVERALL: A YA Mystery/Thriller!! This is just the kind of Mystery/Thriller I like-- very character driven, deals with issues beyond the actual mystery, deep, and twisted. I totally, 100% recommend to anyone looking to get lost in a good mystery.

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Pink Polka Dot Books

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