Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson - ADVISABLE

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson,
272 pages. Scholastic, 2025 $19.00 

Language: PG (10 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: Violence: PG (talk about shark attack, death - offpage, peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Kaylani is spending the summer in Martha's Vineyard with family friends. Her father has recently gone to jail and Lani is certain he's innocent. She wants to learn everything she can about the law and hopes to exonerate him. But this unexpected trip, to stay with people she doesn't know - the girl her age, London, is rich, entitled and rude - is curbing her plans to help her dad. But when the body of an ex-boyfriend of London's sister is found in the ocean, and the police suspect he was murdered, Lani wants to prove Cassie didn't do it. But, what if she did?

Tiffany Jackson can certainly write for middle schoolers.  The mystery was great, with a few twists and turns, great clues and some scary situations.  I liked the tie ins to Martha's Vineyard history and its connection with black history. I kept hoping the Obamas would pop into the story.  
Most of the characters are black 
Lisa Librarian Sleuths in Sneakers – Detective novels with young main characters Yes 

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