Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson - OPTIONAL

Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson, 304 pages. Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $20.

Language: R (210 swears, 12 "f"); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use including underage drinking, illegal activity, kissing, innuendo, and mentions of nudity, STDs, masturbation, and sex); Violence: PG13 (blood and gore and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Authorities bring in Sadie’s twin, best friend, and boyfriend for questioning after Sadie and Mason are found dead at a party. Between the three teenagers with things they want to hide, the police hope to uncover the truth of events that brought about this tragedy.

The whole story is told to readers in a series of biased flashbacks as each of the three high school seniors are interviewed about the day before. Attempting to figure out which version of the truth is the most factual was the most enjoyable part of the book. Unfortunately, while the end included answers, it lacked a satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li - OPTIONAL

The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li, 256 pages. Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (49 swears, 18 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use including underage drinking, illegal activity, innuendo, and mentions of nudity and sex); Violence: PG13 (assault and mentions of suicide and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Amelia goes by many names—specifically Amy, Ellie, and Mia, depending on which one of her boyfriends she’s around at the time. Having artfully dealt with all three unexpectedly showing at the same party last night, Amelia is feeling good about how well everything is going. Until she learns that her best friend died last night, and the only person who agrees about the suspicious circumstances is Jackie, the nosy girl on the school newspaper vying for Amelia’s spot as valedictorian.

Just when you think you know it all and are wondering why there are still pages left, Li hits you with another sharp turn. It’s a rollercoaster of lies, betrayal, tragedy, and an irrational need to believe that each new explanation is the actual truth. Amelia’s story is one of those where I still wonder if I have all the answers or if I’m just paranoid enough now to be reading too much into every word choice. Overall, it was a wild ride that I would absolutely do all over again. Amelia is Chinese American. Jackie is lesbian.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy - OPTIONAL

Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy, 252 pages. Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (63 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use including underage drinking, illegal activity, scary elements, kissing, innuendo, and mentions of condoms, prostitution, sexual harassment, nudity in art, and of rape alarms); Violence: PG13 (corpses, blood and gore, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The day before her dad goes with his new wife on their honeymoon, Felicity (17yo) goes with them to an estate sale. There she happens upon a painting that her father buys immediately and takes straight home—despite the rumors of how it was originally discovered at a crime scene and is cursed. Felicity can’t help but be interested in the painting and its origins as people start turning up dead.

Serial killers and murder are not light subjects, and Felicity’s story is not for the fainthearted. The last third of the book became more gruesome than I was expecting from the level of the content leading up to it—I still enjoyed all of the story, I was just taken aback by the climax. And it’s not all blood and gore. Felicity’s story also includes navigating complicated relationships, forgiveness, art, and crushes.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle - ADVISABLE

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle, 368 pages. Penguin Books (Penguin Random House), 2026. $19.

Language: R (147 swears, 43 “f”); Mature Content: R (alcohol use; illegal activity; kissing; innuendo; mentions of drugs, pornography, orgies, and genitals; nudity; and fade-to-black sex); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, mentions of cannibalism, suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

While on the phone with her best friend, Roxie accidentally engages with a wish-granting street performer who then puts Roxie into her favorite author’s next book. Problem is, Anna Matthews isn’t writing a rom com this time; she’s writing a crime thriller. Neck deep in serial killers and amateur sleuths, Roxie wonders if she’ll make it to the last page of this book alive.

First of all, my favorite part of the book is all of Roxie’s inner monologue commentary. She, as a character and a narrator, is absolutely hilarious, and I laughed out loud several times. Eberle leans into and pokes fun at classic the tropes for both rom coms and crime thrillers as Roxie’s reality moves in and out of the plotline being written for her. If Books Could Kill is a delightful read for fans of either—or both!—genres.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Thornbird by E. Kennedy - SEVERAL

Thornbird by E. Kennedy, 448 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2026. $21.

Language: R (189 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: R (alcohol use including underage drinking, mentions of drugs, kissing, innuendo, nudity, and sex); Violence: PG13 (assault; blood and gore; mentions of guns, rape, and murder; and suicide)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ten years ago, her father killed her mother and confessed that his wife wasn’t his first victim. With one parent in the grave and the other in prison, her name was changed to Ryan, and she went to live with her grandmother. But then her grandmother dies (of natural causes), and Ryan has to finish out high school in the town where her father committed his crimes, hoping that no one discovers who she really is.

Ryan is a deeply troubled protagonist, struggling to find a way to live her life in the limbo between pretending to be normal and being convinced that her father’s actions have stained her—her past, her present, and her future. As a result of this perspective, Ryan can’t see past her own dark life to realize that no one is all light. Everyone has secrets. As secrets around town start to be revealed, Kennedy shows readers that peace can be found in the space between full dark and full light.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

In Case I Go Missing by R. N. Swann - OPTIONAL

In Case I Go Missing by R. N. Swann, 400 pages. Viking Books (Penguin Random House), 2026. $21.

Language: R (93 swears, 5 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use including underage drinking, illegal activity, kissing, partial nudity, innuendo, and mentions of drugs and condoms); Violence: PG13 (assault, mentions of child abuse, blood and gore, gun use, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Thick as thieves since elementary school, Sarah, Sam, and Fenris are infamous around town. Sarah cares about the truth, and loyal Sam and Fenris help her to expose secrets regardless of the cost. But when Sarah goes missing, Fenris tries to fill Sarah’s shoes and discover what has happened to her best friend.

A convoluted mystery in the best way, Fenris and Sam have to untangle years of lies to figure out what happened. While this kind of mystery doesn’t give the reader enough information to make an educated guess at the culprit, the mess and suspense were still enjoyable to read.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Cost of Secrets by Tyson Abaroa - OPTIONAL

The Cost of Secrets by Tyson Abaroa, 213 pages. Covenant Communications, 2021. $12.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, illegal activity, and mentions of drugs, prostitution, and trafficking); Violence: PG13 (corpses, mentions of gangs and terrorism, assault, gun use, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Myths and legends help keep some of Ramon’s family’s secrets, but he could do without adding more secrets to his cache. Unfortunately, his mother doesn’t care, and she stops by to drop a dead body at his house and leave. Again. Ramon (38yo) calls his detective friend for help, but this one incident is about to stir up a lot more than Ramon wants to cover up. Again.

For more than half the book, everything felt too vague. It was as if I had started in the middle of a series rather than at the beginning of the story. Advertised as a suspense novel, I assume that was the vibe Abaroa was going for, but I felt more out-of-the-loop than in-suspense. Despite having as many questions at the end as I had at the beginning, I enjoyed the reading well enough, though I’m not going to chase down the sequel. Ramon is half Native American.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Staged Evidence by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Staged Evidence (Pen and Dagger #2) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 304 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (kissing and illegal activity); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, mentions of bombs, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Just running a late-night errand for her boss, Tessa (25yo) doesn’t expect to end up finding a murdered woman and fleeing from the scene. Parker (28yo) gets inspiration for his new mystery play from the woman who shows up on his uncle’s doorstep in the middle of the night. And Detective Murray is determined to apprehend Tessa quickly to clear away all the negative publicity from his last case.

With the first book being about Tessa’s sister and love interest, I expected this sequel to focus on Tessa and Parker in the same way, but Kimber and Brandon have large roles to play in this second book. I enjoyed being part of the action on all sides as the points of view switched between the sisters, those trying to help prove Tessa’s innocence, and those trying to prove Tessa’s guilt. Nothing about the case is straightforward, which puts readers right where they want to be, searching through the clues with everyone else before it’s too late.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Most Likely to Murder by Lish McBride - OPTIONAL

Most Likely to Murder by Lish McBride, 320 pages. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (122 swears, 24 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use/underage drinking, kissing, illegal activity, scary elements, partial nudity, innuendo, and mentions of condoms and sex); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, corpses, blood and gore, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

When the high school yearbooks come out with ways students and faculty are going to die rather than the usual superlatives, everyone assumes Rick and Martina are behind the prank. Until someone on the list is found dead. The remaining students put their heads together, trying to figure out what they all have in common before it can kill them, too.

McBride switches through points of view, sometimes giving readers a front row seat to what happened just before a death, which brilliantly puts readers on edge every time this happens, not knowing whether or not the character is about to be murdered. I enjoyed that this story doesn’t make the desperate teenagers into better detectives than the adult professionals, and it was refreshing to see them make smart choices, like sharing their locations with each other just in case. These details make the story feel more realistic, even if some silly stereotypes are still included. Martina is implied Hispanic, and Martina, Camryn, and Zeke are queer.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson - OPTIONAL

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson, 368 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2026. $30.

Language: R (75 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Suspended detective Samantha from Scotland Yard has declined to follow the suggestion of both her therapist and her boss to start going back to work part time. Until she comes across the murder scene of a 14-year-old in the park on her way home, and Sam changes her mind. On scene, a book titled How to Get Away with Murder is found with the victim, a clue that could lead to the killer—or reveal that there is more than one killer walking free.

Sam’s story is told side by side with chapters from How to Get Away with Murder, mostly in time with how much Sam herself has read at the time. The careful combing of clues from the murder scene and the book is exciting and distressing as theories—suggested by the characters and by readers’ own minds—suggest bad guys lurking everywhere. The clever twists made by Sam and her enemies blew me away, making the last third of the book impossible to put down.

The majority of characters are English, and there are a couple of minor characters in homosexual relationships. The mature content rating is for alcohol use; kissing; illegal activity; innuendo; nudity; groping; and mentions of drugs, abortion, condoms, genitalia, pornography, incest, and sex. The violence rating is for assault; blood and gore; domestic violence; sexual assault; mentions of guns, animal cruelty, torture, and rape; suicide; and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill - OPTIONAL

I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill, 400 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2026. $20.

Language: R (81 swears, 16 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Five years ago, the case of the Trojan Mask Murders was closed when Deuce was found dead with a gun in his hand, assumedly having killed himself over the guilt of what he had done. But at the death of Deuce’s uncle, Sampson, someone posts about knowing Deuce was innocent—the only person other than Sampson to suggest it. Pryce, having just finished his first year at university majoring in journalism, starts his own investigation based on that statement and follows the story.

Pryce makes mistakes as he chases down the truth, and those are my favorite parts of his story. The twists and turns and mess of secrets Pryce unveils feels like so many other books in this genre, and Pryce stands out because Emill lets him feel like the amateur journalist sleuthing around that he is. Everything else was still enjoyable to read, and readers will scoot to the edge of their seats as they get sucked in with every page, all those feelings typical of this genre.

The majority of characters are Black, and several significant characters, including Pryce and Isaiah, are gay. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, including mentions of underage drinking; kissing; illegal activity; mentions of nudity, pornography, pedophiles, and sex; and innuendo. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, and for mentions of domestic violence, child and sexual abuse, rape, suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Mayhem on the Marzipan Express by Rebecca Connolly - OPTIONAL

Mayhem on the Marzipan Express (A Claire Walker Mystery #2) by Rebecca Connolly, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $19.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Alan Gables himself asked Claire to assist him during an exclusive event, baking on a train full of Alan-fans on their way to an event honoring his achievements. She is flattered to be working with him, and Claire’s boyfriend, Jonny, is excited about the potential for a little romance on this trip. When a dead body is found in Dining Car 3, priorities shift for everyone.

While the title references Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, the only significant similarity is that this murder mystery takes place on a train. Claire and Jonny are amateur sleuths, and there is as much focus on their romance drama as on the murder. While there was too much self depreciation for my tastes, it is obvious that this is a labor of love for the author. Connolly delivers a fun, light mystery with a generous side helping of ridiculousness that is meant to make readers laugh. If murder mystery can be lighthearted and cozy, this series is it.

The majority of characters are English and Scottish. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, kissing, illegal activity, mild innuendo, and multiple uses of the phrase “sex appeal.” The violence rating is for assault, mild blood and gore, corpses, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore - OPTIONAL

This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore, 320 pages. Inkyard Press (HarperCollins), 2021. $11.

Language: R (112 swears, 5 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

The beach is a nice place to take pictures in the mornings, which is why Jenna, a high school senior preparing a portfolio for college, is there. And then she sees Adam going into the water in his clothes. Adam starts to call for help, and Jenna responds. He found a body in the water—one of Jenna’s classmates.

This mystery thriller is told in narrative, text messages, newspaper articles, and police investigation interviews, which makes for a fun variety for the reader. However, the skips in time from past to present could be disorienting. Lepore does a good job of making the antagonist present without giving them away for a satisfying conclusion and an overall entertaining read.

The majority of characters are implied White, and there is an LGBT character, but saying who is a spoiler. The mature content rating is for kissing, drug and alcohol use (including underage drinking), illegal activity, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for assault, corpses, and mentions of suicide and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

They All Had a Reason by Michele Leathers - OPTIONAL

They All Had a Reason (They All Had a Reason #1) by Michele Leathers, 224 pages. Sourcebooks Fire, 2025. $13.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Overhearing and recording a conversation that proves Bellany (17yo) is cheating on her boyfriend, Charlotte (16yo) can’t wait to have a taste of vengeance for all the ways Bellany has ruined her life. But Bellany takes Charlotte’s phone before she can show anyone. Following Bellany into the woods to get more proof, Charlotte finds Bellany’s dead body instead.

The teenage drama is real, and it is very present. Part of me appreciates the new kind of response from an amateur detective born of desperation instead of an amateur sleuth being lauded as better than a trained professional. However, I still wanted it to come together in the end, and it didn’t really explain what happened. Plus, the twist ending only served to confuse me further. It’s possible things get worked out in the sequel, but I’m not going to read it.

The majority of characters are implied White; Gemma is implied Hispanic. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, illegal activity, kissing, mentions of drugs and sex, and innuendo. The violence rating is for blood, corpses, assault, mentions of domestic violence and suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Victim #8 by Traci Hunter Abramson - OPTIONAL

Victim #8 (Luke Steele #2) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

As an FBI agent, Amberlyn is accustomed to being privy to top secret information—though this is the first time the president has given her top secret information personally and the first time she can’t discuss it with her boss. Amberlyn is assigned to work with Luke once more, something she is looking forward to after their last assignment, but Luke isn’t sure if he wants her friendship—or anything more.

While the national threat that Amberlyn and Luke deal with in this book is completely separate from the conflict in the prequel, the first book is necessary for understanding Amberlyn and Luke, as both of them are dealing with grief stemming from events in the prequel. Abramson refers to some current events, lending relevancy to the fictional conflict. The book focuses more on the relationship between Amberlyn and Luke than the imminent threat of nuclear missiles, though there is plenty of action and espionage to keep the pages turning.

The majority of characters are either American, Russian, or Turkish, though characters of other nationalities are included. The mature content rating is for kissing and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, mentions of terrorism and nuclear weapons, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater - ADVISABLE

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, 252 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Viking (Penguin), 2025. $18 

Language: PG-13 (41 swears, 0 F); Mature Content: PG (pentagrams); Violence: PG (sacrificial murder, abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Blue is a 16yo girl who comes from a family of psychics. Her gift is to amplify their abilities. She gets swept away in a quest by a group of high school boys from a private boys school which caters to the rich and privileged. They are looking for a long dead Welsh king buried beneath the neighboring mountains in Virginia. They are not the only ones looking, and there are some dark secrets as well. 

This is the first of four books. The Raven Boys will suck you in. It is an intriguing premise. Stiefvager keeps it moving and the characters are strongly written. Fans of the original novels will welcome the graphic novel. The art fits the mood well and adds to the story. There is a lot happening, and while this version is satisfying, I found it helpful to have read the novel first, and now want to revisit the novel again to read her prose. There are plenty of twists to keep you going, though the subject matter can be dark. Race is not specified, though Blue appears to be mixed race. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Novel Threat by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Novel Threat (Pen and Dagger #1) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG;  Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

His employers might not know it yet, but it’s Brandon’s last night in the CIA—he’s resigning tomorrow to work for a publishing company. But his last night goes all wrong and his boss won’t let him resign, instead sending Brandon undercover at a different publishing company, Monroe. Kimber works in finance for the CIA and secretly dreams of being a published author one day—one day that the CIA is making come sooner than she ever imagined in order to get close to terrorists at Monroe Publishing.

The rom-com plot points are amusing and add the lighthearted scenes needed to balance out the terroristic acts and suspense in tracking down the perpetrators. Fighting to move forward—professionally to catch the bad guys and also romantically—encourages readers to turn just one more page through to the happy ending we all want. Overall, Brandon’s and Kimber’s story is an action-packed and entertaining read.

The majority of characters are implied White (American and British), and the main antagonist is implied to be Middle Eastern. The mature content rating is for kissing. The violence rating is for assault, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, gun and bomb use, terrorism, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Secret of Moonrise Manor by Stephanie Bearce - ADVISABLE

The Secret of Moonrise Manor by Stephanie Bearce, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Knocking a hole in the local hotel’s wall was honestly an accident, but Raven (12yo) isn’t sorry when it reveals a mummified body. Spunky Raven and her eclectic group of friends dive recklessly into solving the mystery of Mummy Man, working around working for family businesses and being grounded. Even so, they’re sure to figure out the whos and whys of the murder before the adults do.

Bearce has imbued her characters with big personalities that, at times, both help and hinder their goals as they clash over opinions of science versus paranormal activity and possible truths that hurt more than lies. This group of determined kids can accomplish much good if they’re willing to learn lessons of forgiveness along the way. In order to find the answers to one mystery, Raven and her friends find several other buried secrets, promising future adventures.

The majority of characters are implied White; Eric is implied Asian. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, illegal activity, and mild scary elements. The violence rating is for corpses and mentions of suicide and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister - OPTIONAL

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister, 336 pages. William Morrow, 2025. $30.

Language: R (80 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Camilla wasn’t sure whether to dread or embrace the day she took her baby to daycare for the first time to return to work—but Camilla certainly didn’t want to do it without seeing her husband, Luke, all morning. Wondering where Luke could be and why he wasn’t answering her messages, Camilla went to work anyway, where police officers came looking for the wife of Luke Deschamps, the man currently holding three people hostage in a warehouse.

Following both the wife of the criminal and the hostage negotiator, McAllister unfolds the story skillfully, giving readers tidbits of information from one character that shifts the possible outcomes of the other’s actions. I enjoyed how complex and real so many of the side characters are, how they affected the main characters unintentionally in significant ways. There is a lot of grey area in this story for readers to wrestle with—between justice and doing the right thing, making decisions of who to trust and build relationships with, learning to give second chances or just move on. The end is about more than happily ever after—it’s about making a life you can be happy in now despite the imperfections of the past.

The majority of characters are implied British. Niall is described as having a Northern Irish accent. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, kissing, illegal activity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for gun use, mentions of terrorism and suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Crime Brûlée Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly - ADVISABLE

The Crime Brûlée Bake Off (Claire Walker #1) by Rebecca Connolly, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $18.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Claire is a teacher first and a hobbyist baker on the side—until she is accepted as a contestant on the upcoming season of Britain's Battle of the Bakers. Despite her anxiety over the competition aspect of the show, Claire goes. But she never expected the competition to turn deadly.

Though an average murder mystery, I enjoyed the characters and the baking competition aspects of the story. The murder itself was carried out in a brilliant way; however, I found the explanation in the end to be lacking, as if it was only half of the explanation. The suspicious activity mystery on the baking show side of things kept me engaged, and the romantic side plot was adorable. Overall, Claire’s story is fun and well-written.

The majority of characters are British; Alan is Scottish. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, illegal activity, and kissing. The violence rating is for corpses, assault, murder, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen