YA mystery and suspense novels can be a lot of fun. They typically move quicker, and teenagers have the extra barrier of their young age working against them as they are trying to solve a case. In Lauren Muñoz's book, Suddenly a Murder, six high school students are also stuck on an island where a murder happened, and they are all suspects.
The Situation: When Isadora 'Izzy' Morales heads out to Ashwood Manor, an old and magnificent mansion that was rented out by her best friend Kassidy, it is to celebrate the end of high school. It will be a 1920s themed party, an era that Izzy and Kassidy both love as it is the time of some of their favorite old silent movies. And since Kassidy is nothing if not committed and thorough, there will be no cell phones allowed, and every piece of clothing must be period appropriate. Kassidy's boyfriend Blaine is hesitant, but ultimately supportive, and his good friends Ellison and Ferguson decide to play along. The brooding and aloof Marlowe joins in too, though it is hard to say why, and valedictorian Chloe is glad to be included. There is no real reason to think anything will go terribly wrong when seven teenagers are partying alone on an island, until it does.
The Problem: It is the screams that makes everyone race to Blaine's room, where his body is found bloody after having been stabbed several times. Kassidy is naturally inconsolable, while Izzy can only think about her next move, and she is not the only one with tracks to cover. Things may have been somewhat tense before Blaine's death, as everyone has their secrets, issues, and grievances, but when two investigators arrive to find out what really happened, things start to fall apart even more. Izzy would do anything to secure her future and that of her disabled little sister, but if she does not make it through the investigation, all of her hard work will be for nothing. She only has to make sure no one finds out that she is the one who brought the knife.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult murder mystery that follows seven teenagers to a mansion on a small island for an end-of-high-school celebration. Ashwood Manor is old, big, full of history, and also secret passageways, making it perfect for a 1920s themed party, but also treacherous for a bunch of kids with secrets to keep and grudges to bear. If it were not for Kassidy, Izzy would not feel like she was part of the group, as she is the only one who does not come from a wealthy family. She attends Marian Academy because her mom is a teacher there, but being best friends with Kassidy since freshman year has helped her get through. For the majority of the book, Izzy is the main narrator, while there are chapters in between that go back in time, revealing history and motive for every character.
My Verdict: What the book does well is provide an intriguing setting, a colorful cast of characters, and even two investigators that do more than simply show up on the scene and interrogate the suspects. Even the jumps back in time to events that already happened are not confusing, and certainly add more color to the situation. Where things begin to fall apart for me is in the details and the reveals. Also, things slow down quite a bit once the investigators arrive. It is rare for me to say that a book would have benefited from being longer, but I feel like this one would have, if only to allow for everything to come together without the feeling of being rushed. Certain aspects of the story feel awkward and out of place, and the final conclusion had elements that just did not quite fit.
Favorite Moment: Everything is revealed in a rush by the end, but it is nice to get an answer to some questions, including one about Izzy's father.
Favorite Character: Pilar de León is one of the investigators, and from the moment she arrives, she manages to keep to group slightly off balance. It is clear she knows more than what the kids are admitting to, and she plays her cards right to be able to get the information she wants.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Five Survive by Holly Jackson.
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