Good Girls Die First

October 4, 2021
In a tropey debut reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, 10 teens, each harboring a dark secret, receive personalized notes beckoning them to a local pier that leads to an uninhabited island—and the abandoned Magnificent Baldo’s Carnival, “destroyed in an unexplained blaze” 40 years back. When the pier collapses, the group is trapped on the island with no cell phone coverage and a thick fog concealing them from the mainland. Though the night starts out with a lively bonfire, a bottle of vodka, and talk of ghosts, the arrival of an otherworldly spirit named Whispers sees the ethnically inclusive group—each known for an activity or personality trait—questioning who they really are. And when the first of the 10 is found dead, a pattern of revelations and deaths begins chipping away at the teens. If the number of protagonists and confessions bogs down the pacing, Foxfield’s focus on social niches and escalating suspense will appeal to fans of Karen McManus. Ages 14–up. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Agency.

October 15, 2021
An abandoned carnival on an island connected to a British seaside town by a milelong pier is the setting for this atmospheric thriller. Ava receives an invitation to go to Portgrave Pier at 8 p.m.--followed by the ominous question, can you keep a secret? When she arrives, she finds that she was not the only person to receive such a note. In addition, each invitation contains a seemingly innocuous photo that relates to something the recipient is hiding. Ava suspects this is a blackmail scheme, but who could be behind it: Esme the ice queen, bad boy Noah, or even her best friend, Jolie? The targets end up on the island, Allhallows Rock, and then the pier collapses, leaving them stranded with one of their number lying injured on the rocks. Ava feels time playing tricks on her while others are saying creepy, nonsensical things. Little does the group know that they are all playing a deadly game masterminded by Whispers, the man in the mirrors, who will torment the group with their secrets until they give in. The third-person narrative centers on Ava and nine other teens. Despite the interesting concept, creepy villain, and eerie setting, the large number of underdeveloped characters makes the story difficult to follow. However, the sizable cast offers an opportunity for some discussion of struggles like substance abuse, date rape, and disordered eating. Olive-skinned Ava has wavy dark hair; there is some ethnic diversity among the other characters. A promising premise that doesn't quite deliver. (Thriller. 14-18)

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December 1, 2021

Gr 10 Up-"There were two kinds of secrets in the world: secrets that lost their power when you told them, and secrets that changed everything." So begins this eerie, gothic-inspired thriller about Ava, an amateur photographer, and several of her classmates who are summoned to an island by a mysterious plot. Each student has their own secrets that brought them there, and each will have to fight for survival. From the very first page, readers will question everything-the characters, their secrets, and the dilapidated, prisonlike setting. This locked-room thriller is full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing the ending until the very last page. VERDICT This gothic-inspired thriller with nods to Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier will keep readers on the edge of their seats and turning pages as quickly as they can. It is immersing, puzzling, and unpredictable, with a surprise ending that's sure to have teens talking.-Tracey Hodges, Univ. of Alabama, Northport

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