Booklist Reviews

It's been five years since the cheerleaders died in Sunnybrook: two were killed in a car accident, two were murdered, and one, Monica's sister, committed suicide. Monica's still haunted by her sister's death and struggling to hold herself together, and while looking for painkillers in her cop stepfather's desk, she stumbles on her sister's old phone and some suspicious letters. Her curiosity piqued, she starts snooping. The case is purportedly closed, but Monica finds compelling holes in the official record, and with the help of her new friend Ginny and a mysterious boy from her sister's past, she finds that the truth is far more disturbing—and closer to home—than she imagined. Thomas builds her novel around an appealingly gruesome case, which is nicely grounded by Monica's unresolved grief and guilt over a taboo relationship. Though her motivations are occasionally cloudy, Monica's sleuthing is daring and beset by red herrings, which keeps the pace moving at a solid clip. Flashbacks from Monica's sister's perspective offer even more intrigue. A solid pick for mystery fans. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

Five Sunnybrook cheerleaders, including Monica's older sister, died within a month of one another in three separate incidents: car accident, murder, suicide. Five years later, Monica finds her sister's phone and mysterious letters in her stepdad's desk. She suspects that the deaths weren't as clear-cut as they seemed--and that a killer is still on the loose. This dark and fast-paced thriller provides plenty of chills. Copyright 2019 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

Years after a series of horrific events left five young women from a cheerleading squad dead, the sister of one of them begins to suspect that justice has not been done. Sixteen-year-old Monica is beginning her school year recovering from terminating an unplanned pregnancy after having a summer fling with a guy in his 20s. The physical and emotional pain that she feels is only compounded by the five-year anniversary of her kind and caring older sister Jen's death. Jen died by suicide, seemingly in reaction to two of her friends' dying in a car accident and then, just weeks later, two others being brutally murdered by an obsessed neighbor, who was then shot and killed by Jen and Monica's police officer stepfather. However, Monica makes some discoveries that cause her to begin questioning this story, and she doggedly pursues each loose end she can find. The fantastical setup underpinning this contemporary mystery is intricate, and readers may struggle to keep track of all the c haracters as the narrative moves between the first-person present perspective of Monica and Jen's third-person flashbacks. Yet, it cleverly layers a veneer of doubt over each of the players in the story, effectively keeping the audience guessing until the very end. Monica and her family are white, and there is diversity in secondary characters. A busy, but satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise. (Mystery. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Weaving a deceptively intimate and intricate tale of mystery in a small community, Thomas (Little Monsters) continues to demonstrate command of both the inner workings of a teenage mind and the anatomy of crime. Monica,16, is a junior in high school, a member of the dance team, and the younger sister of Jen, one of the five cheerleaders in their town of Sunnybrook who, five years earlier, died within the span of three weeks under suspicious circumstances. Monica is also recovering from a disastrous summer fling with an older man. While searching her stepfather's desk for his prescription painkillers, she stumbles upon a stash of letters that lead her to realize that the explanations given for the deaths of the five girls may not be true. Monica sets out on a quest to unearth what actually happened, enlisting the aid of Ginny, a young woman with a complicated past. Narrated in the distinct viewpoints of Monica—whose voice, unfortunately, is lackluster and even a bit shallow—and Jen, the novel brims with well-chosen, telling details in the tradition of strong psychological suspense that build toward a satisfying final chapter. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media (July)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly.

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 9 Up–In Monica's family, they don't talk about her older sister Jennifer's death. It's been years since five of Sunnybrook High School's most popular cheerleaders died in seemingly unconnected events, but Monica's family never really processed their grief. On the fifth anniversary of her sister's suicide, Monica discovers a pile of anonymous letters hidden in her stepfather's desk. These notes urge the police officer to reexamine the evidence, hinting that the deaths were all connected. Knowing her stepdad is ignoring the letters, Monica decides to delve into the subject herself, but soon her curiosity becomes an obsession, driving a wedge between herself and everyone she cares about. Monica and Jennifer's stories are told through alternating chapters, creating suspenseful cliff-hangers, but also a variation in pace and genre. Monica's sections speed along like a frenetic thriller as she teases out her sister's and the town's secrets, while Jennifer's chapters take on the quiet unease of a drama as she responds to first the betrayal and then the death of her friends. Following its characters' temperaments and decisions, the atmosphere is at times eerie, exciting, and even frightening. Though the realistic depictions of abuse and sexual violence might be too much for sensitive readers, the ending offers hope of healing through a dark, but empowering conclusion. VERDICT This deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a must-have for high school libraries.—Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal.

Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews

It has been five years since Monica Rayburn's older sister Jen committed suicide in the wake of the deaths of her four close friends and fellow cheerleaders in a car accident and double murder. After a sexual relationship with her high school's new track coach results in a pregnancy and abortion, Monica rummages through her police officer stepfather's office in search of painkillers and discovers her sister's old cell phone and mysterious letters urging her stepfather to continue to investigate the connections between the deaths of all five cheerleaders. Contacting an unfamiliar number on Jen's phone leads Monica to realize that the actual murderer was never caught, and she begins investigating the deaths herself, along with her new friend Ginny, who has her own connection to the dead girls. Though there is nothing particularly innovative about this thriller, fans of the genre will enjoy the novel. Flashbacks told from Jen's perspective help flesh out the story and allow the reader to stay slightly ahead of Monica in putting clues together. Though the pacing can be a bit slow, particularly at the start, Thomas does a good job creating suspense and false leads. Monica's mental health issues are discussed, but readers do not see her receive professional help. Though not graphic, the content of this book makes it a suitable purchase for high school and public libraries, particularly collections with a high demand for thrillers.—Bethany Martin. 3Q 4Q J S Copyright 2018 Voya Reviews.