Tag Archives: Podcasts

YA – Missing Clarissa

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Jones, Ripley. Missing Clarissa. Wednesday Books, 2023. 978-1-250-80196-8. 256 p. $18.99. Grades 9-12.

Everyone in Oreville, Washington knows the name Clarissa Campbell. It isn’t because she was so memorable but instead because her story is so hard to forget. One night Clarissa was at a party in the woods, then she was never seen again. Despite a bunch of partygoers for witnesses, there was no body, evidence, and the police had little else to go on. More than twenty years later, the story has disappeared from the national spotlight. For local high school juniors Blair and Cameron, though, Clarissa is legendary. Figuring out what happened to Clarissa is the perfect project for these best friends to use in their journalism class. A true crime podcast with interviews and real journalism is sure to earn them an A. Cam is all in, determined to solve the unsolvable, and Blair is more than happy to go along with Cam’s plan. As Cam and Blair begin interviewing those who were closest to Clarissa, a different picture than what national media reported starts to unfold. Not everyone is happy with the duo digging up the past. Will Cam and Blair be able to honor Clarissa’s memory and bring peace to those who love her, or will they learn that Clarissa’s story isn’t much more than an urban legend?

THOUGHTS: Shorter in length, this mystery is sure to attract true crime and podcast fans as well as readers of books by April Henry or Natasha Preston. Recommended for YA collections.

Mystery

YA – Girl Forgotten

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Henry, April. Girl Forgotten. Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 978-0-316-32259-1. 260 p. $18.99. Grades 8-12.

True crime-loving Piper Gray has arrived at Firview High School as the quiet new girl. When the school assigns a required senior year passion project, Piper decides to try her hand at the one thing she loves most: podcasting. Inspired by her favorite podcast, Kelley McBrain’s Dead, Deader, Deadest, Piper decides to investigate a local Firview, Oregon unsolved mystery. Piper enlists the help of a classmate named Jonas who serves as Piper’s podcasting mentor. Piper and Jonas quickly become immersed in a seventeen-year-old mystery involving the unsolved murder of a young girl named Layla Trello. During the pursuit of truth, Piper interviews Layla’s ex-boyfriend, close friends, school employees, and family members about the mysterious murder. Piper gets more than she bargained for after she receives a menacing package and ominous online threats telling her to stop the search for Layla’s killer…or else. Just as Piper begins to sense she is close to uncovering the truth, one of her interviewees ends up dead. Is Piper next? Alongside Layla’s mystery, some of Piper’s own hidden secrets are also bound to spill out. Filled with twists and turns, this story will keep readers guessing until the end.

THOUGHTS: Readers who enjoy suspense, true crime mysteries, and April Henry’s signature fast-paced thriller style will enjoy this newest release. The book is told through news articles, Piper’s narration, and partial transcripts of Piper’s podcast. Characters cue as white. Aside from the action, readers learn a lot about podcasting itself, but the step-by-step nature of Piper’s project doesn’t slow the pacing down too much. There are some big twists near the end, but readers will be so hooked in to the mystery by that point that they may forgive (and perhaps even love) the wildness of the last fifty pages. Henry’s story also would be a hit (and a shorter read!) for those who love stories like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson or One of us is Lying by Karen McManus.

Mystery 

Piper Gray is starting her senior year in a new house, a new school, and with a new family. She moves in with her dad after an incident with her mother. She now shares a home with two younger siblings, her stepmom, and a dad she has never lived with before. She has no friends at school, and is at a low point in her teenage life. This is until she discovers she has to do a senior passion project. Piper knows exactly what she wants to do – a podcast. She has discovered a cold case of a local 17 year-old girl, Layla Trello, who was murdered 17 years ago. She decides to create a podcast to dive deep into the case. Along the way she discovers a few secrets that some want kept quiet, and Piper finds herself in danger. Will she discover the identity of the killer, or will she have to abandon her project for her own safety?

THOUGHTS: Page turner! Great for those readers who love true crime podcasts and mysteries. There is mention of teens drinking alcohol, so this may be best for older readers.

Mystery

YA – Killing Time

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Ehrlich, Brenna. Killing Time. Inkyard Press, 2022. 978-1-335-41867-8. $18.99. Grades 9-12.

Natalie has lived a pretty sheltered life in Ferry, Connecticut, thanks to her mom’s overprotective rules. Working in their family diner, it’s always just been the two of them. When Natalie, who recently graduated from high school, learns that her favorite teacher died under suspicious circumstances she’s determined to honor Mrs. Halsey’s memory. Though their last conversation didn’t end well, Mrs. Halsey understood Natalie’s interest in true crime and supported her (and Nat’s best friend Katie) as the true crime club advisor. They even started their own podcast – Killing Time – where they evolve in their discussion of legendary killers. All of this “true crime stuff” is done, of course, without her mom’s knowledge or permission. But Nat, who wants to go to college to be a journalist, is determined to tell her teacher’s story and honor her life. When she finds a threatening note telling her to “Stay out of it. I’m warning you.” she’s even more motivated to piece together what happened to Mrs. Halsey. Between the conversations among customers at the diner, her internship at the paper, and some convenient friendships, Nat seems to be getting closer to the truth. But how likely is a teenager operating on her own to solve a crime, especially when someone doesn’t want the truth to come to light? Interspersed throughout the novel are “Then” chapters that flash back to Helen’s college days which shed some light onto the strained relationship between mother and daughter and some of Helen’s overprotective tendencies.

THOUGHTS: Fans of true crime will like this one. I especially enjoyed the Then chapters which seemed to have more suspense and keep the story moving. A supplemental purchase where mysteries are popular.

Mystery          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

YA – More Than Maybe

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Hahn, Erin. More Than Maybe. Wednesday Books, 2020. 978-1-250-23164-2. $17.99. 308 p. Grades 9 and up.

Luke has been reading Vada’s music blog, secretly commenting on it (and crushing on her) for three years. Vada’s also been falling asleep listening to Luke’s “deep, lyrical, and crisp” voice on the podcast he records with his brother… in the studio above the Loud Lizard, the bar where Vada works, which happens to be owned by her mom’s boyfriend and former drummer, Phil. Of course neither of these introverted music nerds have the guts to talk to each other even though they go to the same school and see each other regularly at the Loud Lizard. That is, until Vada’s dance class and Luke’s music composition class get paired together for the end-of-the-year spring showcase. Luke finally takes a risk and offers to partner up with Vada to compose a song for her dance performance, which seems like it might be the end of the story. They’re going to fall in love now, right? It’s not that simple when Luke is hiding his love for composing music from his dad, a former British punk rock star who wants Luke to follow in his footsteps. Luke has no interest in performing – just composing – and to avoid the pressure from his dad entirely, he hides the fact that he even plays music at all. Vada has obstacles of her own. Her mostly absent (also former musician) father only shows up to drink himself stupid at the Loud Lizard, and when he says he’s not helping her pay for college, Vada has to figure out a way to make her music journalism dreams come true on her own. Working at the Loud Lizard and having easy access to concerts helps, but the Loud Lizard is just barely surviving financially. Enter the power of music.

THOUGHTS: Flirting via lyrics? Yes, please! While I think anyone can appreciate this adorable love story whether you know the bands mentioned or not, contemporary music lovers will find themselves swooning over this book. There’s even a user-created playlist on Spotify made up of all the songs mentioned! Highly recommended for any YA collection. Put it in the hands of anyone who loves music.

Realistic Fiction          Sarah Strouse, Nazareth Area SD

YA – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

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Jackson, Holly. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Delacorte Press. 2020. 978-1-984-89636-0. 400 p. $17.99. Grades 9-12.

Pippa Fitz-Amobi is a good girl: high achiever, faithful friend, devoted daughter, and big sister. So it’s a bit out of character for her to solve a murder for her senior capstone project, especially because it’s one that’s already been solved. Five years ago, high school senior Andie Bell disappeared from their small town of Fairfield, Connecticut. Her body was never found, but the remains of her boyfriend, Salil “Sal” Singh, were discovered in the woods along with evidence that he had killed Andie and then committed suicide out of guilt. Pippa’s instincts, honed on true crime podcasts and documentaries, tell her that Sal is innocent. She aims to raise enough doubts about Sal’s guilt to convince the police to revisit the case. With the help of Sal’s younger brother, Ravi, Pippa susses out one lead after another, untangling clues and connections hidden within interview transcripts, journal entries, and text messages. Meanwhile someone with much to lose is watching their every move — and he (or she?) is unafraid to follow through on threats against what Pippa holds dearest when she refuses to stop digging. Holly Jackson skillfully weaves the elements of a solid mystery into her debut: suspense, red herrings, breathless amateur surveillance, and even a spooky dark alley. A huge twist, revealed just when the crimes have seemingly been solved, propels the pace right to the final page.

THOUGHTS: Mystery fans, take note: You’ll be hooked from the “Murder Map” that appears on page 29! This fast-paced whodunnit is perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus’ thrillers, especially Two Can Keep a Secret. Note that this novel’s potentially sensitive topics include suicide, sexual assault, and an animal in peril.

Mystery          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Pippa Fitz-Amobi has everything going for her: She’s a good student with good friends and a great family. Pip is a “good girl,” and she can’t help but notice how local missing (presumed murdered but never found) Andie Bell also seemed like a good girl. A fan of true crime podcasts and documentaries, Pip can’t ignore the feeling that the five year old murder/suicide of two local teens has some gaps in its investigation. She knew Sal when she was younger, and he couldn’t have possibly killed Andie then himself. Or did he? Though she sells it to her advisor as a look at how media sensationalizing can impact an investigation, Pip decides her senior capstone project will be to look into the Andie Bell case. As she uncovers one clue after the next, she begins to hope that she can prove Sal’s innocence. When Pip receives a threat telling her to stop digging, she knows she must be onto something. Then again, maybe someone is just playing a sick joke. Getting closer to Sal’s little brother Ravi during her investigation doesn’t help Pip keep her feelings separate from the case. When a threat hits close to home, Pip is ready to give up. She might be paranoid, but it seems like someone in Fairview doesn’t want her to keep looking. Told throughout Pip’s investigation, readers will be on the edge of their seats to learn what really happened to Andie Bell and if Pip will successfully complete her project.

THOUGHTS: Told in a variety of formats, readers will not want to put down this fast-paced mystery. The full cast audiobook is excellent. Fans of other YA Thrillers by authors like Karen M. McManus, April Henry, and Gretchen McNeil will be happy to have a new author to enjoy. Mature topics (drug use, drinking, and suicide) make this one best suited for high school readers.

Mystery          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

MG – Dress Coded

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Firestone, Carrie. Dress Coded. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2020. 978-1-984816-43-6. 303 p. $14.81. Grades 3-6.

Every middle school girl knows what it means when another girl would risk getting pulled over for a dress code violation in order to tie her sweatshirt around the waist of her new white jeans, so when Molly Frost sees her friend, Olivia, crying in the Kindness Garden in front of the principal, it’s the last straw. Why is Dr. Couchman obsessed with the dress code? Why is the identical outfit a violation on Liza but not on Molly? Has any adult at the school ever tried to buy shorts that are longer than fingertip length? Molly starts a podcast so girls in her middle school and even some in high school, can tell their dress code horror stories. Soon the podcast grows into a movement, with Molly and her friends ultimately bringing their fight to the school board. Told in prose, lists, letters, and podcasts, readers will sympathize with the female students of Fisher Middle School and cheer for their determination.

THOUGHTS: A friendship story with a side of activism, Dress Coded is an absolute must for middle school libraries.

Realistic Fiction          Melissa Johnston, North Allegheny SD