"One murder. So many victims." 

It Should Have Been You by Lynn Slaughter was a middle ground for YA mystery, in my opinion. It was succinct and not unsatisfying to read, but...it left a lot to be desired. Slaughter's writing style with this novel lacked depth and description. Rather than being elusive and dark, it was a fairly quick investigation, revolving around a lot of dialogue. I would have liked to see more depth and development in the characters, especially Clara. Even with the social justice aspect - which could have been such a good factor - it just didn't hit. It seemed...cliche and rushed. I do disagree with some reviews indicating predictability - maybe because Slaughter didn't give the reader much to go on with the suspects and non suspects, but I couldn't place who the killer might've been until over halfway through. Which was beneficial, because it kept me passively interested. By no means did I feel a suspenseful engagement in the book, but I enjoyed reading it despite not having a heavy investment in the characters or the ending. It just was too simple, too straightforward, too quick...too lacking for me. The 'twist' at the end was... unique, but honestly seemed a little farfetched. I might try out some of her other books, though. I won't let the mediocrity that was It Should Have Been You ward me from this author entirely, because it does seem as though they have potential as a YA author. This novel was just underwhelming, to say the least.