Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: We Can Be Heroes

Author: Kyrie McCauley

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: young adult readers, magical realism, contemporary, murder mystery, thriller

Genre: YA Mystery

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 368

Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, gore, Domestic Violence TW)

Explanation of CWs: Domestic violence shown. Death is shown and mentioned. Violence and gore is also shown.

Synopsis: “Welcome to Bell, proud home of Bell Firearms for two hundred years, and where five months ago, the teen heir to the Bell fortune took his father’s guns to school and killed his ex-girlfriend, Cassandra Queen.” —WE CAN BE HEROES PODCAST

Beck and Vivian never could stand each other, but they always tried their best for their mutual friend, Cassie. After the town moves on from Cassie’s murder too fast, Beck and Vivian finally find common ground: vengeance. They memorialize Cassie by secretly painting murals of her around town, a message to the world that Cassie won’t be forgotten. But Beck and Vivian are keeping secrets, like the third passenger riding in Beck’s VW bus with them—Cassie’s ghost.

When their murals catch the attention of a podcaster covering Cassie’s case, they become the catalyst for a debate that Bell Firearms can no longer ignore. With law enforcement closing in on them, Beck and Vivian hurry to give Cassie the closure she needs—by delivering justice to those responsible for her death.

Review: For the most part I really liked this book. It had a good hook and I was intrigued from start to finish. I feel like the character development was well done and the pacing was fairly well done as well.

However, I did think that the world building lacked a little different and the plot was a little slow to catch on for a bit.

Verdict: It was good!