★ 3.5 stars ★

content warnings:

Spoiler

death of teenagers, discussion of hunting, marijuana use, underage drinking, infidelity, anxiety attack, discussion of slavery, mention of parent death, mention of cancer, hit-and-run, mention of homophobia, discussion of toxic masculinity, gun violence (non-graphic), broken arm

rep:

Spoiler

MC with anxiety [Stevie], queer Black cameo character [Janelle], Vietnamese nonbinary/genderqueer cameo character [Vi], established queer relationships, gay secondary/ minor characters

A fun follow-up to the Truly Devious saga, which feels consistent with the rest of the series — though obviously, this mystery is condensed into one volume instead of three, which makes this standalone a bit less engaging. The summer camp setting isn't as atmospheric as Ellingham Academy; the alternating historical/ contemporary timeline is somewhat less effective, and also a bit incongruous since part of this case's intrigue is that several of the major players are actually still around.

I was never super into

Spoiler

Stevie and David's relationship

, so I have to admit I was a bit annoyed when he turned up in person, and more so when they got into

Spoiler

all the England drama

, which didn't feel resolved so much as shuffled off so that the book could end on a certain note. I also wish we'd seen more of Janelle, though I did really enjoy Stevie's friendship with Nate and their whole-group dynamic.

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CONVERSION: 9.53 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 7 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 7 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5