Very Dangerous Things

Dulce Castillo, a Lord Peter Wimsey–obsessed teen attending the Dr. James Everett School of Criminology, is determined to win this year’s annual murder mystery competition. It’s a game of deduction during which one Everett High student pretends to be a murder victim while the rest of the school investigates their orchestrated “death.” Things take a dark turn, however, when this year’s victim, Xavier Torres, is found dead in the school’s greenhouse. Worse, evidence suggests Sierra Fox, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend and Dulce’s former best friend, as the prime suspect. Now Dulce must put aside her personal grudges and use her investigative know-how to uncover the truth. Was Sierra framed, or is there a more sinister conspiracy at play? Dulce simultaneously grapples with the local sheriff’s hand in covering up the facts behind her mother’s death two years ago. Tight pacing, smart banter, and Clue-esque vibes round out this thrilling offering by Muñoz (Suddenly a Murder), who demonstrates adept genre savvy across a snappy murder mystery reminiscent of Nancy Springer. Characters are as racially diverse. Ages 12–up. (July)