Now She’s Dead

A teen reluctantly returns to the site of her best friend’s death in Clarke’s tense debut murder mystery. Despite having personal reservations about the trip, 18-year-old Mandy agrees to accompany her family on their annual vacation to Highmark Inn and Resort, where her BFF Sara died the previous summer in a gruesome fireworks accident. For Mandy, who struggles with guilt about her involvement in Sara’s death, this two-week trip is her only opportunity to show her parents that they don’t need to worry about her mental health while she’s away at college. Mandy finds herself on edge upon learning that her younger sister, Kelsey, has brought her high school friend Natalie—the host of a popular true crime podcast—who is determined to investigate the circumstances behind the accident. As the trip progresses, other people in Sara’s orbit are brought into question, each of whom is hiding secrets and navigating tumultuous relationships. Chapters alternate between the current summer and the year before, building suspense and drawing out revelations. The shifting timelines, paired with Mandy’s increasing anxiety and guilt, add an air of uncertainty to the protagonist’s close first-person narration. Main characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. (June)