To Catch a Killer

November 15, 2016
Scarborough's debut mystery novel follows a teenager on a journey to find her mother's killer.The only memories Erin (who is white) has of her mother can be found in the police reports detailing the circumstances of her death. When Erin was 2, her mother was murdered and the killer got away. Now 16, Erin has been studying forensics with the goal of one day solving the murder. She finds an ally in her biology teacher, Miss P, but when Erin discovers her teacher's dead body, she suspects this may be the work of her mother's killer. Things are further complicated when Erin's crush, Journey (also white), becomes tangled up in the case as a possible suspect. Realizing the bond between them, the two team up to investigate the case with help from Erin's resourceful friends, Spam and Lysa. Cue the clunky murder attempts on Erin's life, suspicious adults, and convenient clues. While Erin is a character that readers can easily sympathize with as she struggles to grapple with her dark past, some of the novel's other characters are not fully fleshed out. Spam and Lysa have the potential to be spunky sidekicks but come off as two-dimensional, the former possibly Latina and a funky dresser and the latter flawlessly golden-skinned and dressed to the nines. The plot has the potential to be gripping but doesn't deliver any surprises--not even the killer's identity. Despite its interesting premise, this debut falls short of its potential. (Mystery. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Teenager Erin Blake is a novice forensic enthusiast and an orphan. Ever since her mother's murder 14 years earlier, Erin has tried to live a normal life with her legal guardian, Rachel, who had been her mother's best friend. Erin doesn't know her father's identity. When Erin discovers the dead body of her biology teacher, her life is thrown into chaos. As Erin and her friends Lysa and Spam follow clues to track down the killer, it becomes apparent that their teacher's murder is directly linked to the death of Erin's mother. Against her friends' wishes, Erin enlists the help of her longtime crush and fellow classmate, Journey Michaels. As Erin and Journey delve deeper into the unsolved cases, it seems that all the evidence points straight to them. Desperate to prove their innocence, they decide to catch the killer themselves. Unfortunately, the closer they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in. Erin and Journey need to track down the murderer fast-before they become the next victims. Scarborough's debut YA novel contains stilted language, static imagery, and underdeveloped characters, but the fast-paced plot and Veronica Mars-esque protagonist make this book a good fit for avid mystery readers. VERDICT While this title may appeal to mystery fans, it is most suitable as a secondary purchase.-Ariel Birdoff, New York Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

abarton050 - This book is a thriller with suspense and mystery you will be at the end of your seat. Erin Blake is a normal teenage girl on the outside but on the inside she is the girl who survived 3 days along the dead corpse of her mother. When Erin,s mother was took to the grave the identity of her father was taken along with her. Erin is desperate to find out who her father is and the Biology teacher wants to have a forensic lab that the police department, Erin seeks the help of Mrs.P to run a DNA test on 3 people who could possibly be her father, what she does not know is the killer has been watching her, Erin told Mrs.p she would drop off the DNA samples of the 3 men but when she gets there the door is open and she goes to check it out as soon as she is by the door she smells the putrid smell of blood she continues though the door to see Mrs.P dead. Turning around Erin sees the boy she crushes darting through Mrs.p's yard. The police arrive and take her too the station where she practicality grew up for her statement. When Erin's adoptive mother ( also Erin's mom best friend) gets there to take her home she sees Journey in cuffs walking toward the interrogation room being led by cops. When Erin eventually goes back to school Journey confronts her and tells her that his dad is in prison for murder but he was dropping off an old toothbrush to see if the DNA matches the DNA at the murder scene. Journey and Erin eventually start dating as they work together with Lysa and Spam Erin's 2 best friends. Working together they figure out who the murder is and almost die because they get caught in a trap. The killer is put behind bars. Putting the killer behind bars is hard for Erin because she has known the person for almost her whole life. The killer is not who you think he is you will be surprised. I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and suspense . Read to catch a killer to find out who the killers identity is. (Updated about 5 minutes ago)

November 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Erin is that girl, the one who survived as a toddler in a house only occupied by her murdered mother's body. Raised by her mom's best friend, Erin has questions. Who was her father? Why did someone kill her mother? Why did the killer let her live? An avid follower of her uncle Victor's FBI career and books, she is determined to follow in his footsteps, which is why she is excited when her biology teacher, Miss Peters, wants to create a crime lab for their small town. When Erin stumbles on Miss Peters' murdered body, she finds herself in the spotlight again. Miss Peters was looking into the identity of Erin's father. Could the murders be connected? Scarborough has written an intense, engrossing debut. Readers will root for Erin to find answers, laugh at her friends' antics as they play detective, and struggle to identify the killer in a plot full of red herrings and multiple suspects. This solid mystery will easily grab the attention of fans of the genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)