It Should Have Been You

October 1, 2017
Five months ago, high school senior Clara Seibert's twin sister, Moura, was murdered in their home.The killer hasn't been caught, but many people remain convinced Clara murdered her sister in a fit of jealousy. After all, the nonmusical Clara lived in her famed pianist sister's shadow, even when it came to their parents' attention. When Clara begins receiving threatening emails from someone blaming her for Moura's death, she sets out to uncover her sister's killer before the mystery emailer follows through on their promise to kill Clara. The white teen discovers many possible suspects: Moura's rival and friend, a pianist named Alex Kwon; Moura's secret girlfriend or the boy she publicly dated as a beard; or perhaps one of the many people Moura reportedly manipulated on her way to the top. The deeper Clara digs, the more danger she puts herself in, but all that matters is getting to the truth of what happened to her sister. A subplot in which columnist Clara interviews teen dating violence victims for the school newspaper sometimes comes across as a public service announcement, but it is honestly raw in its intensity. Aside from Alex, the primary cast is an almost all-white one. Clara is a rather bland character, but her determination will endear her to readers, who will find her attempt to connect emotionally with her parents to be especially touching.A solid whodunit for genre fans. (Mystery. 14-18)

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October 30, 2017
This solid mystery from Slaughter (While I Danced) opens with the murder of Clara Seibert’s twin sister, Moura, a piano prodigy. Plenty of people think Clara did it—including the girls’ mother—since the sisters were heard arguing before the murder, and Clara was the only one home at the time of the killing. As Clara’s family falls apart and her reputation suffers, the only thing keeping the high school senior sane is her work as an advice columnist for her school newspaper. After Clara starts receiving anonymous threats at school from someone who thinks that she was responsible for Moura’s murder, she reaches out to her sister’s friends and music rivals, hoping that she can figure out who could have wanted the talented Moura dead—before they come for Clara, too. Clara’s voice and internal conflict feel authentic, and the contentious relationship between the sisters is equally believable. Although the novel doesn’t push the envelope much, Slaughter successfully highlights the dangers of abusive relationships; fans of the genre will find much to enjoy in this thriller. Ages 12–up. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary.

December 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Five months ago, Clara Seibert's twin sister, Moura, was murdered. The only thing that makes Clara's grief-filled life feel semi-normal is being an anonymous advice columnist for her school newspaper. That is, until someone starts sending threatening messages. The emails allude to her being the one who has killed her sister. Clara reaches her breaking point and decides to take the crime investigation into her own hands since the police have yielded nothing in their search. She begins interviewing people who were in Moura's life, including her piano teacher and another piano student. While looking through Moura's belongings, Clara believes she has uncovered an affair between Moura and her piano teacher's husband, Joel Rasher. Clara thinks she has caught the killer until other details emerge. The whodunit's logic flounders at this point of the narrative. The writing style is very captivating and ideal for teens who like thrillers and mysteries. Clara has a sweet romance that teen readers will enjoy. While there are parts of this book that drag, the spine-chilling climax and ending almost make up for the unnecessary parts. Slaughter makes most of the sensationalism of this book believable and keeps her readers turning the pages. VERDICT Purchase for teens who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and romance.-Jill Baetiong, formerly of Morris Area Public Library, IL

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