What happens when a kid from Northern Michigan gets a summer job at the morgue . . . and stumbles upon a murder?
Praise:
The New York Post: “Fast-paced and full of red herrings, it’ll keep you guessing.”
The Los Angeles Times: “[A] throw-back style detective novel that readers of all stripes should pay attention to. . . . [A] chance to get in on the ground of what appears to be a promising career in crime fiction.”
The Detroit News: “[A] terrific debut. Christopher Newell is the most realistically and comically awkward teenager ever to solve a crime.”
Publishers Weekly (starred review): “[A] dark and stellar debut . . . . Ford spins a tale that’s complex but not confusing, never whitewashing some of the harsher crimes people commit. The result is a story that holds its own as a mainstream mystery as well as a teen novel.”
Booklist: “Ford’s unpredictable curveballs and switcheroos never relent. A satisfyingly grim departure from the usual squeaky-clean teen sleuthing.”
Bookshelves of Doom: “Big thumbs up here.”
Armchair Interviews: “This is an amazing book really. . . . [A] very well written, finely plotted book from beginning to end to be enjoyed by all ages. . . . This is a five-star read.”
Honors:
Edgar Award nominee: Best Young Adult Mystery
Agatha Award nominee: Best Young Adult Mystery
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults nominee
Texas Library Association TAYSHAS reading list
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers nominee
North Carolina Young Adult Book Award (High School) finalist
Michigan Library Association Teen Services Division Thumbs Up! award finalist
