I bought this book along with McManus’ new one on offer in Asda. I didn’t realise the second one, which I am starting this week, had only just been released. Reading the blurb and having a quick fan through, I realised this book does one of my favourite things: multiple narrators. I don’t know what it is but I absolutely love books that do this. Noughts and Crosses springs to mind as well as Wonder, Allegiant (better than any film effort) and Teri Terry’s Contagion are the ones that spring to mind from recent times. I really enjoy seeing the same story written from different perspectives and seeing how each characters views it. In this one I was spoiled as there were four!
The story begins with five students in detention for having a mobile phone on them in school. Mr Avery does not like mobile phones in bags and this lot have all been caught – though weirdly they all say it’s not their phone that was found. Someone planted them to get them all into detention at the same time. We have Adelaide, known as Addy, who is the resident popular pretty girl with the jock boyfriend; Bronwyn, who is destined for the top universities; Nate, the bad boy drug dealer who has a bad background; Cooper, the baseball player who is being hunted by the big leagues; and Simon, a rather unpopular kid who runs an app called About That which reveals any and all secrets the students have. Simon has broken many people’s reputations and busted their secrets for everyone to see in school. Not everyone likes this app, but they all have it and can’t ignore it.
Simon doesn’t get much of a mention as, by the end of the chapter, he’s dead. Seemingly Simon has a sip of water and then keels over. His cup has been laced with peanut oil and he has a deadly allergy. No epi pens can be found anywhere and Simon dies. The four other people in the room are all suspects. No one can work out why they might do this until a secret new post is found on Simon’s app which reveals the darkest secrets that could ruin our four and give them all a clear motive. Leading us to an excellent whodunnit as we follow our characters through.
It’s hard to say anything further on the plot without ruining things – there are many twists and turns and some chapters actually make you gasp in shock! There are some rather surprising revelations revealed by the app and by the characters who feel that damage control is a better choice than waiting for the truth to come out. What’s also good is that the characters are all very likeable people and the changes some of them go through after experiencing this whole stressful and crazy process are refreshing. It avoids a lot of clichés, and the ones it did use weren’t too contrived if that makes sense!
I’ll be honest – I did work out who did it. Quite a ways before it’s revealed – which is disappointing as I’m never right! Again, I don’t want to reveal too much but I felt it was quite obvious after a while. That being said, it didn’t ruin my enjoyment at all. It’s a great read and one you can plough through quite quickly. I’m also left feeling keen to start the next one right away – so again a good outcome!
Probably one for more mature teens due to some subject content and fruity language but it’s one I’ll be suggesting to our Year 10s at school. Really enjoyed it!