Genre: Young Adult Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books (Imprint of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Publishing Date: May 16, 2023
Synopsis:
An ambitious and juicy whodunit doused in Hollywood lore, perfect for readers of sexy summer thrillers like The Twin by Natasha Preston and The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.
No one at Hollywood High knows who’s behind We’ll Never Tell—a viral YouTube channel where the anonymous creators trespass behind the scenes of LA’s most intriguing locales. The team includes CASEY, quiet researcher and trivia champ; JACOB, voice narrator and video editor, who is secretly dating EDDIE, aspiring filmmaker; and ZOE, coder and breaking-and-entering extraordinaire.
Now senior year is winding down, and with their lives heading in different directions, the YouTubers vow to go out with a bang. Their last episode will be filmed at the infamous Valentini “murder house,” which has been left abandoned, bloodstained, and untouched since a shocking murder/suicide in 1972. When the teens break in, they capture epic footage. But someone trips an alarm, and it’s a mad dash to get out before the police arrive—at which point they realize only three of them escaped instead of four. Jacob is still inside, slain and bleeding out. Is his attack connected to the historic murder, or is one of their crew responsible?
A week of suspicions and cover-ups unfolds as Casey and her remaining friends try to stay alive long enough to solve murder mysteries past and present. If they do, their friendship may not survive. If they don’t, the house will claim more victims.
My Review:
We’ll Never Tell by Wendy Heard is a perfect YA Thriller for murder mystery lovers. Four teenagers run a YouTube channel called “We’ll never tell”. Their video content revolves around their ventures into various Los Angeles locations, including unauthorized entry. Their plans to enter the murder house (a couple was murdered / suicide back in the 1970s) didn’t go as they had hoped.
Casey and Zoe’s friendship was so beautifully expressed. They were both in their senior year in school, just like Jacob and Eddie. The bond between the four of them was so good. The only drawback was that I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters.
The plot kept me on edge till the very end. One twist after another poured in, making my mind go wild (in a good way). I love how the author included the Paranormal element in the murder mystery plot, making the story even more excellent. The switching between timelines made the story so interesting. Nothing felt rushed, even though the story was fast-paced.
This book expertly combines two intriguing murder mysteries—one from the past and one from the present—with a touch of the supernatural, which I found absolutely fascinating. Alongside the gripping plot, the story explores various themes, including friendship, love, and the significance of family bonds. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with the arc of this book.
Click here for Tour schedule to see more reviews.
Book links:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | IndieBound
About the author:
Wendy Heard is the author of suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s.
Deepika 