The high school murder mystery gets a comedic British makeover in Kate Weston’s spirited Murder on a School Night (Electric Monkey). Best friends Kerry and Annie have finally snagged an invitation to their first sixth form party but, about to kiss her hot crush, Kerry discovers a dead body. A series of increasingly slapstick murders propels the plot, the snappy dialogue shines and the detective duo’s friendship is well observed and rings true.
Young adult fiction loves pitting teenagers against one another in elaborate games and Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (Simon & Schuster) is a worthy new addition to the genre. Rosalyn Quest is the 17-year-old daughter of a legendary Black Bahamian crime family. When her mother is kidnapped she is compelled to join the Thieves’ Gambit, a deadly global competition for up-and-coming thieves where the victor is granted one wish. This fast-paced heist thriller is incredibly assured with a blockbuster feel: highly cinematic, the film rights have already been snapped up.
