Synopses & Reviews
Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series meets the cult classic film
Fargo in this gripping, dark comedy by debut author Kathleen Hale.
A quiet town like Friendship, Wisconsin, keeps most of its secrets buried . . . but when local teen Ruth Fried is found murdered in a cornfield, her best friend, Kippy Bushman, decides she must uncover the truth and catch the killer. Since the police aren't much help, Kippy looks to her newly discovered idol, journalist Diane Sawyer, for tips on how to conduct her investigation. But Kippy soon discovers, if you want to dig up the truth, your hands have to get a little dirty, don'tcha know.
In this riveting young adult novel, Kathleen Hale creates a quirky murder mystery that is intricately plotted and sure to keep readers guessing, laughing, and cringing until the surprising final pages. "Can a murder mystery be funny? You betcha!" raved Kirkus Reviews in a starred review.
Review
“Can a murder mystery be funny? You betcha!” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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“Will make readers both cringe and chuckle…sweetly amusing…the last few pages are nail-biters” Publishers Weekly
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“A super-duper mystery...snort-inducingly funny, from start to finish.” Booklist
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“Hale nimbly manages a satisfying blend of chills, suspense, and laughs in this dark comedy.” Bulletin of the Center for Children & #8217;s Books
Synopsis
Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 689 688), is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.
Unfortunately, Friendship's police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth's best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth's secret diary, sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.
About the Author
Kathleen Hale was born and raised in Wisconsin. She graduated from Harvard in 2010. This is her first novel.