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October 13, 2026 by Union Square & Co.
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In the summer of 1999, Christian is surprised when his friend James calls him out of the blue and demands that he go on a white water rafting trip with him on the Salt River in Arizona. Christian and his mother moved to Minnesota after the death of his father from cancer, and his life has been pretty boring. There's not much to do but work at Taco Bell and play video games, so he finds himself reluctantly agreeing, since James has already bought his planet ticket. He doesn't tell his mother the trip involves the water, since he had a previous unpleasant incident, but just says they are going camping. When he arrives, James introduces him to his girlfriend, Freya, as well as Daniel and Scott. The trip seems ill-planned, since there are no life jackets, little food, and only three sleeping bags, but there is a cooler with beer. Christian finds Freya to be very attractive, and when she and Christian decline to go over one of the falls and instead portage around, the two have some heart-to-heart conversations about James' treatment of her. The trip doesn't go well, and ends with Freya getting washed off of the raft and drowning. Christian, frozen with fear, doesn't jump in to save her. He's not charged with her death; it's ruled accidental after her body is found. Christian hopes to attend college in Minnesota, but is only accepted into Arizona State. He's just as glad to be away from the water. He gets an apartment and starts classes, including one on forensic science. He starts dating Nikki, but things start going poorly after he sees a girl who looks just like Freya. He becomes obsessed with her and follows her, which leads to the police delivering a restraining order. Madison Barton may say she's not Freya, but what's the real story? Fans of April Henry will absolutely adore the dark twists and turns!
In the summer of 1999, Christian is surprised when his friend James calls him out of the blue and demands that he go on a white water rafting trip with him on the Salt River in Arizona. Christian and his mother moved to Minnesota after the death of his father from cancer, and his life has been pretty boring. There's not much to do but work at Taco Bell and play video games, so he finds himself reluctantly agreeing, since James has already bought his planet ticket. He doesn't tell his mother the trip involves the water, since he had a previous unpleasant incident, but just says they are going camping. When he arrives, James introduces him to his girlfriend, Freya, as well as Daniel and Scott. The trip seems ill-planned, since there are no life jackets, little food, and only three sleeping bags, but there is a cooler with beer. Christian finds Freya to be very attractive, and when she and Christian decline to go over one of the falls and instead portage around, the two have some heart-to-heart conversations about James' treatment of her. The trip doesn't go well, and ends with Freya getting washed off of the raft and drowning. Christian, frozen with fear, doesn't jump in to save her. He's not charged with her death; it's ruled accidental after her body is found. Christian hopes to attend college in Minnesota, but is only accepted into Arizona State. He's just as glad to be away from the water. He gets an apartment and starts classes, including one on forensic science. He starts dating Nikki, but things start going poorly after he sees a girl who looks just like Freya. He becomes obsessed with her and follows her, which leads to the police delivering a restraining order. Madison Barton may say she's not Freya, but what's the real story? Fans of April Henry will absolutely adore the dark twists and turns!
Strengths: I absolutely loved Christian, and thought that his relationship with James was completely realistic, and that the twists and turns this takes are completely dependent on both the characters and their history together in a way that is rather brilliant. The rafting trip ended halfway through the book, and I was a bit confused. That's it? Now Christian just goes off to college? Ah, but that's where things REALLY get interesting. Definitely dark and psychological in ways I can't really describe without ruining the suspense. I loved the depiction of college classes, the apartment, and Nikki; young adult books used to have characters in college more than they do now. The most brilliant part of this is that Bowling was circumspect in her use of language and situations. There is some drinking, and there is a brief make out scene where Nikki tells Christian to stop and he does, but there is no mature language or anything else that would make this inappropriate for more mature middle school readers. The 1999 setting ads a little bit of interest, and also does away with the difficulties that cell phones would have caused with the plot.
Weaknesses: This did catch me off guard a bit, perhaps because of the cognitive disconnect between Bowling's Sir Edmund and Aven Green books and the much older and darker content of this title. There was no reason for the father to have died; people move to different states all the time for work or to be near family. I also personally could have done without the depiction of Christian pretending (?) to drown himself in the bathtub to replicate what Freya would have experienced, but he never seems to be very serious about causing himself harm. That detail does cause the book to have a warning note, and would be the main reason to think critically about having this in a middle school library.
What I really think: This is a fantastic book for readers who enjoy April Henry's many dark mysteries or Van Draanen's The Steps. Ms. Bowling has done many different types of excellent books, but I really think she has found her niche with this new book, and I hope that she continues to write more upper middle grade/young adult mysteries! After much reflection, I will be buying this for my collection.
Weaknesses: This did catch me off guard a bit, perhaps because of the cognitive disconnect between Bowling's Sir Edmund and Aven Green books and the much older and darker content of this title. There was no reason for the father to have died; people move to different states all the time for work or to be near family. I also personally could have done without the depiction of Christian pretending (?) to drown himself in the bathtub to replicate what Freya would have experienced, but he never seems to be very serious about causing himself harm. That detail does cause the book to have a warning note, and would be the main reason to think critically about having this in a middle school library.
What I really think: This is a fantastic book for readers who enjoy April Henry's many dark mysteries or Van Draanen's The Steps. Ms. Bowling has done many different types of excellent books, but I really think she has found her niche with this new book, and I hope that she continues to write more upper middle grade/young adult mysteries! After much reflection, I will be buying this for my collection.
The Hardy Boys Clue Book: Fall Mysteries
September 8, 2026 by Aladdin
I love any iteration of the Hardy Boys, so this is a fun book. Great for developing readers in middle school and perfect for elementary readers!
Brothers Frank and Joe Hardy tackle three spooky investigations in this fall-themed Hardy Boys Clue Book three-books-in-one paperback bind-up!
In The Bad Luck Skate, Frank and Joe are excited to be supporting their friends on the Bayport Checkers hockey team. But when someone dumps paint all over the team’s lucky skate, their star player worries their luck has run out. Then his stick breaks before he takes the ice! Has the team really lost their luck or is someone trying to psych them out so they lose the game? Without a clear suspect, Frank and Joe are on thin ice.
After Frank and Joe’s friend Jason wins a treasure map at Bayport’s Pirate Palooza, a message in a bottle warns him not to hunt for the treasure! Could it be the legendary ghost of Captain Scurvydog? In The Pirate Ghost, the Hardy Boys are on the case to prove that spirits definitely do not exist…or do they?
In The Great Pumpkin Smash, Frank and Joe can’t wait to celebrate Halloween at Bayport’s annual party, Boo at the Zoo. But when the brothers go to check out the painted pumpkin display, they’re all completely squashed! The two detectives must find out who pummeled the pumpkins or else this will be the last Boo at the Zoo.
In The Bad Luck Skate, Frank and Joe are excited to be supporting their friends on the Bayport Checkers hockey team. But when someone dumps paint all over the team’s lucky skate, their star player worries their luck has run out. Then his stick breaks before he takes the ice! Has the team really lost their luck or is someone trying to psych them out so they lose the game? Without a clear suspect, Frank and Joe are on thin ice.
After Frank and Joe’s friend Jason wins a treasure map at Bayport’s Pirate Palooza, a message in a bottle warns him not to hunt for the treasure! Could it be the legendary ghost of Captain Scurvydog? In The Pirate Ghost, the Hardy Boys are on the case to prove that spirits definitely do not exist…or do they?
In The Great Pumpkin Smash, Frank and Joe can’t wait to celebrate Halloween at Bayport’s annual party, Boo at the Zoo. But when the brothers go to check out the painted pumpkin display, they’re all completely squashed! The two detectives must find out who pummeled the pumpkins or else this will be the last Boo at the Zoo.
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