Paradise Coast

Gr 9 Up–Deep in the Florida Everglades, a mystery holds sway over the community of Cape Hope. Years ago, a hotel burned, a woman was murdered, and the cover-up caused the town to divide. The ­Collective, the rich people who own and control ­everything, and the Chasers, the less ­well-off ­townies, still are at violent odds with each other. The story bounces back and forth between the viewpoints of two protagonists: Noa, a young teen girl who helps her dad run the Surf Shack; and Jamie, a social ­pariah who holds on to just enough influence to run with the rich kids. Together, along with others, Noa and Jamie will investigate what really happened at the Starline Hotel (­seeking to clear the reputation of the suspected murderer) and how their families and others are connected to the darker history of the town. Fans of mysteries around beach communities like television series Outer Banks will flock to Young’s (The Program) summer mystery. A mix of romance, adventure, and class struggle, this story brings something for all readers—­especially mystery fans, who will enjoy trying to follow the clues that the characters discover. The racial/ethnic identity of the characters are not mentioned.