Watch Us Crack

Gr 9 Up–Lepore’s latest thriller about a murdered teen is full of shocking twists where almost everyone is keeping secrets that could make them a suspect. Juniors Sadie Morelli and Cason Tano may go to rival high schools in western New York, but they were close back in middle school before they lost touch. They reconnect after a tense hockey game that has Cason clashing with the boyfriend of Sadie’s best friend, both on and off the ice. Given the contention between their schools, they decide to keep their rekindled friendship, and potential budding romance, a secret. But when a teen is found dead at the train station and a true crime podcast suggests that Sadie and Cason each had reasons to want the teen gone, they realize it’s up to them to clear their names. The rivalry between schools and how it can determine personal relationships feels authentic and adds an extra layer of tension to the plot. Readers will easily get swept up in Sadie and Cason’s race to uncover all the clues before it’s too late and should be satisfied with the conclusion.