Today I'm reviewing The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks. This ARC came to me through a tour with the Southern Book Bloggers. Please check out their site here!
When prep-school student Wendy Geller is found dead in Central Park, classmate and former best friend Rain struggles to reconcile the girl she once knew with the party girl portrayed in the headlines. Rain faces her grief and digs through her school's secrets to uncover what really happened to Wendy.
The Girl in the Park is a contemporary YA mystery. I am generally not a big fan of mysteries, but I think the YA landscape needs more of them. Fredericks does an excellent job of using familiar elements to tell a fresh story, and The Girl in the Park has a well-woven plot with a satisfying conclusion. I suspected who the killer was very early on, but the hints are subtle, with acceptable red herrings along the way.
Rain is a complex, believable main character, and both her determination and insecurities ring true. The social hierarchy of the school and the parental relationships are also well played. My only real issue was with the opening chapter; the story begins with a dream sequence, then flip-flops between the present and flash backs to set up the plot. Once the action moved forward, the pace picked up and the flashbacks flowed more logically.
I would recommend this book fans of contemporary YA or mysteries. 4 out of 5 stars.
Music for this book: Midnight City by M83
This does sound interesting...I agree YA needs more mysteries and alternative mysteries (not murder).
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the cover. I didn't see the girl's face at first (in my smaller Dashboard version).
Oh I'm glad to see other people reading it too! Yes it was a good book and I knew the killer early on but always fun seeing if you are right, when doubt is placed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a surprise to see a name from my past! I knew a girl called Wendy Geller in elementary school. I think I'd pick up the book just for the name, as I lost track of my friend when she moved away in high school. She could easily have been the victim of this mystery! lol Thanks for the review. I'll put it on my To-Be-Read list. :)
ReplyDeleteNice review! I agree with you - I guessed who the villian was right away.
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