Murder Between Friends

Three teens form an uneasy alliance to prove a classmate’s innocence in this appealing murder mystery by Lawson (The Night in Question). After high schooler Jake Hanson is found guilty of murdering popular English teacher Miriam Appelbaum—whose body was found stuffed into her own garage freezer—he’s sentenced to 25 to life . When he’s released 13 months later on a technicality, residents of his Brawner, Va., hometown call for a retrial, prompting Jake’s brother Henry, and Henry’s BFF Ally Copeland, to gather evidence that could exonerate him. The duo is approached by fellow student Grace Topham, who testified that she saw Jake entering Ms. Appelbaum’s backyard the evening of the murder but is now having second thoughts about what she noticed (“I keep wondering... did I make a mistake? Did I not actually see him that night?”). Though Ally’s distrust of and Henry’s previous romantic involvement with Grace cause tension, the trio team up, seeking to exonerate Jake. Using Ally’s investigative know-how—which she learned from her late journalist father—they unearth information that suggests a more sinister game is afoot. It’s a fair-play mystery that features shocking twists and complex friendship dynamics in equal measure. The protagonists read as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Apr.)