The Legacies

A grand gala ends in murder in this grandiose high-society thriller by Goodman (The Counselors). New York City high school seniors Bernie and Isobel have spent their lives preparing to join the Legacy Club, an exclusive group that offers a wealth of connections and privilege. They’re excited to engage in the secret rituals they’ve heard whispers about, until they learn that Tori, a scholarship student from their prep school with no ties to the club, will be joining their Legacy initiation class. Bernie and Isobel were admitted by default as legacies, but they wonder what Tori could have done to gain an invitation. Their initiation rites culminate at the Legacy Ball, a lavish gala where the teens musts insert themselves into the Legacy Club’s inner circle. As Bernie and Isobel mingle, they continue trying to suss out Tori’s past, but it seems that other members have secrets of their own that they’re desperate to keep hidden. The three teens’ alternating first-person chapters leading up to the ball are interspersed with second-person sections detailing the event’s deadly aftermath. Sharp and snappy dialogue; a fleshed-out, intersectionally diverse cast; and thought-provoking interrogations of classism elevate this adrenaline-packed read. Ages 14–up. (July)