Boys with Sharp Teeth
Jenni Howell. Roaring Brook, $19.99 (400p) ISBN 978-1-250-33459-6
High school senior Marin James is certain that her older cousin Sam Bullvane’s drowning death was not an accident. Using a forged application and a fake tuition check, she assumes a new identity as Jamie Vane and transfers into elite Huntsworth Preparatory Academy, where Sam worked as a security guard. She has three suspects, all students: haughty, brainy Adrian Hargraves; wealthy orphaned scoundrel Henry Wu; and insecure, eager-to-please Baz Hallward, the headmistress’s daughter. As Marin races to uncover the
perpetrator before her con is discovered, she becomes embroiled in her suspects’ dangerous, thrill-seeking ways. Supernatural happenings, having to communicate with who she assumes is one of the suspects through anonymous marginalia notes, and growing attachments to both Adrian and Henry further complicate her investigation. Debut author Howell deftly conveys grief in this complex and morose offering, highlighting through the characters’ messy interactions—including Marin’s vengeance-fueled scheming and Adrian’s guilt over a past transgression—the ways in which loss can impact one’s emotions and decision-making. Fans of heady, twisty dark academia tales will revel in unpicking this knotty mystery. Most character cue as white; Henry is of East Asian descent. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)
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Reviewed on: 01/30/2025
Genre: Children's