All the Pretty Things by Emily Arsenault
on March 17, 2020
ISBN: 1984897055
Genres: Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Returning home from a trip with her mother, Ivy discovers that during the week she was gone, one of her co-workers was found dead and her best friend who found him is not handling it well.  But no one will tell Ivy what happened, so she begins her own investigation, asking everyone who had contact with the dead boy or her best friend.  Each person seems to provide a tiny piece of information, but it’s not until closer to the end that answers start coming.  However, that’s where the story starts to fall apart.  In an attempted effort to create a left turn at the end, too much new stuff comes out of the woodwork, complicating the mystery and leaving an unsatisfying ending.  Best for ages 14+.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library