Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh
ISBN: 059389927X
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
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Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh 

A teen murder mystery filled with wit, classic high school stereotypes and nostalgia for the 90s, this read will keep students theorizing what really happened long after they finish the book.  

When the body of star lacrosse player, Troy Richards, is found at the schoolwide lock-in the night before graduation, a ragtag group of five teens is shocked… or are they? After all, they consist of the ex-best friend, the girlfriend, the overachiever, the troubled teen and the quiet freshman who had come together in the previous weeks to pull pranks that would finally hold “untouchable” Troy accountable.  So sure, everyone had their own reasons to hate him, but did someone take it too far? 

With an eye-catching title and trendy 90s thriller premise, teens will naturally gravitate towards this book. Multiple POVs push the story along, with each unique perspective offering clues to what really happened and potential motives. Where the novel falls short is in its vague ending; it’s not clear who exactly committed the murder or if everyone worked together. While some teens may find this frustrating, it does make the book great for discussion and practicing critical thinking skills.  Overall, though this might not be the most clear-cut novel, it will no doubt get lots of circulation in young adult and high school collections. 

 Reviewed by Hannah Doktor, Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta