The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Published by Delacorte Press on July 31st 2018
ISBN: 1524718327
Pages: 384
Goodreads

This is an engrossing, slightly complicated, mystery for high school readers that brings each party involved into question and leaves room for a neatly engineered and satisfying ending.

Five years ago, five members of the high school cheerleading squad died within weeks of each other leaving the town reeling. The last death was sixteen-year-old Monica’s sister Jen who allegedly committed suicide. Monica calls out sick from school after having a secret abortion and fills her time snooping in her stepdad’s desk, the town police officer responsible for shooting the accused murderer. Monica is spurred on to re-open the various events that led up to the cheerleading deaths, when she finds her sister’s cell phone and anonymous threatening letters in his desk drawer. With a new friend from school, Monica begins connecting the dots and placing herself in situations of escalating danger. This is a solid mystery with the right amount of reveals and high school situations.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Springvale Public Library, Springvale