Bury the Lead

Gr 7 Up–High school senior Kennedy has always wanted to be a journalist. She and her best friend, Ravi, run the school newspaper and blog, the Maplefield Monitor. In their advanced journalism class, they decide to do a report on the urban legend of the “senior curse.” Each year, a senior either goes missing, runs off, or dies by suicide. They want to investigate where the curse started and how many people have been its victims. Soon, Kennedy’s rival, super popular mean girl Emma, goes missing. Kennedy and Ravi are involved with the search and are there when her body is found. Her death is ruled as a suicide, but was it? Kennedy, who loves Sherlock Holmes, investigates some suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and remains skeptical about it. As Kennedy and Ravi get nearer to the truth, readers will find themselves guessing and second-guessing, as the plot twists, turns, and plants red herrings. While the ending feels slightly abrupt, mystery fans will enjoy the teenage sleuthing. Kennedy is white and asexual and Ravi is brown-skinned with a British father.