The Bitter End

Gr 8 Up–Elite boarding school Warner Prep has an annual tradition of sending its students to incredible destinations in small groups, but this group of eight students find themselves snowed in on a mandatory “digital detox” retreat in the Colorado mountains. It’s a far cry from the social media content opportunity they thought they were headed for, and they’re trapped with a killer who may or may not be one of their own. Multiple points of view outline the ways in which readers do not have access to all the relevant information, zeroing in on the perspectives of Piper, a standoffish former gymnast, along with Delaney and Willa, who have their own sets of complicated and emotionally exhausting problems. Ms. Silva, their chaperone, seems questionable and probably unreliable, but to be fair, none of the eight are particularly sympathetic characters. Flashbacks to the events of a party three years ago slowly unspool revealing details, and even the most avid mystery readers will be entertained by the exciting twists and well-hidden clues. This is a refreshing and compelling example of the classic closed-door mystery, with a large yet distinct cast of teens who share a deep and complex history.