When You Leave

Gr 9 Up—Romance and a murder mystery intermingle in this gritty and engaging novel. Cass is a high school student, struggling to fit in at a fancy private school. Before her father's desertion and her mother's remarriage, Cass lived in a low-income neighborhood and hung out at the skate park. Her best friends are a group of boys who include Mattie, Gav, and Franklin. She's especially fond of Mattie—he lost his voice to cancer nine years ago, but they're so close that she can tell exactly what he's thinking. Now Cass is a preppy St. Bernadette's student by day, trying to blend in and remain unnoticed. When she falls for Cooper, a rich, charming boy, though, her old friends clash with her new love interest. Cooper is brutally murdered, and Gav is arrested for the crime. Cass is positive that he is innocent. She decides to play detective at St. Bernadette's, uncovering a complicated mix of friendships, love triangles, and dark secrets. As her investigation continues, she puts herself and her friends at risk to find the truth. Teens will sympathize with Cass and find the mystery compelling, but some of the characters—Mattie and Cass's mother—don't seem to be fully developed. The protagonist is reeling from her father's decision to leave the family and fearful of losing Mattie, too, after his bout with cancer. However, her relationships with the other characters often take a backseat to the mystery elements. There are plenty of twists and turns on the way to an enjoyable conclusion.