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Buzz Kill
In this fresh and funny teen mystery, seventeen-year-old Millie joins forces with her classmate, gorgeous but mysterious Chase Albright, to try to find out who murdered Coach Killdare.
Putting the dead in deadline
To Bee or not to Bee? When the widely disliked Honeywell Stingers football coach is found murdered, 17-year-old Millie is determined to investigate. She is chasing a lead for the school newspaper - and looking to clear her father, the assistant coach, and prime suspect.
Millie's partner is gorgeous, smart-and keeping secrets
Millie joins forces with her mysterious classmate Chase who seems to want to help her even while covering up secrets of his own.
She's starting to get a reputation…without any of the benefits.
Drama-and bodies-pile up around Millie and she chases clues, snuggles Baxter the so-ugly-he's-adorable bassett hound, and storms out of the world's most awkward school dance/memorial mash-up. At least she gets to eat a lot of pie.
Best-selling author Beth Fantaskey's funny, fast-paced blend of Clueless and Nancy Drew is a suspenseful page-turner that is the best time a reader can have with buried weapons, chicken clocks, and a boy who only watches gloomy movies…but somehow makes Millie smile. Bee-lieve it.
Pair with Fantaskey's best-selling Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.
Putting the dead in deadline
To Bee or not to Bee? When the widely disliked Honeywell Stingers football coach is found murdered, 17-year-old Millie is determined to investigate. She is chasing a lead for the school newspaper - and looking to clear her father, the assistant coach, and prime suspect.
Millie's partner is gorgeous, smart-and keeping secrets
Millie joins forces with her mysterious classmate Chase who seems to want to help her even while covering up secrets of his own.
She's starting to get a reputation…without any of the benefits.
Drama-and bodies-pile up around Millie and she chases clues, snuggles Baxter the so-ugly-he's-adorable bassett hound, and storms out of the world's most awkward school dance/memorial mash-up. At least she gets to eat a lot of pie.
Best-selling author Beth Fantaskey's funny, fast-paced blend of Clueless and Nancy Drew is a suspenseful page-turner that is the best time a reader can have with buried weapons, chicken clocks, and a boy who only watches gloomy movies…but somehow makes Millie smile. Bee-lieve it.
Pair with Fantaskey's best-selling Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.
362 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
80 people are currently reading
2412 people want to read
About the author
Beth Fantaskey
19 books2,280 followers Hi! I'm Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Jessica Rules the Dark Side, Jekel Loves Hyde, Buzz Kill and my new middle grade novel, Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter. I live in rural Pennsylvania - the setting for most of my books - with my husband, three children, a slightly dysfunctional cat, a completely dysfunctional dog, an immortal goldfish and a hermit crab named Shelldon.
Beth's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/beth.fantaskey
Beth's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/beth.fantaskey
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews
November 25, 2018
This is a great mystery book! The main character, Millie has a very strong voice throughout the story and there's plenty of intrigue and drama.
June 1, 2014
To see full review click visit Howdy YAL.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sherlock Holmes. The original or the BBC adaptation. I am merely using the character and characters from the series to illustrate just how stupid Buzz Kill is.
Sherlock: Bored. Bored. Bored.
Watson (Rolls eyes): Don’t start shooting things.
Sherlock: Well, what am I supposed to do? There’s nothing interesting to do around here. All the cases we’ve gotten lately have been so typical. Five second solvers. I need something new. Something challenging.
Watson: Well, we did get a particular interesting email this morning wondering just why YA mysteries suck and have killed Nancy Drew.
Sherlock: Are you serious? The teenage detective dead. This could be interesting.
Watson: Well, yeah. Want to take a shot at it?
Sherlock: I guess since there’s nothing else interesting to do….do you have a YA mystery for me to dissect.
Watson: Actually, I do. Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
Sherlock reads book. Screaming can be heard from outside of 21 B Baker Street.
And now, the real mystery can be explored. What book would make Sherlock Holmes go insane.
That would be Buzz Kill.
Or really, to be honest, a lot of these YA mysteries that are out there these days. I don’t get it, this concept should be fairly easy to execute. Several people have executed it properly before, but now it just seems that YA is killing any love I have for contemporary mysteries.
Buzz Kill though, it probably has to be one of the worst ones that I have had the displeasure of reading. Oh, yeah, Killing Ruby Rose was bad. But I’ll give that one some slack because at least there was an attempt to sort of flesh out the characters. Sort of being the objective word. I think with this particular novel, Fantaskey just thought having a character with the dimensions of a bad kiddie cartoon character was perfectly fine.
It’s not.
It’s not funny. It’s not amusing. It’s just annoying.
I really couldn’t stand Millie. While she was supposed to be this kick ass reporter she came off more or less like a spoiled child that had to get her way all the time. She was annoying. And just plain stupid. And was a slut slammer. Nancy Drew would not be impressed.
While I’m sure she solved the crime (though I didn’t find out since I gave up on the book) she should’ve been dead at least five times since the book started. She was just moronic and I couldn’t figure out how she had a social life, let alone was fairly popular at her school.
Her love interest was just as big as a dweeb. I’m sorry, I get that Fantaskey was trying to give Lover Boy a troubled past, but having him hit people with his car while he was drunk and high on drugs. No. Just no. I get that people make mistakes, but unless the story was done really well (which is wasn’t here) that’s going to give me ick vibes for personal reasons. Plus, he seemed to get off ridiculously easy too.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sherlock Holmes. The original or the BBC adaptation. I am merely using the character and characters from the series to illustrate just how stupid Buzz Kill is.
Sherlock: Bored. Bored. Bored.
Watson (Rolls eyes): Don’t start shooting things.
Sherlock: Well, what am I supposed to do? There’s nothing interesting to do around here. All the cases we’ve gotten lately have been so typical. Five second solvers. I need something new. Something challenging.
Watson: Well, we did get a particular interesting email this morning wondering just why YA mysteries suck and have killed Nancy Drew.
Sherlock: Are you serious? The teenage detective dead. This could be interesting.
Watson: Well, yeah. Want to take a shot at it?
Sherlock: I guess since there’s nothing else interesting to do….do you have a YA mystery for me to dissect.
Watson: Actually, I do. Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
Sherlock reads book. Screaming can be heard from outside of 21 B Baker Street.
And now, the real mystery can be explored. What book would make Sherlock Holmes go insane.
That would be Buzz Kill.
Or really, to be honest, a lot of these YA mysteries that are out there these days. I don’t get it, this concept should be fairly easy to execute. Several people have executed it properly before, but now it just seems that YA is killing any love I have for contemporary mysteries.
Buzz Kill though, it probably has to be one of the worst ones that I have had the displeasure of reading. Oh, yeah, Killing Ruby Rose was bad. But I’ll give that one some slack because at least there was an attempt to sort of flesh out the characters. Sort of being the objective word. I think with this particular novel, Fantaskey just thought having a character with the dimensions of a bad kiddie cartoon character was perfectly fine.
It’s not.
It’s not funny. It’s not amusing. It’s just annoying.
I really couldn’t stand Millie. While she was supposed to be this kick ass reporter she came off more or less like a spoiled child that had to get her way all the time. She was annoying. And just plain stupid. And was a slut slammer. Nancy Drew would not be impressed.
While I’m sure she solved the crime (though I didn’t find out since I gave up on the book) she should’ve been dead at least five times since the book started. She was just moronic and I couldn’t figure out how she had a social life, let alone was fairly popular at her school.
Her love interest was just as big as a dweeb. I’m sorry, I get that Fantaskey was trying to give Lover Boy a troubled past, but having him hit people with his car while he was drunk and high on drugs. No. Just no. I get that people make mistakes, but unless the story was done really well (which is wasn’t here) that’s going to give me ick vibes for personal reasons. Plus, he seemed to get off ridiculously easy too.
February 5, 2017
Do not read this book.
LISTEN to it.
Some of the featured reviews here are pretty negative, and based on those, I didn't expect much. But now, after finishing the book and rereading those reviews, I think the audio version is what made this work for me.
While the characters are pretty standard, the narrator, Erin Moon, manages to give them that needed breath of life. She has a great "teen" voice-over, er, voice, and differentiates characters in an over the top way reminiscent of cartoon comedy. Beth Fantaskey tends to write high school only half seriously, and as many incidents and situations in the story are pretty ridiculous, the silly delivery makes it mockingly tongue in cheek.
In other words, it's a FARCE.
Now, let me tell you something else- this book had two of the typical teen tropes that I normally get a little irritated with:
--The artsy/hipster/quirky/beatnik protagonist (I even have a shelf for it here on Goodreads).
-- Poorly concealed, nerdy-reader flattery (where obscure knowledge, an insatiable reading habit, and grammatical correctness are part of what makes the mc and love interest awesome).
I guess they just usually feel disingenuous to me.
But again, Fantaskey tweaks the stereotype to make Millie seem a little more authentic than your typical manic-pixie type because she's also awkwardly, and sometimes endearingly, dorky. She's kind of smart and clever but also kind of ditsy and impulsive. She's almost mediocre but also difficult to describe. In the book, she is referred to as "...unique" (not just 'unique', but 'dot dot dot unique'). She uses "dur" and "obstreperous" in the same conversation. She reads books and magazines about philosophy but just as often refers to Nancy Drew. In fact, she patterns many of her actions, both in her investigation and her personal life, with the pragmatic teen sleuth in a pencil skirt (Millie wears a shirt with an old stain on a "not-a-date").
And the audio narrator plays this all perfectly! Example:
"Most girls,...ok, including myself, were probably attracted to Chase's appearance. For example, the way his butt looked in the Levi's he was wearing that evening. A sight that was nothing short of perfection.
BUT. It was how Chase could toss off a word like 'sacrosanct', out of the blue?, that really made my tongue hang out as I followed behind him....A guy with a vocabulary-- talk about hot."
You can practically hear Erin Moon drooling as she reads it!
Anyway, it's comical, but not comedy gold, just as the book is nowhere near a shining example of YA fiction. It's better than average, though, and even has a few pearls of wisdom I'd like to share:
1. Describing the girls at the school formal as all looking 30 while the boys uniformly looked 13.
2. Explaining her lack of extra-curricular activities, "I'm saving my energy for adulthood, Chase. I plan to start ramping it up in my 20's and be a huge success by age 30. I honestly think the rest of you are peaking WAY too soon."
3. Really nailing the whole deal with teenagers, "That stuff he had gone through had obviously given him a capacity for empathy I didn't think my other classmates had yet. Even Laura and Ryan, who understood me pretty well, didn't get pain the way I thought Chase did."
The 'yet' in that last one really hit me. It doesn't minimalize teen drama, but shows that it's part of the natural path to adulthood. And what makes you an adult? Empathy appears to be part of it.
I know it's good when books make you think, but sometimes, it's also good to spell it out in the meantime.
LISTEN to it.
Some of the featured reviews here are pretty negative, and based on those, I didn't expect much. But now, after finishing the book and rereading those reviews, I think the audio version is what made this work for me.
While the characters are pretty standard, the narrator, Erin Moon, manages to give them that needed breath of life. She has a great "teen" voice-over, er, voice, and differentiates characters in an over the top way reminiscent of cartoon comedy. Beth Fantaskey tends to write high school only half seriously, and as many incidents and situations in the story are pretty ridiculous, the silly delivery makes it mockingly tongue in cheek.
In other words, it's a FARCE.
Now, let me tell you something else- this book had two of the typical teen tropes that I normally get a little irritated with:
--The artsy/hipster/quirky/beatnik protagonist (I even have a shelf for it here on Goodreads).
-- Poorly concealed, nerdy-reader flattery (where obscure knowledge, an insatiable reading habit, and grammatical correctness are part of what makes the mc and love interest awesome).
I guess they just usually feel disingenuous to me.
But again, Fantaskey tweaks the stereotype to make Millie seem a little more authentic than your typical manic-pixie type because she's also awkwardly, and sometimes endearingly, dorky. She's kind of smart and clever but also kind of ditsy and impulsive. She's almost mediocre but also difficult to describe. In the book, she is referred to as "...unique" (not just 'unique', but 'dot dot dot unique'). She uses "dur" and "obstreperous" in the same conversation. She reads books and magazines about philosophy but just as often refers to Nancy Drew. In fact, she patterns many of her actions, both in her investigation and her personal life, with the pragmatic teen sleuth in a pencil skirt (Millie wears a shirt with an old stain on a "not-a-date").
And the audio narrator plays this all perfectly! Example:
"Most girls,...ok, including myself, were probably attracted to Chase's appearance. For example, the way his butt looked in the Levi's he was wearing that evening. A sight that was nothing short of perfection.
BUT. It was how Chase could toss off a word like 'sacrosanct', out of the blue?, that really made my tongue hang out as I followed behind him....A guy with a vocabulary-- talk about hot."
You can practically hear Erin Moon drooling as she reads it!
Anyway, it's comical, but not comedy gold, just as the book is nowhere near a shining example of YA fiction. It's better than average, though, and even has a few pearls of wisdom I'd like to share:
1. Describing the girls at the school formal as all looking 30 while the boys uniformly looked 13.
2. Explaining her lack of extra-curricular activities, "I'm saving my energy for adulthood, Chase. I plan to start ramping it up in my 20's and be a huge success by age 30. I honestly think the rest of you are peaking WAY too soon."
3. Really nailing the whole deal with teenagers, "That stuff he had gone through had obviously given him a capacity for empathy I didn't think my other classmates had yet. Even Laura and Ryan, who understood me pretty well, didn't get pain the way I thought Chase did."
The 'yet' in that last one really hit me. It doesn't minimalize teen drama, but shows that it's part of the natural path to adulthood. And what makes you an adult? Empathy appears to be part of it.
I know it's good when books make you think, but sometimes, it's also good to spell it out in the meantime.
August 8, 2025
I read this a while ago but I LOVED IT. aahh the romance and the mystery blends so well. the slow burn is perfection but not too slow. I loved it so much. especially the ending. aghh chase is so cute!!
May 6, 2014
0.5 Stars
When I was younger, I hated reading. I really did, my mother forced me to stand in front of her and read to her and it felt like a complete hassle to do it. Yet, this one series of books made all that bearable and although wasn't the book that made me start loving books, it did help. Cam Jensen will forever be one of my favourite protagonists and I see a lot of similarities between that series and this book.
Buzz Kill should not be targeted towards young adults, it should be targeted towards middle schoolers because that's the only time that realism is not needed in stories. The characters are all flat and boring. They're cutouts of traits that are popular in YA novels and thrown in to make an unbelievable cast. I hated how they all are supposed to be adults or almost adults yet they act like they're in elementary school with their petty fights over who boys and assignments. Hell, no one even swears! You cannot tell me that teenagers don't swear because that is a lie! I also had a problem with the romance is forced and typical (confused girl is the only one who understands the beautiful broken boy) and not very realistic. Aside from Millie's stupidity, there's no legit reason for why she wants to find the killer and her photographic memory didn't add anything to the story.
I don't mind thrillers, I just have a hard time believing them especially when they involve high school students. This book is made out to be quirky and corny but I just found it annoying and stupid. I only recommend this if you enjoy No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale and enjoyed it a lot because this one is a lot like that. Under no other circumstance should this book be read because you will most likely fall asleep.
May 9, 2016
Fun weekend read with some great plot twists. Loved the Nancy Drew references.
July 28, 2014
The tone of BUZZ KILL reminded me of NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU. It is both chipper and dark. Millie Ostermeyer, the heroine, is a school reporter who gets nosy after Coach Killdare is murdered. In many books, there's a murder of a nice person that then reveals their dark secrets. In BUZZ KILL, Coach Killdare was hated, but his death reveals some good things about him.
BUZZ KILL is hard to put down, almost every chapter ending at a place designed to keep you reading. The mystery keeps things moving, as does Millie herself. She's still struggling with her mom's death, in addition to her attraction to Chase, the cute quarterback she spotted going into Coach Killdare's home after his death. Before Millie had the mystery to capture her attention, she spent a lot of time at the public library. She's not up to speed on getting a boyfriend.
I'd be happy if BUZZ KILL got a sequel (or two). It's very much in the vein of Nancy Drew mysteries, with a plucky girl detective, a fairly chaste romance, and clues popping up like daisies. Things really move into gear once more bodies turn up, but the beginning of the book certainly isn't slow.
It's also similar to Nancy Drew in that the girl detective herself is as much or more an attraction than the actual mystery. Millie has an appealing voice, both extremely stubborn and vulnerable. Some of the secrets she uncovers during her investigation hit her in soft spots, but she keeps going because there is a story out there and because Coach Killdare deserves for someone to fight for him. That's a heroine who'd I'd read about again.
BUZZ KILL is hard to put down, almost every chapter ending at a place designed to keep you reading. The mystery keeps things moving, as does Millie herself. She's still struggling with her mom's death, in addition to her attraction to Chase, the cute quarterback she spotted going into Coach Killdare's home after his death. Before Millie had the mystery to capture her attention, she spent a lot of time at the public library. She's not up to speed on getting a boyfriend.
I'd be happy if BUZZ KILL got a sequel (or two). It's very much in the vein of Nancy Drew mysteries, with a plucky girl detective, a fairly chaste romance, and clues popping up like daisies. Things really move into gear once more bodies turn up, but the beginning of the book certainly isn't slow.
It's also similar to Nancy Drew in that the girl detective herself is as much or more an attraction than the actual mystery. Millie has an appealing voice, both extremely stubborn and vulnerable. Some of the secrets she uncovers during her investigation hit her in soft spots, but she keeps going because there is a story out there and because Coach Killdare deserves for someone to fight for him. That's a heroine who'd I'd read about again.
April 12, 2014
"Buzz Kill"is an innovative and funny young adult murder-mystery that begins when seventeen year old Millie Ostermeyer and the high school custodian find the unlikeable and loud-mouthed Honeywell Stingers football coach in a storage room under the bleachers. When Vivienne Fitch, Millie's boss on the Honeywell High Gazette and her arch-rival, targets her father as a chief suspect in the murder, she starts her own investigation. What she doesn't expect is to be helped by the good-looking, but secretive star quarterback of the football team. As Chase Albright and Millie begin to uncover clues, secrets are revealed and lives begin to change.
With skilful dexterity Beth Fantaskey has created a modern-day Nancy Drew who`s just as bold, capable and independent as the fictional character which was created in the 1930`s and has evolved over six decades. But, instead of being prim and proper, with a wardrobe that includes pencil skirts, Honeywell High`s super sleuth wears sneakers, jeans and stained t-shirts. Woven into a well-written and fast-paced narrative filled with secrets, mystery, drama and action are family relationships, romance,friendship and forgiveness. The emotional intensity of the plot is often broken with laughter at Millie`s feisty schemes, her verbal sparring with Isabel and her emotional outbursts when she`s with Chase.
The characters are well- developed and complex with all their flaws, faults and strengths. Millie Ostermeyer a philosophy lover whose goals in life include winning another Pacemaker award and eating a big enough steak to earn her a place on Sir Loin`s Wall of Fame is curious, sarcastic, overly impetuous and rebellious. In stark contrast Vivienne Fitch, her nemesis and a self -absorbed cheerleader is small-minded, competitive, nasty, and vindictive. Chase Albright, a mysterious, well-spoken and wealthy transfer student seems aloof, arrogant and snobbish. Haunted by pain and guilt in his past, as Chase grows closer to Millie he changes because of her trust and love. In personality Chase is very different from fellow football players like the good-natured and friendly Ryan Ronin and the pompous bully Mike Price. But of all these notable characters it is the adorable, energetic, but smelly Chumly aka Baxter who captures your heart.
"Buzz Kill" is a suspense-filled pager turner from the beginning to its surprising conclusion. I enjoyed every minute of the mystery at Honeywell High and recommend it highly. I truly hope there will be more adventures in the wind for Millie and Chase in the future.
With skilful dexterity Beth Fantaskey has created a modern-day Nancy Drew who`s just as bold, capable and independent as the fictional character which was created in the 1930`s and has evolved over six decades. But, instead of being prim and proper, with a wardrobe that includes pencil skirts, Honeywell High`s super sleuth wears sneakers, jeans and stained t-shirts. Woven into a well-written and fast-paced narrative filled with secrets, mystery, drama and action are family relationships, romance,friendship and forgiveness. The emotional intensity of the plot is often broken with laughter at Millie`s feisty schemes, her verbal sparring with Isabel and her emotional outbursts when she`s with Chase.
The characters are well- developed and complex with all their flaws, faults and strengths. Millie Ostermeyer a philosophy lover whose goals in life include winning another Pacemaker award and eating a big enough steak to earn her a place on Sir Loin`s Wall of Fame is curious, sarcastic, overly impetuous and rebellious. In stark contrast Vivienne Fitch, her nemesis and a self -absorbed cheerleader is small-minded, competitive, nasty, and vindictive. Chase Albright, a mysterious, well-spoken and wealthy transfer student seems aloof, arrogant and snobbish. Haunted by pain and guilt in his past, as Chase grows closer to Millie he changes because of her trust and love. In personality Chase is very different from fellow football players like the good-natured and friendly Ryan Ronin and the pompous bully Mike Price. But of all these notable characters it is the adorable, energetic, but smelly Chumly aka Baxter who captures your heart.
"Buzz Kill" is a suspense-filled pager turner from the beginning to its surprising conclusion. I enjoyed every minute of the mystery at Honeywell High and recommend it highly. I truly hope there will be more adventures in the wind for Millie and Chase in the future.
September 20, 2025
Beth Fantaskey!
Oh, how I missed you.
I was obsessed with Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side in my teens and I BINGED that book probably 10-20 times. Always on the bus to a swim meet. It was one of my absolute faves.
I didn't realize I had one of her other books hiding around! So I got STOKED when I saw her name.
Anywho, I loved it. Am I biased? Absolutely! Do I care? Not really.
Give me more Beth.
Thrilling high school murder case? Cool.
Gossip and drama because... high school? Spot on.
Engaging, fast moving story? Yes!
Loved it. Need more. No notes.
(There probably is notes, but I liked it so this is the review you are getting. That is all).
Oh, how I missed you.
I was obsessed with Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side in my teens and I BINGED that book probably 10-20 times. Always on the bus to a swim meet. It was one of my absolute faves.
I didn't realize I had one of her other books hiding around! So I got STOKED when I saw her name.
Anywho, I loved it. Am I biased? Absolutely! Do I care? Not really.
Give me more Beth.
Thrilling high school murder case? Cool.
Gossip and drama because... high school? Spot on.
Engaging, fast moving story? Yes!
Loved it. Need more. No notes.
(There probably is notes, but I liked it so this is the review you are getting. That is all).
June 23, 2014
"Fresh & funny" is definitely a stretch. I will admit, I'm not finished this book, but I seriously doubt that it matters.
This book is about a high school senior - who acts & talks like she's in middle school. She is lazy, awkward & has a "bulldog nose" I still haven't figured out the latter.
What I keep wondering throughout this book is: how has this girl made it to her senior year in HS? She sleeps through all of her classes, and doesn't speak any French - yet she's in an advanced class. Riiiiight. This must be a school with a no zeros policy because I have no idea how it could happen otherwise.
I think the biggest flaw in this book is the believability of it all. It reads like a book that was written by someone who hasn't finished high school - but imagines what it would be like if they did.
The words like "gosh" "crud" & "bleeping" take away from the story, why not leave out the need for those words at all? I do not agree with the reviewer who said: all teenagers swear. Every teenager doesn't swear, but I have never heard a 17 year old say "gosh & crud", with the possible exception of Ana from FSoG - maybe Millie & Ana are related - who knows.
I think this book would have worked much better if it was marketed for pre teens & teens, ages 11-15. And it definitely should not have taken place in a high school setting, a middle school would have been much more believable.
Save your time, and don't bother reading this book. If you want to read about a young sleuth in a series that actually IS fresh & funny, read the Gilda Joyce series by Jennifer Allison.
This book is about a high school senior - who acts & talks like she's in middle school. She is lazy, awkward & has a "bulldog nose" I still haven't figured out the latter.
What I keep wondering throughout this book is: how has this girl made it to her senior year in HS? She sleeps through all of her classes, and doesn't speak any French - yet she's in an advanced class. Riiiiight. This must be a school with a no zeros policy because I have no idea how it could happen otherwise.
I think the biggest flaw in this book is the believability of it all. It reads like a book that was written by someone who hasn't finished high school - but imagines what it would be like if they did.
The words like "gosh" "crud" & "bleeping" take away from the story, why not leave out the need for those words at all? I do not agree with the reviewer who said: all teenagers swear. Every teenager doesn't swear, but I have never heard a 17 year old say "gosh & crud", with the possible exception of Ana from FSoG - maybe Millie & Ana are related - who knows.
I think this book would have worked much better if it was marketed for pre teens & teens, ages 11-15. And it definitely should not have taken place in a high school setting, a middle school would have been much more believable.
Save your time, and don't bother reading this book. If you want to read about a young sleuth in a series that actually IS fresh & funny, read the Gilda Joyce series by Jennifer Allison.
September 27, 2014
This book manages to have a lot to say about grief and guilt - with a murder mystery plot to boot - while carrying a deceptively light-hearted tone. The audio production is fantastic. Funny, cute, a bit romantic, and with enjoyable librarian-pandering.
September 4, 2020
great mystery young adult novel! Not much else I can say about considering I read it 4 years ago. If you are looking for a good mystery this is it!
May 25, 2021
The book Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey revolves around a small town that shows hatred towards the head football coach, coach Kildare. Coach Kildare is known to be rude and annoying and gets super cocky when he wins football games. The biggest plot change during the book is when Kildare knocked over the school bumble bee mascot and accidentally hit a cheerleader. During her fall her skirt came up by accident and her underwear was shown to everyone and she was really embarrassed. This made coach Kildare embarrassed and went running off and was never seen walking the halls for the rest of the day. As days go by coach Kildare goes missing for weeks straight and everyone is concerned and the lookout starts. This is where the main character comes into play. Her name is Milly. She plays a big factor into the finding of the football coach. It was one summer day after school she wanted to comfort her dad about the whole situation because her dad is a secret agent for missing pedestrians so he knows how to do his work. He wanted Milly to start off by going to coach K’s house and see if he is home. She finally walked down the block to his house to find his door was cracked open and not shut. Like the latch was broken and someone broke in. She had a slight “hello is anyone there” in her voice but it was pitch black. She stepped inside to see the TV all staticy with a little coffee table in front of it full of letters. That caught her attention immediately and she directed her way to the table to look at the letters. Then everything just clicked. She saw all these love letters. The crazy thing is it was all for her French teacher. They were writing together and were seeing each other. They were together. She ended up taking the letters home and giving them to her dad to investigate. The very next day Milly and her dad went to the classroom to confront her. She got very emotional about everything going on and for a brief second she said she had a confess to make. She told Milly and her dad she murder Coach K and put his body in a shack. They recovered the body and she was sent to jail for murder
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2019
I’m not good at explaining stuff but 10/10 story! If you want a great love story that has absolutely amazing and crazy development over the story, a brooding boy who has the best development, a crazy main girl whose probably the funniest main character I’ve ever read and is so strong willed and passionate AND RELATABLE, mixed with an amazing crime story that will have you changing your suspect left and right then this is the book for you! Like seriously I can usually figure out the killer almost immediately, but I was NOT expecting it to be who it was and didn’t even pinpoint it until the book was almost over and even then I was still unsure!!!
10000000/10 for this book. Please read and love it as much as I do!
10000000/10 for this book. Please read and love it as much as I do!
March 10, 2021
(2.5)
You could tell that this book came out in 2014. It was okay, but all the characters were really stereotypical and not really compelling, except maybe Chase. I felt like the mystery was interesting up until the end, which was kind of lack-luster. It also felt like the book was trying to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. I found myself just trying to get through it just so that it would end, not a good sign.
You could tell that this book came out in 2014. It was okay, but all the characters were really stereotypical and not really compelling, except maybe Chase. I felt like the mystery was interesting up until the end, which was kind of lack-luster. It also felt like the book was trying to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. I found myself just trying to get through it just so that it would end, not a good sign.
January 26, 2023
i liked the pacing of it and it was interesting but for some reason i just couldn’t get into it that much. millie also got on my nerves as a “i’m not like other girls 🥺” character. i feel like some parts of the book were so unreadable, i had to put it down for a second. once again, i only started showing interest when the love story plot started 😄
August 4, 2022
3.5 - 3.75
also found this book after searching for it for a long time (i thought this was the title but it wasn’t showing up and finally a description i searched in pulled it up woo !!). read this when i was younger from the school library and remember really enjoying it
also found this book after searching for it for a long time (i thought this was the title but it wasn’t showing up and finally a description i searched in pulled it up woo !!). read this when i was younger from the school library and remember really enjoying it
February 3, 2019
awwwWWW I LOVE NANCY DREW SO I LOVED THIS TOO ALSO I REALLY LOVE BETH FANTASKEYYUWHSJSKXK
June 14, 2014
I desperately wanted to enjoy this book. I really did. I love mysteries, especially of the teen fiction variety, so everything in me wanted this book to be good.
But it really, really wasn't.
The main character is supposed to be in high school, but her narration made her sound like she was permanently in sixth grade. There was a total of, I believe, one curse word in the entire book. High schoolers use profanity - and a lot of it too. At one point, there are stars to block out language. Stars. In placement of letters. In a published book. But to sum up, the fact that Millie is a senior was nearly impossible. She was just dorky and awkward and not in a cute way.
And her partner, Chase, was only slightly more bearable than Millie. I liked the whole mysterious-cutie angle, but he was cracked so easily. For a person who apparently didn't say much to anyone, he told Millie a shit ton of stuff really, really quickly. He just seemed like this troubled kid who in reality would've had zero patience for someone like Millie. She's immature and had a really uncomfortable kink for Chase's intelligence. I like a guy who's smart as much as the next girl, but she really beat the horse dead on that one.
On a semi-sweet note, the only thing that really bothered me about this book were the characters. While the characters are a huge deal, the plot itself kept me around. Sure, I needed something to read and this is all I had around, but it wasn't that bad. The plot was good and I liked the misdirection that happened throughout. It most definitely was not solved early on, which I was thankful for. And I was also thankful for the twists thrown in every once and a while. Without them, I probably would've just put the book down and never picked it up again.
Then again, I probably won't pick it up again any time soon regardless.
It was a good try, Fantaskey, but high school does not seem to suit your quirky writing style well.
But it really, really wasn't.
The main character is supposed to be in high school, but her narration made her sound like she was permanently in sixth grade. There was a total of, I believe, one curse word in the entire book. High schoolers use profanity - and a lot of it too. At one point, there are stars to block out language. Stars. In placement of letters. In a published book. But to sum up, the fact that Millie is a senior was nearly impossible. She was just dorky and awkward and not in a cute way.
And her partner, Chase, was only slightly more bearable than Millie. I liked the whole mysterious-cutie angle, but he was cracked so easily. For a person who apparently didn't say much to anyone, he told Millie a shit ton of stuff really, really quickly. He just seemed like this troubled kid who in reality would've had zero patience for someone like Millie. She's immature and had a really uncomfortable kink for Chase's intelligence. I like a guy who's smart as much as the next girl, but she really beat the horse dead on that one.
On a semi-sweet note, the only thing that really bothered me about this book were the characters. While the characters are a huge deal, the plot itself kept me around. Sure, I needed something to read and this is all I had around, but it wasn't that bad. The plot was good and I liked the misdirection that happened throughout. It most definitely was not solved early on, which I was thankful for. And I was also thankful for the twists thrown in every once and a while. Without them, I probably would've just put the book down and never picked it up again.
Then again, I probably won't pick it up again any time soon regardless.
It was a good try, Fantaskey, but high school does not seem to suit your quirky writing style well.
February 27, 2015
2.5 stars
This wasn't a terrible book, but there was definitely something off about it. It was a cute book - even with murder thrown in! - but it was also pretty disjointed most of the time.
Millie is supposed to be a high school senior, yet she sounds like she is about 14 years old. I found myself spending more time wondering how on earth she has made it this far in school (she's in an Advanced French class but can't speak a word of the language, for instance) than I did wondering who the killer might be. Millie's "archenemy" Vivienne was a ridiculous caricature of a villain, and I half expected to find her twirling her mustache while cackling madly at one point. She was just too over-the-top to be believable.
Throw in an insta-love, two useless best friends who add nothing to the plot, and nonsensical references to Nancy Drew sprinkled throughout, and you get the gist of this book. Also, what was up with some of the chapters literally being a page (or less!) long? It distracted me every time because there was no reason to end a chapter, start a new one with just one paragraph, and then end it and start a new chapter yet again. It was really, really annoying.
I know it sounds like I hated this book but I didn't. Honestly, the problem really is that this book should have been set in a middle school and targeted for younger readers, because it was just too squeaky clean and simplistic to be about high school seniors. I'm almost wondering if the author intentionally wrote it that way to mimic the Nancy Drew stories that Millie used to read, but I think that's giving too much credit.
This wasn't a terrible book, but there was definitely something off about it. It was a cute book - even with murder thrown in! - but it was also pretty disjointed most of the time.
Millie is supposed to be a high school senior, yet she sounds like she is about 14 years old. I found myself spending more time wondering how on earth she has made it this far in school (she's in an Advanced French class but can't speak a word of the language, for instance) than I did wondering who the killer might be. Millie's "archenemy" Vivienne was a ridiculous caricature of a villain, and I half expected to find her twirling her mustache while cackling madly at one point. She was just too over-the-top to be believable.
Throw in an insta-love, two useless best friends who add nothing to the plot, and nonsensical references to Nancy Drew sprinkled throughout, and you get the gist of this book. Also, what was up with some of the chapters literally being a page (or less!) long? It distracted me every time because there was no reason to end a chapter, start a new one with just one paragraph, and then end it and start a new chapter yet again. It was really, really annoying.
I know it sounds like I hated this book but I didn't. Honestly, the problem really is that this book should have been set in a middle school and targeted for younger readers, because it was just too squeaky clean and simplistic to be about high school seniors. I'm almost wondering if the author intentionally wrote it that way to mimic the Nancy Drew stories that Millie used to read, but I think that's giving too much credit.
March 14, 2016
3.5 Stars.
I won this for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I have been an avid fan of Ms. Fantaskey ever since I discovered Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side back in '10. I loved her sharp, witty writing, her amazing development in terms of characters and romance, especially Jessica and Lucius. However, I sadly can't say the exact same thing for Buzzkill. I know I shouldn't compare the two since they are different except for the school setting and the typical more perky girl/brooding guy pairing but I couldn't help notice while reading almost identical scenes from Jessica's Guide.
The bright cover and synopsis might give off the vibe of an quirky and light-hearted story, despite the murder mystery aspect. But it's actually has it's share of serious, touching and surprising moments yet I felt something lacking, the usual spark that I find and love in her books
I absolutely adore Millie and Chase's chemistry though, Their scenes together were really sweet and well written and do show how talented Ms. Fantaskey is in the romance writing department.
The mystery was interesting and does keep you guessing but (hopefully it was just my ARC) the climax build up wasn't properly executed, It just builds up and automatically cuts to the action that you feel like someone tore the pages inbetween.
I also couldn't help but notice the book seemed to try too hard to be gay friendly. Especially up to the possibility of Coach Killdare being one.
Overall, not an bad read.
I won this for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I have been an avid fan of Ms. Fantaskey ever since I discovered Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side back in '10. I loved her sharp, witty writing, her amazing development in terms of characters and romance, especially Jessica and Lucius. However, I sadly can't say the exact same thing for Buzzkill. I know I shouldn't compare the two since they are different except for the school setting and the typical more perky girl/brooding guy pairing but I couldn't help notice while reading almost identical scenes from Jessica's Guide.
The bright cover and synopsis might give off the vibe of an quirky and light-hearted story, despite the murder mystery aspect. But it's actually has it's share of serious, touching and surprising moments yet I felt something lacking, the usual spark that I find and love in her books
I absolutely adore Millie and Chase's chemistry though, Their scenes together were really sweet and well written and do show how talented Ms. Fantaskey is in the romance writing department.
The mystery was interesting and does keep you guessing but (hopefully it was just my ARC) the climax build up wasn't properly executed, It just builds up and automatically cuts to the action that you feel like someone tore the pages inbetween.
I also couldn't help but notice the book seemed to try too hard to be gay friendly. Especially up to the possibility of Coach Killdare being one.
Overall, not an bad read.
April 9, 2014
WARNING:SPOILERS
This story was really cute. It started off kind of slow but I actually liked it more than I expected to. Millicent Ostermeyer maybe a little nutty but she's very brave.
Coach Killdare or Hollerin' Hank as the kids call him has been murdered! And what's strange is that just a year before Millie came up with a list of suspects of who would murder him. Since her dad happens to be one of the suspects and not just for her for everyone else Millicent decided to figure out who murdered coach Killdare. And of course she gets help from a dreamy guy.
But this dreamy guy has a pretty serious past that he doesn't want to get out. Not only does Millie have to deny her feelings for Chase Albright while solving a murder case. But she also doesn't know if she can trust him.
I really loved Millie even though she was a bit selfish at times. She wanted to solve the murder and prove that her dad was innocent. But she did alot of things without thinking about how it would affect others.
Chase was actually kinda boring. But I thought he and Millie's relationship was cute. I'm glad they ended up together and he was kind of free from his past.
Overall this was a cute and fun read. If you love YA and need a break from all the intense crap try this book!
This story was really cute. It started off kind of slow but I actually liked it more than I expected to. Millicent Ostermeyer maybe a little nutty but she's very brave.
Coach Killdare or Hollerin' Hank as the kids call him has been murdered! And what's strange is that just a year before Millie came up with a list of suspects of who would murder him. Since her dad happens to be one of the suspects and not just for her for everyone else Millicent decided to figure out who murdered coach Killdare. And of course she gets help from a dreamy guy.
But this dreamy guy has a pretty serious past that he doesn't want to get out. Not only does Millie have to deny her feelings for Chase Albright while solving a murder case. But she also doesn't know if she can trust him.
I really loved Millie even though she was a bit selfish at times. She wanted to solve the murder and prove that her dad was innocent. But she did alot of things without thinking about how it would affect others.
Chase was actually kinda boring. But I thought he and Millie's relationship was cute. I'm glad they ended up together and he was kind of free from his past.
Overall this was a cute and fun read. If you love YA and need a break from all the intense crap try this book!
May 22, 2014
First off, I am a fan of Beth Fantaskey’s writing style and could not wait to get my hands on Buzz Kill. To date, I have absolutely enjoyed each and every one of her books.
This fun mystery is a humor-filled cliff-hanger that keeps you guessing right up to the very end. Like the game Clue, I found myself constantly guessing who did it with what weapon and in what place.
Millie, our spunky, wit-filled teen journalist and narrator, captures our attention with her comical ability to deal with painful issues with bravery, humor, and a touch of vulnerability. Though guilty of having a sometimes negative view of herself, Millie meets every obstacle with determination using the Nancy Drew books and her own intelligence as her guide into solving the murder of Coach Killdare. With help from the new quarterback Chase, who is almost as big a mystery to her as the murder she is trying to solve, Millie grows closer to unraveling a mystery and begins to heal from the loss of her mother’s death.
Fantaskey’s characters are engaging, embodying courage as they deal with heavy topics and are as captivating as the mystery itself.
As mentioned before, I am a fan of Beth Fantaskey’s work, and Buzz Kill more than meets expectations. I recommend this book to all teenagers and adults who love a quirky, intriguing mystery!
This fun mystery is a humor-filled cliff-hanger that keeps you guessing right up to the very end. Like the game Clue, I found myself constantly guessing who did it with what weapon and in what place.
Millie, our spunky, wit-filled teen journalist and narrator, captures our attention with her comical ability to deal with painful issues with bravery, humor, and a touch of vulnerability. Though guilty of having a sometimes negative view of herself, Millie meets every obstacle with determination using the Nancy Drew books and her own intelligence as her guide into solving the murder of Coach Killdare. With help from the new quarterback Chase, who is almost as big a mystery to her as the murder she is trying to solve, Millie grows closer to unraveling a mystery and begins to heal from the loss of her mother’s death.
Fantaskey’s characters are engaging, embodying courage as they deal with heavy topics and are as captivating as the mystery itself.
As mentioned before, I am a fan of Beth Fantaskey’s work, and Buzz Kill more than meets expectations. I recommend this book to all teenagers and adults who love a quirky, intriguing mystery!
August 21, 2014
Millie Ostermeyer's senior year is a rollercoaster ride full of angst, attraction to the aloof quarterback, classroom and classmate problems--and murder. Millie is rebellious and intelligent.
The story begins with her attempts to investigate the football coach's murder, and while she's not a stereotyped teenager, I thought she was at first, but the story begans to unfold with deeper issues. There's a reason for the mysterious classmate and quarterback's withdrawal from everything except football; and then she has to deal with her father's relationship with "her" librarian. And then her father is suspected of murder; Millie has to cope with that, her up and down relationship with Chase, the quarterback, especially when she learns what his secret is; and her father's arrest....
There are bullies too, including a jealous classmate and the inept and obnoxious policeman. ('Course Millie and Chase do keep finding the murder victims.)
We learn more about the background of the characters--and understand them more even as Millie begins to. It's a good story and a good mystery; I like Millie. She is not perfect, but she's fun and confident--and a nice change from too many heroines, though she had a lot to learn... Recommended.
The story begins with her attempts to investigate the football coach's murder, and while she's not a stereotyped teenager, I thought she was at first, but the story begans to unfold with deeper issues. There's a reason for the mysterious classmate and quarterback's withdrawal from everything except football; and then she has to deal with her father's relationship with "her" librarian. And then her father is suspected of murder; Millie has to cope with that, her up and down relationship with Chase, the quarterback, especially when she learns what his secret is; and her father's arrest....
There are bullies too, including a jealous classmate and the inept and obnoxious policeman. ('Course Millie and Chase do keep finding the murder victims.)
We learn more about the background of the characters--and understand them more even as Millie begins to. It's a good story and a good mystery; I like Millie. She is not perfect, but she's fun and confident--and a nice change from too many heroines, though she had a lot to learn... Recommended.
July 1, 2014
My Summary: When Millie interviews the school janitor about the cracks in the bleachers, the last thing she expects is to uncover a story of epic proportions: Hollerin' Hank - the school football coach known for his temper - is found dead under the bleachers after a week of not showing up to work.
Now, to clear her father's name, Millie must find out who had it in for the coach. But it won't be easy, and she finds herself teaming up with the mysterious Chase Albright - someone who, it turns out, has already been at the center of a similar investigation....
My Thoughts: This book was laugh-out-loud funny! I had a great time reading and getting to know Millie, who was an extremely quirky and lovable main character. I also loved the references to Nancy Drew, and thought the mystery element was very well-done.
All in all, a hilarious yet touching summer read that'll keep you hooked!
Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel with some humour thrown into the mix.
Now, to clear her father's name, Millie must find out who had it in for the coach. But it won't be easy, and she finds herself teaming up with the mysterious Chase Albright - someone who, it turns out, has already been at the center of a similar investigation....
My Thoughts: This book was laugh-out-loud funny! I had a great time reading and getting to know Millie, who was an extremely quirky and lovable main character. I also loved the references to Nancy Drew, and thought the mystery element was very well-done.
All in all, a hilarious yet touching summer read that'll keep you hooked!
Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel with some humour thrown into the mix.
July 2, 2017
Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey was a good YA mystery. I am not one for mysteries, but I enjoyed this one. I just think that it had some unnecessary parts. The romance is not over whelming, which I like, and it had a nice plot twist.
I liked how the main character, Millie, sticks up for her dad and isn't a female character that relies on a boy and can do things for herself.
I also liked Chase and how he wants to help Millie and cares about her. He doesn't give up and is a well-written character.
I think this book is good for anyone who likes Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and The Boxcar Children.
I liked how the main character, Millie, sticks up for her dad and isn't a female character that relies on a boy and can do things for herself.
I also liked Chase and how he wants to help Millie and cares about her. He doesn't give up and is a well-written character.
I think this book is good for anyone who likes Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and The Boxcar Children.
August 26, 2016
This was shockingly fantastic! One of my top YA reads/listens of the year. The narrator was fantastic, and so was the story. Fall spells mystery mood for me, and this comedic one fit the bill. I usually find contemp YA high school tales overly eye rolly, but this was fun and fresh and surprisingly mature. Loved the main character, loved the romance, all in all I totally recommend it for those readers wanting to infuse a little Nancy Drew-ness into their lives.
July 18, 2016
Loved this book, Millie the main character is great! She doesn't conform nor does she want too, but she is not uber alternative either I.e. a goth. I'm not young adult but I loved the romance in the book, my favorite part! Author does wonderful job of building characters, like Chase and Millie's father. Mystery is easy to solve but story itself is fun. Clean Perfect for teens. Love me beth fantaskey books!
July 4, 2015
Millie is a fantastic character! I loved this book from page one! Fantaskey writes with such charm and humor, the reader feels like she is in a conversation with Millie instead of reading about her conundrum surrounding the murder of "holler in' hank Kildare. Romance, a secret past, and a rivalry round out this adorable book.
June 13, 2015
Very appropriate for middle grade readers despite having high school aged characters. The mystery is not so mysterious and the main character, Millicent, comes across as a good deal younger than her age would suggest.
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