Dead Teachers Don't Talk

by David Belbin

- The headteacher's body lay sprawled across the desk. Her head was soaked in blood - Kate Dance, headteacher at Beechwood Grange has been shot dead... Adam is new to the school, and though an outsider, finds himself thrust into the thick of a murder investigation. Beechwood Grange is full of secrets - nothing is quite what it seems. And the shootings have only just begun.

Genres: Crime, Young Adult

177 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Belbin's work is known for breaking boundaries and dealing responsibly with difficult social issues that affect teenagers. He first attained success with a number of books for Scholastic's Point Crime series.

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

* Adam's mother is fed up with him and his bad attitude. She sends him off with his father who is a teacher with a new job at a boarding school.
* At the new school the first thing that happens is that their car is shot at, breaking the driver's window.
* Adam meets a girl called Naomi and instantly develops a crush on her. They're both there before term starts so they spend some time together.
* Adam gets on the wrong side of a boy called Forrest, and he thinks that he was the one shooting at the car when they arrived. He discovers that Forrest has a shotgun hidden in one of the walls of his room.
* The headteacher (Kate) is found shot in the head in her locked office. People assume it's a suicide, but things just feel off.
* Another teacher is shot, and Forrest is shot and killed. Adam's father Simon is framed for all the shootings, and Adam wants to find out what really happened.
* It looks like Simon will be charged, the teacher that didn't die is in a coma, the new acting headteacher tells Adam he has to leave, and Adam still isn't sure of what happened.
* Adam catches Mark (another teacher) in Naomi's room with a gun, but really the gun belongs to Naomi. Adam tries to warn Naomi but she just gets annoyed because she knows he's discovered her gun. Apparently, Naomi and Mark have been having a romantic relationship over the summer.
* Naomi told Kate about her affair with Mark and Kate said she'd have to leave, that the school couldn't afford another scandal, so Naomi shot and killed her. Similarly, Mo and Forrest also knew about the relationship so she shot them too.
* Naomi ends up going for psychiatric treatment, Naomi's father donates enough money to keep ther school going and complete the new music studio, Simon is offered the position of headteacher, and Adam decides to stay on and finish his schooling.

There's also an afterward where the author talks about how this was his first point crime novel, and that the title 'shoot the teacher' was changed to something softer.

[rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it cant wait till i get a another book

[Sara Eames · Rating 4 out of 5]

As long as you are prepared to suspend your disbelief and remember you are reading a book aimed at young adults, this is a good read. The characters are well written and the plot moves at a steady pace. It is fairly obvious who is the perpetrator of these crimes but that doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. The body count increases as you progress through the book but the ending is satisfying and all loose ends are tied up. Recommended for fans of YA crime fiction.

[Tatiana Maldonado · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas.

[Polonia]

I hace enjoyed this book

[Leyendothriller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho este libro.

[Henry Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always want to read the book again

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite a good book and I did enjoy reading it but personally I found some of the parts in the plot predictable. Still overall a good book and I would reccomend it.