What do you think?
Thornbird
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The daughter of a notorious serial killer races to solve the crimes of her family’s twisted past—before it’s too late—in this highly anticipated young adult thriller from the pen name of Elle Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author of the Off Campus series!
* “A solid thriller for true crime fans.”—Booklist, starred review
* “A grimly layered mystery about identity and reconciliation.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
The deadliest secrets are the ones you inherit.
Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past.
But as fresh eyes dig deeper into the case, old secrets refuse to stay buried. Cryptic texts, eerie coincidences, and a chilling note leave everyone wondering—does Ryan know more than she’s letting on? As the truth unravels, one thing becomes in a town full of secrets, Ryan might be the biggest mystery of them all.
The world is hunting for answers. Now get ready for a thriller packed with twists you won’t see coming.
Audible Audio
First published June 30, 2026
About the author
E. Kennedy
2 books192 followersE. Kennedy is a true crime enthusiast and devoted bookworm. When she’s not plotting twisty thrillers, you’ll find her deep in a true crime doc rabbit hole. She lives in Toronto.
(Source: Amazon)
(Source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,485 reviews
March 27, 2026
I went into this for the author—I stayed for the creeping, unsettling mystery.
I’m always equal parts excited and nervous when a beloved author branches into a new genre. I’ve followed Elle Kennedy for years, so I was especially intrigued when I learned she was stepping into the world of YA true crime thrillers.
In terms of characters and atmosphere, this book absolutely delivers. We’re introduced to the seemingly wholesome small town of Starling—only to quickly realize it harbors a chilling obsession with the convicted serial killer known as the “Starling Slayer.” Our main character, Ryan, at first, doesn’t want any part of the obsession, but soon, joins others in the town on a mission to uncover the locations of the killer’s missing victims.
The characters are engaging, easy to root for, and carry that signature charm Kennedy writes so well. That charm is ultimately what sustains the first half of the novel—because, unfortunately, the pacing is where things begin to falter. The story takes its time building, and while the premise is compelling, it doesn’t fully capitalize on its tension early on. Much of the first half feels like setup, with limited plot progression.
That said, I didn’t entirely mind the slower pace because of the character dynamics—especially the romance subplot. Kennedy’s strength in writing relationships and romance definitely shines here. There’s even a slight love triangle, which felt somewhat unnecessary at times, but it still managed to enhance the emotional stakes rather than detract from them.
Once the story does pick up, though, it truly finds its footing. The final portion of the book is unsettling, intense, and completely gripping. Without giving anything away, the ending delivers that eerie, lingering feeling that every good thriller should leave behind—and that was easily one of the biggest highlights for me.
Verdict:
I would definitely recommend this to both YA and adult readers, especially those who enjoy character-driven thrillers. While the slow start may be a drawback for some, the strong character work and chilling payoff make it well worth the read.
4 stars ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always equal parts excited and nervous when a beloved author branches into a new genre. I’ve followed Elle Kennedy for years, so I was especially intrigued when I learned she was stepping into the world of YA true crime thrillers.
In terms of characters and atmosphere, this book absolutely delivers. We’re introduced to the seemingly wholesome small town of Starling—only to quickly realize it harbors a chilling obsession with the convicted serial killer known as the “Starling Slayer.” Our main character, Ryan, at first, doesn’t want any part of the obsession, but soon, joins others in the town on a mission to uncover the locations of the killer’s missing victims.
The characters are engaging, easy to root for, and carry that signature charm Kennedy writes so well. That charm is ultimately what sustains the first half of the novel—because, unfortunately, the pacing is where things begin to falter. The story takes its time building, and while the premise is compelling, it doesn’t fully capitalize on its tension early on. Much of the first half feels like setup, with limited plot progression.
That said, I didn’t entirely mind the slower pace because of the character dynamics—especially the romance subplot. Kennedy’s strength in writing relationships and romance definitely shines here. There’s even a slight love triangle, which felt somewhat unnecessary at times, but it still managed to enhance the emotional stakes rather than detract from them.
Once the story does pick up, though, it truly finds its footing. The final portion of the book is unsettling, intense, and completely gripping. Without giving anything away, the ending delivers that eerie, lingering feeling that every good thriller should leave behind—and that was easily one of the biggest highlights for me.
Verdict:
I would definitely recommend this to both YA and adult readers, especially those who enjoy character-driven thrillers. While the slow start may be a drawback for some, the strong character work and chilling payoff make it well worth the read.
4 stars ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2025
as her first mystery book, it was okay-ish. the mystery was predictable and unrealistic at the same time because what do you mean the detectives never found that bunker under his property after a decade? 🤨.
as for the romance, it was kind of bland and felt like an afterthought. the ending rushed it along so much that I didn't really see the point of including it, but I didn't hate it either. it was okay I guess.
💌 • thank you to Elle Kennedy and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
as for the romance, it was kind of bland and felt like an afterthought. the ending rushed it along so much that I didn't really see the point of including it, but I didn't hate it either. it was okay I guess.
💌 • thank you to Elle Kennedy and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2026
For years, I have devoured Elle Kennedy’s romance novels. Her Off-Campus college romance series is a comfort favorite, and her fantasy romance Royals series (written under the pseudonym Erin Watt) completely swept me away. So when I heard she was releasing a YA thriller, I didn’t even hesitate—I jumped in without reading the blurb.
At first, when I realized the story revolved around the daughter of a serial killer, I thought, Okay… we’ve seen this concept before. But then I reminded myself—this is Elle Kennedy. With her imagination and emotional storytelling, I knew she would bring something fresh. And while the story didn’t completely blow me away, it was far more entertaining and gripping than I expected.
The novel blends high school drama, romance, and mystery with a dark, haunting backstory. Our main character, Gabriel Thorn, is an outsider who has lost her mother and is forced to rebuild her life under a false identity. She moves into her estranged aunt’s house in the same town where her father once lived—and where he buried his victims in unknown locations. To protect her cousins and avoid bullying, she changes her name to Ryan Shipley and pretends she is a niece who attended boarding school in Switzerland.
Is the cover story a little unbelievable? Yes—but her cousins are only sixteen, and they buy it. Once Ryan starts school, she instantly attracts attention—especially from the charming golden boy Everett, her cousin Jasmine’s best friend’s brother. But Ryan seems more drawn to the mysterious biker boy Chase, who quickly becomes her knight in shining armor. These moments definitely echo classic Elle Kennedy romance vibes, even inside a darker thriller setting.
The mystery deepens with the town’s obsession over the serial killer case and a disturbing trophy reward for anyone who can locate the victims’ remains. Jasmine’s desire to profit from the tragedy is unsettling, and I found her ambition both disturbing and irritating. Nikki, the mean-girl antagonist, also felt a bit cliché, immediately targeting Ryan and making her life miserable.
Ryan begins receiving threatening anonymous messages, which at first felt a little mild—but as the story unfolds, the twists surrounding their origin are surprisingly effective. The “Free the Sparrows” forum adds another chilling layer, and the final act truly accelerates the pacing. By the end, the mystery and romance finally find their balance, delivering a satisfying and tense conclusion.
While I struggled to fully connect with some of the characters, the storytelling, pacing, and twists made this a compelling read. As Elle Kennedy’s first step into YA mystery, this is a very promising start. Because of the strong final quarter, I happily rounded my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars.
What can I say? A great writer can truly shine in any genre she chooses.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press for sharing this fast-paced YA thriller with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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At first, when I realized the story revolved around the daughter of a serial killer, I thought, Okay… we’ve seen this concept before. But then I reminded myself—this is Elle Kennedy. With her imagination and emotional storytelling, I knew she would bring something fresh. And while the story didn’t completely blow me away, it was far more entertaining and gripping than I expected.
The novel blends high school drama, romance, and mystery with a dark, haunting backstory. Our main character, Gabriel Thorn, is an outsider who has lost her mother and is forced to rebuild her life under a false identity. She moves into her estranged aunt’s house in the same town where her father once lived—and where he buried his victims in unknown locations. To protect her cousins and avoid bullying, she changes her name to Ryan Shipley and pretends she is a niece who attended boarding school in Switzerland.
Is the cover story a little unbelievable? Yes—but her cousins are only sixteen, and they buy it. Once Ryan starts school, she instantly attracts attention—especially from the charming golden boy Everett, her cousin Jasmine’s best friend’s brother. But Ryan seems more drawn to the mysterious biker boy Chase, who quickly becomes her knight in shining armor. These moments definitely echo classic Elle Kennedy romance vibes, even inside a darker thriller setting.
The mystery deepens with the town’s obsession over the serial killer case and a disturbing trophy reward for anyone who can locate the victims’ remains. Jasmine’s desire to profit from the tragedy is unsettling, and I found her ambition both disturbing and irritating. Nikki, the mean-girl antagonist, also felt a bit cliché, immediately targeting Ryan and making her life miserable.
Ryan begins receiving threatening anonymous messages, which at first felt a little mild—but as the story unfolds, the twists surrounding their origin are surprisingly effective. The “Free the Sparrows” forum adds another chilling layer, and the final act truly accelerates the pacing. By the end, the mystery and romance finally find their balance, delivering a satisfying and tense conclusion.
While I struggled to fully connect with some of the characters, the storytelling, pacing, and twists made this a compelling read. As Elle Kennedy’s first step into YA mystery, this is a very promising start. Because of the strong final quarter, I happily rounded my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars.
What can I say? A great writer can truly shine in any genre she chooses.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books / Delacorte Press for sharing this fast-paced YA thriller with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
September 29, 2026
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
⋆.˚𓅆࿐𓅪
Went in expecting a lot from a romance author trying something new, and honestly, I was hooked from the first page. The mystery kept layering on more secrets, and every person in this creepy little town felt a suspect. I was constantly changing my mind about who was hiding what, and the twists kept coming without feeling random. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way, like something is always slightly off.
The main character is a serial killer's daughter, and I felt for her from the start. She's trying to uncover her family's dark past while people look at her like she's inherited it. Her scenes with her cousins were the ones that stuck with me most, because you can see her slowly letting herself feel like she belongs somewhere. That softer side gives the book more emotional weight than I expected from a thriller.
The romance was the weakest part. The love triangle felt a bit bland, and it's not the author's best work in that department. But the plot moved fast enough that I didn't mind much, and I finished it in one sitting.
⋆.˚𓅆࿐𓅪
Went in expecting a lot from a romance author trying something new, and honestly, I was hooked from the first page. The mystery kept layering on more secrets, and every person in this creepy little town felt a suspect. I was constantly changing my mind about who was hiding what, and the twists kept coming without feeling random. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way, like something is always slightly off.
The main character is a serial killer's daughter, and I felt for her from the start. She's trying to uncover her family's dark past while people look at her like she's inherited it. Her scenes with her cousins were the ones that stuck with me most, because you can see her slowly letting herself feel like she belongs somewhere. That softer side gives the book more emotional weight than I expected from a thriller.
The romance was the weakest part. The love triangle felt a bit bland, and it's not the author's best work in that department. But the plot moved fast enough that I didn't mind much, and I finished it in one sitting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2026
Dare I say I need to take this as a sign to read more YA thrillers? I couldn’t put this down and read it in one day. I guessed one out of the three guesses and the two I didn’t guessed had me GAGGED
July 29, 2026
✨"You think I don’t have darkness too?” he murmurs. “That’s part of life, Ryan. The dark just makes the light feel worthwhile. And you…you make it worthwhile."✨
If you're someone who's transitioning from romance into the thriller genre, I think you'd definitely enjoy this more. But if you're like me and have already read a lot of thrillers, you might be left a little disappointed. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the ride, it just means some things were a bit too predictable for me.
What to expect -
🐦 Small-town YA thriller
🐦 Daughter of a serial killer (FMC)
🐦 High school drama
🐦 Family secrets
🐦 Blackmailer who knows her true identity
🐦 Love triangle (flirty popular guy x resident bad boy)
🐦 Mixed media (true crime forums, cryptic letters from her dad, journal entries)
🐦 Found family
We follow Ryan Shirley, who moves back to her hometown with her maternal aunt after her grandmother's death. She's forced to live under a new identity and leave behind her old name, Gabrielle Thorn, because her father is the infamous serial killer who terrorized the streets of Starling, Tennessee, ten years ago. Even though he was arrested, the victims' bodies were never found, and the anniversary of his arrest is fast approaching, making the victims' families more anxious than ever. Will Ryan, formerly Gabrielle, discover what the police couldn't all these years ago, or will her own secret be exposed before she gets the chance?
While I enjoyed this for the most part, I do think it could've benefited from being a little shorter because many of the events felt repetitive. It often seemed like the story kept circling back to the same points instead of moving things forward. I also felt like there was more telling than showing at times😫 I just wish some of those sections had been trimmed down.
That being said, I can definitely see the author's potential as a thriller writer, and I'd absolutely pick up anything else she writes in this genre. She really has a way with words. The descriptions of the setting, the eerie atmosphere, and the way she made us feel anxious, nauseous, and traumatized right alongside Ryan were all incredibly well done.
A lot of time is spent on the exposition, which I didn't necessarily mind, apart from the repetition I mentioned earlier. For example, Ryan's cousin decides to investigate the case and locate the missing bodies, but for quite a while all she really does is read a few online articles, bring up the investigation again a few chapters later, and repeat the same process. It stayed in that cycle for a long time before the story finally picked up around the halfway mark.
From that point onward, I was genuinely invested and had a really good time. Even though I managed to predict some of the twists, one reveal absolutely shocked me, and that's exactly why I believe this author has the potential to write some fantastic thrillers.
I also really empathized with Ryan as our FMC. Imagine having to return to the very town that despises your father and is eagerly awaiting his execution, all while hiding your true identity. Every whisper around her makes her anxious. Old memories resurface. The nightmares return. And despite believing the same things everyone else believes, a small part of her still hopes her father wasn't actually the killer, that maybe he took the blame for someone else. She's determined to uncover the truth, no matter how devastating it may be. On top of all that, she's also grieving the loss of her grandmother. It's no wonder she struggles to connect with the people around her or build the fresh start she's always wanted. Deep down, she knows that if anyone discovers who she really is, they'll never truly accept her.
Thankfully, by the end, she finds her own people in her aunt, her cousins, and a few others, and I absolutely loved that. Even though I wasn't particularly invested in the romance, I did like who she ended up with.
Overall, this was a good, atmospheric read that focused much more on Ryan's personal journey and character growth than on the mystery itself. So if you don't mind a character-driven YA thriller with a love triangle, this one might be for you.
If you're someone who's transitioning from romance into the thriller genre, I think you'd definitely enjoy this more. But if you're like me and have already read a lot of thrillers, you might be left a little disappointed. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the ride, it just means some things were a bit too predictable for me.
What to expect -
🐦 Small-town YA thriller
🐦 Daughter of a serial killer (FMC)
🐦 High school drama
🐦 Family secrets
🐦 Blackmailer who knows her true identity
🐦 Love triangle (flirty popular guy x resident bad boy)
🐦 Mixed media (true crime forums, cryptic letters from her dad, journal entries)
🐦 Found family
We follow Ryan Shirley, who moves back to her hometown with her maternal aunt after her grandmother's death. She's forced to live under a new identity and leave behind her old name, Gabrielle Thorn, because her father is the infamous serial killer who terrorized the streets of Starling, Tennessee, ten years ago. Even though he was arrested, the victims' bodies were never found, and the anniversary of his arrest is fast approaching, making the victims' families more anxious than ever. Will Ryan, formerly Gabrielle, discover what the police couldn't all these years ago, or will her own secret be exposed before she gets the chance?
While I enjoyed this for the most part, I do think it could've benefited from being a little shorter because many of the events felt repetitive. It often seemed like the story kept circling back to the same points instead of moving things forward. I also felt like there was more telling than showing at times😫 I just wish some of those sections had been trimmed down.
That being said, I can definitely see the author's potential as a thriller writer, and I'd absolutely pick up anything else she writes in this genre. She really has a way with words. The descriptions of the setting, the eerie atmosphere, and the way she made us feel anxious, nauseous, and traumatized right alongside Ryan were all incredibly well done.
A lot of time is spent on the exposition, which I didn't necessarily mind, apart from the repetition I mentioned earlier. For example, Ryan's cousin decides to investigate the case and locate the missing bodies, but for quite a while all she really does is read a few online articles, bring up the investigation again a few chapters later, and repeat the same process. It stayed in that cycle for a long time before the story finally picked up around the halfway mark.
From that point onward, I was genuinely invested and had a really good time. Even though I managed to predict some of the twists, one reveal absolutely shocked me, and that's exactly why I believe this author has the potential to write some fantastic thrillers.
I also really empathized with Ryan as our FMC. Imagine having to return to the very town that despises your father and is eagerly awaiting his execution, all while hiding your true identity. Every whisper around her makes her anxious. Old memories resurface. The nightmares return. And despite believing the same things everyone else believes, a small part of her still hopes her father wasn't actually the killer, that maybe he took the blame for someone else. She's determined to uncover the truth, no matter how devastating it may be. On top of all that, she's also grieving the loss of her grandmother. It's no wonder she struggles to connect with the people around her or build the fresh start she's always wanted. Deep down, she knows that if anyone discovers who she really is, they'll never truly accept her.
Thankfully, by the end, she finds her own people in her aunt, her cousins, and a few others, and I absolutely loved that. Even though I wasn't particularly invested in the romance, I did like who she ended up with.
Overall, this was a good, atmospheric read that focused much more on Ryan's personal journey and character growth than on the mystery itself. So if you don't mind a character-driven YA thriller with a love triangle, this one might be for you.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I found out that Elle Kennedy would be releasing a YA thriller, I immediately wanted to read it—and this book did not disappoint!
The main character is the daughter of a serial killer. After her grandmother’s death, she returns to her hometown to live with her aunt and uncle—but under a fake name. Reporters, detectives, and the townspeople are still actively discussing a decade-old case, as the bodies of the women were never found.
Is Gabrielle Thorn really the killer everyone thinks he is? Readers try to answer this and other questions throughout the book, and it was so thrilling! In the first half, I didn’t even have any theories; I was just enjoying the story. Towards the end, some ideas started to form, but the ending surprised me more than once!
This book is atmospheric, tense, and captivating! The romance, while not the main focus, is also well done, which I really appreciated.
I enjoyed it so much! I really hope we get more thrillers from E. Kennedy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books (Delacorte Press) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The main character is the daughter of a serial killer. After her grandmother’s death, she returns to her hometown to live with her aunt and uncle—but under a fake name. Reporters, detectives, and the townspeople are still actively discussing a decade-old case, as the bodies of the women were never found.
Is Gabrielle Thorn really the killer everyone thinks he is? Readers try to answer this and other questions throughout the book, and it was so thrilling! In the first half, I didn’t even have any theories; I was just enjoying the story. Towards the end, some ideas started to form, but the ending surprised me more than once!
This book is atmospheric, tense, and captivating! The romance, while not the main focus, is also well done, which I really appreciated.
I enjoyed it so much! I really hope we get more thrillers from E. Kennedy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books (Delacorte Press) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 15, 2026
As the daughter of a serial killer, Ryan wants to finish her senior year unnoticed. No one in Starling knows her secret, but with her father's execution looming and his victim’s bodies still missing, Ryan must hide her identity, even from her cousins. When the reward for the missing victims increases, Ryan helps her cousin search for clues—until someone threatens to expose her if she doesn't stop looking.
I was curious to see how this book would play out. As an author who mainly focuses on the romance genre, a YA thriller/mystery is completely surprising. However, I was amazed by how much I enjoyed this book. There were so many mysteries to solve while reading Thornbird that it became a very fast-paced read. Although I had figured out some of the mystery, I was completely shocked at the conclusion. This was a fantastic debut into the YA mystery/thriller genre, and I believe fans of Maureen Johnson and Holly Jackson would enjoy this YA novel.
Thornbird releases June 30th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the opportunity to review Thornbird. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was curious to see how this book would play out. As an author who mainly focuses on the romance genre, a YA thriller/mystery is completely surprising. However, I was amazed by how much I enjoyed this book. There were so many mysteries to solve while reading Thornbird that it became a very fast-paced read. Although I had figured out some of the mystery, I was completely shocked at the conclusion. This was a fantastic debut into the YA mystery/thriller genre, and I believe fans of Maureen Johnson and Holly Jackson would enjoy this YA novel.
Thornbird releases June 30th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the opportunity to review Thornbird. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 25, 2026
Kneift mich wer? Ich habe einen Thriller gelesen und auch noch gemocht? 😮💨🤌🏼
August 26, 2026
Dit boek was echt pure crack 😮. Ik kon niet stoppen met lezen. Ik wilde gewoon door. Elle Kennedy mag van mij echt veel meer YA thrillers schrijven. Dit boek gaf me echt hetzelfde gevoel als wat AGGGTM mij gaf en past echt bij Holly Jackson liefhebbers. Ik heb zo genoten van dit verhaal en dit boek. Had het tempo hier en daar iets beter gekund? Ja. Had het einde iets meer shocking en ietsjes beter uitgewerkt gekund (ook al was het wel heftig)? Ook ja. Maar dit boek hield me in z'n greep en ik zou het echt iedereen aanraden die zin heeft in een lekkere verslavende thriller voor tussendoor.
June 30, 2026
꒰🐦꒱ 𝓟𝓸𝓼𝓽-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓡𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼:
Dawn: June 30, 2026 | Dusk: July 01, 2026
—5☆ !
_______________________________...
╔══════════════════════════════╗
📁 CASE FILE #070126
The People vs. Chertzo's Emotional Stability
╚══════════════════════════════╝
STATUS: Closed.
VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
꒰🕷️꒱ CASE INTAKE: BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION
Date Opened: June 30, 2026
Reason for Opening Case:
If you've known the subject for approximately five minutes, you'll know she is physically incapable of resisting:
☑ YA mysteries
☑ Serial killers
☑ Even the tiniest romantic subplot
At this point, it's less of a preference and more of a pre-existing condition.
Evidence Collected:
• Murder. • Romance. • Elle Kennedy.
• Subject waiting an entire month.
Need we continue?
Risk Assessment:
Subject's expectations are currently measured at approximately 1,247,983 feet above sea level.
Potential outcomes include:
⤷ Obsession
⤷ Disappointment
⤷ Sleep deprivation
⤷ Immediate recommendation to everyone with internet access
Subject's Initial Notes:
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
꒰🐦꒱ TRANSCRIPT OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEW ROOM B
Interview Conducted: July 1, 2026
Detective: State your name.
Me: Chertzo Ember.
Detective: You finished this book in roughly twenty-four hours.
Me: Allegedly.
Detective: Was the mystery fast-paced?
Me: No.
Detective: Yet you still gave it five stars.
Me: Correct.
Detective: Explain.
Me: It didn't need to sprint. It simply built anticipation until I couldn't think about anything else. I'd call it medium-paced. There were a couple of repetitive moments...
Detective: And?
Me: I didn't care.
I was too busy following Ryan... Gabrielle... Ryan Mayfair... Ryan Shipley... At one point I stopped taking notes and started wondering if she'd eventually introduce herself as my tax consultant.
Detective: Your opinion of Ryan?
Me: I LOVE HER.... She's my Kryptonite. Somebody please let this girl experience one peaceful Tuesday for once.
Preferably without her brain trying to sabotage her.
Detective: Would you describe yourself as emotionally compromised?
Me: I'd like my lawyer. Unfortunately, she's fictional too.
I've started noticing a pattern.
Whenever I become emotionally attached to the characters... IT'S OVER.
The book owns me. Every. Single. Time.
Detective: Which relationship impressed you the most?
Me: Yes.
Detective: Can you elaborate?
Me: The romance. The friendships. The family dynamics. Ryan's internal monologue. The way she processes everything. I ATE. IT. UP.
Detective: You highlighted several passages.
Me: I can explain.
Detective: There are forty-seven.
Me: I can explain less.
Detective: This is YA. Were you disappointed by the lack of graphic violence?
Me: Not even remotely. The atmosphere deserves its own arrest warrant. Every hallway felt suspicious. Every text message felt threatening. Every chapter whispered, "...something bad is about to happen."
Detective: Let's discuss the romance.
Me: Finally. It never hijacked the mystery. It politely waited its turn. Like a well-behaved subplot. It gave me just enough to squeal, kick my feet, and become emotionally invested in fictional teenagers instead of addressing my own responsibilities.
Detective: Did she end up with the person you wanted?
Me: She did. Nature is healing.
Detective: Was the book perfect?
Me: No.
Detective: It was a little superficial at times?
Me: Sure.
Detective: Did you care?
Me:
ABSOLUTELY NOT. The vibes connected. The characters connected. The mystery connected.
Everything just CLICKED.
Detective: Did you solve the mystery?
Me: I had three suspects. Two convictions. I also figured out who stole the necklace.
The reason behind it? No. I'll take those odds.
Detective: And the anonymous messenger?
Me: I invoke my right to remain speechless.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
OFFICIAL FINDINGS:
Evidence confirms the subject suffered from:
➜ Emotional attachment
➜ Excessive theorizing
➜ Sleep deprivation
➜ Repeated use of the phrase "HELLO????"
No treatment is recommended.
Subject has already announced intentions to read Kennedy's next thriller at dangerous speeds.
___________________________
FINAL VERDICT
After reviewing all available evidence...
The Court finds the following:
Count I: Keeping the subject awake far past my bedtime.
GUILTY.
Count II: Emotional manipulation.
GUILTY.
Count III: Making the subject care far too much about fictional teenagers.
EXTREMELY GUILTY.
__________
Sentence:
Five stars. No possibility of parole.
Dawn: June 30, 2026 | Dusk: July 01, 2026
—5☆ !
_______________________________...
╔══════════════════════════════╗
📁 CASE FILE #070126
The People vs. Chertzo's Emotional Stability
╚══════════════════════════════╝
STATUS: Closed.
VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
꒰🕷️꒱ CASE INTAKE: BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION
Date Opened: June 30, 2026
Reason for Opening Case:
If you've known the subject for approximately five minutes, you'll know she is physically incapable of resisting:
☑ YA mysteries
☑ Serial killers
☑ Even the tiniest romantic subplot
At this point, it's less of a preference and more of a pre-existing condition.
Evidence Collected:
• Murder. • Romance. • Elle Kennedy.
• Subject waiting an entire month.
Need we continue?
Risk Assessment:
Subject's expectations are currently measured at approximately 1,247,983 feet above sea level.
Potential outcomes include:
⤷ Obsession
⤷ Disappointment
⤷ Sleep deprivation
⤷ Immediate recommendation to everyone with internet access
Subject's Initial Notes:
This is my first Elle Kennedy novel. No pressure.
Just my entire personality hanging in the balance.
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꒰🐦꒱ TRANSCRIPT OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEW ROOM B
Interview Conducted: July 1, 2026
Detective: State your name.
Me: Chertzo Ember.
Detective: You finished this book in roughly twenty-four hours.
Me: Allegedly.
Detective: Was the mystery fast-paced?
Me: No.
Detective: Yet you still gave it five stars.
Me: Correct.
Detective: Explain.
Me: It didn't need to sprint. It simply built anticipation until I couldn't think about anything else. I'd call it medium-paced. There were a couple of repetitive moments...
Detective: And?
Me: I didn't care.
I was too busy following Ryan... Gabrielle... Ryan Mayfair... Ryan Shipley... At one point I stopped taking notes and started wondering if she'd eventually introduce herself as my tax consultant.
Detective: Your opinion of Ryan?
Me: I LOVE HER.... She's my Kryptonite. Somebody please let this girl experience one peaceful Tuesday for once.
Preferably without her brain trying to sabotage her.
Detective: Would you describe yourself as emotionally compromised?
Me: I'd like my lawyer. Unfortunately, she's fictional too.
I've started noticing a pattern.
Whenever I become emotionally attached to the characters... IT'S OVER.
The book owns me. Every. Single. Time.
Detective: Which relationship impressed you the most?
Me: Yes.
Detective: Can you elaborate?
Me: The romance. The friendships. The family dynamics. Ryan's internal monologue. The way she processes everything. I ATE. IT. UP.
Detective: You highlighted several passages.
Me: I can explain.
Detective: There are forty-seven.
Me: I can explain less.
Detective: This is YA. Were you disappointed by the lack of graphic violence?
Me: Not even remotely. The atmosphere deserves its own arrest warrant. Every hallway felt suspicious. Every text message felt threatening. Every chapter whispered, "...something bad is about to happen."
Detective: Let's discuss the romance.
Me: Finally. It never hijacked the mystery. It politely waited its turn. Like a well-behaved subplot. It gave me just enough to squeal, kick my feet, and become emotionally invested in fictional teenagers instead of addressing my own responsibilities.
Detective: Did she end up with the person you wanted?
Me: She did. Nature is healing.
Detective: Was the book perfect?
Me: No.
Detective: It was a little superficial at times?
Me: Sure.
Detective: Did you care?
Me:
ABSOLUTELY NOT. The vibes connected. The characters connected. The mystery connected.
Everything just CLICKED.
Detective: Did you solve the mystery?
Me: I had three suspects. Two convictions. I also figured out who stole the necklace.
The reason behind it? No. I'll take those odds.
Detective: And the anonymous messenger?
Me: I invoke my right to remain speechless.
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OFFICIAL FINDINGS:
Evidence confirms the subject suffered from:
➜ Emotional attachment
➜ Excessive theorizing
➜ Sleep deprivation
➜ Repeated use of the phrase "HELLO????"
No treatment is recommended.
Subject has already announced intentions to read Kennedy's next thriller at dangerous speeds.
___________________________
FINAL VERDICT
After reviewing all available evidence...
The Court finds the following:
Count I: Keeping the subject awake far past my bedtime.
GUILTY.
Count II: Emotional manipulation.
GUILTY.
Count III: Making the subject care far too much about fictional teenagers.
EXTREMELY GUILTY.
__________
Sentence:
Five stars. No possibility of parole.
June 26, 2026
˗ˏˋ 4 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
loved the vibes and setting! everything was lwk creepy and got me very invested? like daughter of a serial killer,, umm hiii?
also the plot twist was also kinda crazy? didn't see it coming at all.. i don't wanna say much cuz i know i'm going to spoil it but just know my jaw was dislocated for .2 sec
and omggg ryan & chase?? i def didn't see it coming.. lwk didn't even think there was going to be a romance subplot lol (but that's on me)
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
omggg that plot twist?? full rtc!! gonna go spam text joni for emotional support
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
totally forgot i have the arc until i saw joni posting it on her story.. anyways i got her to read it with me :))
loved the vibes and setting! everything was lwk creepy and got me very invested? like daughter of a serial killer,, umm hiii?
also the plot twist was also kinda crazy? didn't see it coming at all.. i don't wanna say much cuz i know i'm going to spoil it but just know my jaw was dislocated for .2 sec
and omggg ryan & chase?? i def didn't see it coming.. lwk didn't even think there was going to be a romance subplot lol (but that's on me)
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
omggg that plot twist?? full rtc!! gonna go spam text joni for emotional support
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
totally forgot i have the arc until i saw joni posting it on her story.. anyways i got her to read it with me :))
June 28, 2026
The slow build in this one reminded me a lot of what I enjoyed about A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. I liked our main character (Ryan/Gabrielle). She had been through so much and was trying her best to lay low while her father was on death row for his crimes. I enjoyed the eerieness of this town she had found herself in. There was the small town aspect where everyone knew each other, and she was the new girl on campus. There was the underbelly too where a LOT of people were obsessed with finding out where her dad hid his victim's bodies. I enjoyed watching Gabrielle try to navigate all of this - especially since no one knew her connection to the killer. I appreciated her trying to lay low but then how curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself right in the middle of the hunt. I really liked the romance aspect in this one and watching Gabrielle get roped in by the town golden boy only to end up with the town bad boy. While this was a bit of a slow burn, I enjoyed the twists and turns that Elle took us on to not only find the bodies but also more hidden secrets in this small town.
Gabrielle has found herself in the one place she has been trying to avoid for YEARS now. The place where her father revealed himself as the monster he is now known as. The place he killed her mother. The place she lost everything. And yet here she is under the name Ryan Shipley now. She is here for her senior year with the intent of keeping her head down and then getting out of dodge. Of course the universe has other plans for her when she runs into Everett on day one. Football star extraordinaire. The boy who won't take no for an answer. The one who she finds herself hanging out with more and more. Until she realizes the connection her dad has with him. The tragedy he inflicted on their family. Gabrielle pumps the brakes. She tries to regroup and lay low, but her cousins are insistent they try to solve the mystery of where her dad hid the bodies. Gabrielle can't say no without being suspicious. Which is how she finds herself learning more about the lore that is her dad. Learning more about how this town is obsessed with all things her dad. Meeting Chase, Everett's best friend, who makes her feel wanted. But when plans change for her dad's execution at his hand, the FBI shows up at Gabrielle's door wanting answers. Answers she doesn't think she has. Or does she? Has her dad somehow given her these answers that she has hidden unintentionally this whole time? When answers come to light, Gabrielle can't believe she has been able to bring closure to these families. But some things still aren't lining up. Things that the authority has brushed off as her dad being a little unhinged. When Gabrielle realizes the truth, she knows more than she ever did before she needs to leave this town and all of the darkness that it holds.
While this is showing it took me a while to read it, I had to be in the mind set for a mystery to dive back in. The second time I picked this up, I read the whole thing in one sitting. Again it is set at a slower pace but that fits perfectly with how the story unfolds. Gabrielle grew a lot in this book. She was so strong and had been through so much and yet there was more she learned about her dad. That he was even more of a monster than she thought. The only thing I would have wanted were more scenes with Chase ;) Looking forward to more mysteries from Elle hopefully in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Gabrielle has found herself in the one place she has been trying to avoid for YEARS now. The place where her father revealed himself as the monster he is now known as. The place he killed her mother. The place she lost everything. And yet here she is under the name Ryan Shipley now. She is here for her senior year with the intent of keeping her head down and then getting out of dodge. Of course the universe has other plans for her when she runs into Everett on day one. Football star extraordinaire. The boy who won't take no for an answer. The one who she finds herself hanging out with more and more. Until she realizes the connection her dad has with him. The tragedy he inflicted on their family. Gabrielle pumps the brakes. She tries to regroup and lay low, but her cousins are insistent they try to solve the mystery of where her dad hid the bodies. Gabrielle can't say no without being suspicious. Which is how she finds herself learning more about the lore that is her dad. Learning more about how this town is obsessed with all things her dad. Meeting Chase, Everett's best friend, who makes her feel wanted. But when plans change for her dad's execution at his hand, the FBI shows up at Gabrielle's door wanting answers. Answers she doesn't think she has. Or does she? Has her dad somehow given her these answers that she has hidden unintentionally this whole time? When answers come to light, Gabrielle can't believe she has been able to bring closure to these families. But some things still aren't lining up. Things that the authority has brushed off as her dad being a little unhinged. When Gabrielle realizes the truth, she knows more than she ever did before she needs to leave this town and all of the darkness that it holds.
While this is showing it took me a while to read it, I had to be in the mind set for a mystery to dive back in. The second time I picked this up, I read the whole thing in one sitting. Again it is set at a slower pace but that fits perfectly with how the story unfolds. Gabrielle grew a lot in this book. She was so strong and had been through so much and yet there was more she learned about her dad. That he was even more of a monster than she thought. The only thing I would have wanted were more scenes with Chase ;) Looking forward to more mysteries from Elle hopefully in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2026
I completely went into this blind and wow I was so pleasently surprised. This book was so up my alley.
To be the daughter of a Serial killer in the town in which he committed his crimes and while on death row, Ryan needs to find out where the bodies are. During this part of the book there were parts that dragged on a bit longer than it needed too but at the same time it added the despair felt by Ryan to both figure things out but blend in the community.
The ending I was really not expecting, quite a good twist and honestly I think I will think of this book for a long time to come.
Great read.
To be the daughter of a Serial killer in the town in which he committed his crimes and while on death row, Ryan needs to find out where the bodies are. During this part of the book there were parts that dragged on a bit longer than it needed too but at the same time it added the despair felt by Ryan to both figure things out but blend in the community.
The ending I was really not expecting, quite a good twist and honestly I think I will think of this book for a long time to come.
Great read.
July 2, 2026
I’ll start by saying- reading is subjective I know that but this book is proof that some people will hand out five stars just because they recognize the author’s name.
This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and once again, it felt like too many words on paper with absolutely nothing to say. More than twenty chapters of nothing happening, the same thoughts being repeated, and the same recycled sentences dressed up like they were moving the plot forward. They were not.
And calling this a mystery? Generous. Very generous.
Nothing happens for the majority of this book. We know the father is a murderer. We know there are bodies. We spend the entire book waiting to understand why, where, and how, and somehow even the answers manage to be boring. The way everything finally comes together should have been shocking, tense, or at least interesting. Instead, it was a complete bore.
Then there is the weird love triangle, which added nothing except more pages.
At this point, I think I’m done with this author. The hype is not making sense to me. This felt overwritten, repetitive, and painfully dull. Sometimes it feels like authors do not even have to tell a good story anymore as long as their name is big enough on the cover.
This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and once again, it felt like too many words on paper with absolutely nothing to say. More than twenty chapters of nothing happening, the same thoughts being repeated, and the same recycled sentences dressed up like they were moving the plot forward. They were not.
And calling this a mystery? Generous. Very generous.
Nothing happens for the majority of this book. We know the father is a murderer. We know there are bodies. We spend the entire book waiting to understand why, where, and how, and somehow even the answers manage to be boring. The way everything finally comes together should have been shocking, tense, or at least interesting. Instead, it was a complete bore.
Then there is the weird love triangle, which added nothing except more pages.
At this point, I think I’m done with this author. The hype is not making sense to me. This felt overwritten, repetitive, and painfully dull. Sometimes it feels like authors do not even have to tell a good story anymore as long as their name is big enough on the cover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2026
An absolute page turner. Loved it!!
Read
June 26, 2026𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
in the mood for a thriller and what better than one that follows a girl returning to her small town for the first time in 10 years.... 10 years ago in which her mom was killed and her dad was arrested for being a serial killer! except now she's living under a fake name, not even her freaking cousins know who she is! very intrigued and as the 10 year anniversary and his execution comes up a lot of secrets make their way to the top.
and i was roped into this buddy read with char 💘 can't wait to yap!!
thank you get underlined for the gifted copy & penguin teen canada for the e-ARC
in the mood for a thriller and what better than one that follows a girl returning to her small town for the first time in 10 years.... 10 years ago in which her mom was killed and her dad was arrested for being a serial killer! except now she's living under a fake name, not even her freaking cousins know who she is! very intrigued and as the 10 year anniversary and his execution comes up a lot of secrets make their way to the top.
and i was roped into this buddy read with char 💘 can't wait to yap!!
thank you get underlined for the gifted copy & penguin teen canada for the e-ARC
July 8, 2026
ohhh, i was convinced right up until the very end that i wouldn't be giving this a high rating – i absolutely hated the romance subplot. honestly, it felt completely unnecessary; i was way more invested in the friendship and family dynamics! and that so-called love triangle? it wasn't even a triangle at all... i feel cheated, haha. BUT !! the last few chapters had me sitting there like – 🤨😯😳😰
i'll be honest, i didn't see a single twist coming, because i was having way too much fun to even try guessing.
the ending genuinely shocked me, so i'm forgetting every flaw and throwing 5 stars at it.
i really hope we get even more thrillers from elle in the future !!
i'll be honest, i didn't see a single twist coming, because i was having way too much fun to even try guessing.
the ending genuinely shocked me, so i'm forgetting every flaw and throwing 5 stars at it.
i really hope we get even more thrillers from elle in the future !!
July 21, 2026
I loved this story!
Ryan Shipley isn't who she is pretending to be. The daughter of a serial killer, one of those victims being her own mother, Ryan is trying to forget and just be a teenager. She has a new family and heads to Starling to go to school and make friends. The past often doesn't stay the past though and somehow, someone has found out Ryan's secret. They begin to terrorize her and the town, the infamous killer's case won't stay closed.
While this is a YA story, the writing is rich and the characters feel like the are mature for the most part. There is a bit of romance happening which felt realistic and enhanced the dynamics of the cast of characters.
I do LOVE a twist and there are several in the chapters as we get closer to the great ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the opportunity to read and review this title. My thoughts are my own.
Ryan Shipley isn't who she is pretending to be. The daughter of a serial killer, one of those victims being her own mother, Ryan is trying to forget and just be a teenager. She has a new family and heads to Starling to go to school and make friends. The past often doesn't stay the past though and somehow, someone has found out Ryan's secret. They begin to terrorize her and the town, the infamous killer's case won't stay closed.
While this is a YA story, the writing is rich and the characters feel like the are mature for the most part. There is a bit of romance happening which felt realistic and enhanced the dynamics of the cast of characters.
I do LOVE a twist and there are several in the chapters as we get closer to the great ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the opportunity to read and review this title. My thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
🕊️out now (june 30th)
i actually requested this book without realizing this is elle kennedy and as a girl who doesn't like spicy romance i was a slightly skeptical but let me tell you, i was highly blown away by elle kennedy's writing. it was very lyrical and the humor was top tier!
as a certified thriller and mystery girlie, i will say that nothing really surprises me at all in mysteries, i can usually plot the plot from a mile away and even with good writing, it can dock down a star. instead i did sniff out the entire plot save for one tiny thing that connected at the end (i love a slightly elusive ending btw) but that's mainly because NOTHING surprises me anymore. truly a saddening thing.
ryan (aka gabrielle)
oh to be the fmc where two guys like you 😭 anyways, for the fmc of a ya thriller she ate down. oftentimes fmc's of books like this are genuinely the MOST INSUFFERABLE PEOPLE but instead i was like "yes queen!!!!" like idk she just felt real? trust me im not even glazing i just really liked her. she was true to herself and due to her unfortunate family situation (hi my name is ryan and my dad's a serial killer) that vibe? she handled things so REAL
chase
guys i fear im a sucker for a bad boy trope in books, genuinely sue me for this. 😭 i just really like the mystery part of that trope DONE WELL, i repeat, you cannot be saying the character is a bad boy and they have the genuine like output of a butterfly. thats like me going "im a bad girl, earlier, i forgot to use my blinker when i turned" like...sweetie you just suck!!!
anyways, i love chase and how he like accepted and loved ryan was like yes. thank you. they were such a perfect match that it was sooo obvious.
everett (aka everest)
i also didn't hate him i fear. he was honestly such a cinnamon role in unfortaunte circumstances and he also really liked ryan and i tried to find something to dislike and i didn't sadly. he deserves better fr fr 😭
...
i really enjoyed the plot! i thought it was well thought out and everything tied together as nicely as it could but we still left things hanging on purpose because real life doesn't have everything with a cutesy little pink bow (unless ur a nepo baby. "they hate meee cuz my daddy is rich" anyways! i also liked the romance subplot (though a note for the girlies who dont like any sexual content at all, there is two semi descriptive fade to black scenes in the book (maybe 3? idk) so just noting that for u guys!)
all in all, loved this more than i thought i would!
🕊️out now (june 30th)
i actually requested this book without realizing this is elle kennedy and as a girl who doesn't like spicy romance i was a slightly skeptical but let me tell you, i was highly blown away by elle kennedy's writing. it was very lyrical and the humor was top tier!
as a certified thriller and mystery girlie, i will say that nothing really surprises me at all in mysteries, i can usually plot the plot from a mile away and even with good writing, it can dock down a star. instead i did sniff out the entire plot save for one tiny thing that connected at the end (i love a slightly elusive ending btw) but that's mainly because NOTHING surprises me anymore. truly a saddening thing.
ryan (aka gabrielle)
oh to be the fmc where two guys like you 😭 anyways, for the fmc of a ya thriller she ate down. oftentimes fmc's of books like this are genuinely the MOST INSUFFERABLE PEOPLE but instead i was like "yes queen!!!!" like idk she just felt real? trust me im not even glazing i just really liked her. she was true to herself and due to her unfortunate family situation (hi my name is ryan and my dad's a serial killer) that vibe? she handled things so REAL
chase
guys i fear im a sucker for a bad boy trope in books, genuinely sue me for this. 😭 i just really like the mystery part of that trope DONE WELL, i repeat, you cannot be saying the character is a bad boy and they have the genuine like output of a butterfly. thats like me going "im a bad girl, earlier, i forgot to use my blinker when i turned" like...sweetie you just suck!!!
anyways, i love chase and how he like accepted and loved ryan was like yes. thank you. they were such a perfect match that it was sooo obvious.
everett (aka everest)
i also didn't hate him i fear. he was honestly such a cinnamon role in unfortaunte circumstances and he also really liked ryan and i tried to find something to dislike and i didn't sadly. he deserves better fr fr 😭
...
i really enjoyed the plot! i thought it was well thought out and everything tied together as nicely as it could but we still left things hanging on purpose because real life doesn't have everything with a cutesy little pink bow (unless ur a nepo baby. "they hate meee cuz my daddy is rich" anyways! i also liked the romance subplot (though a note for the girlies who dont like any sexual content at all, there is two semi descriptive fade to black scenes in the book (maybe 3? idk) so just noting that for u guys!)
all in all, loved this more than i thought i would!
July 1, 2026
DNF @21%
The author didnt know if it wanted to do a romance or a mystery thriller so we have either.
The ONLY thing we have about the mystery is "the bodies were never found"
The romance is misoginy, stupid stuff and rules that came from the 90's and is not ironic.
Coments while reading:
My god this is really YA. Third chapter and we have a love interest and our FMC acting like never saw a hot guy.
i'm really hating this writing good lord.
20% nothing happens and if i hear one more time "they didnt found the bodies" i'm gonna crash. It was said around 10 times, WE GET IT.
"oh he likes you but careful with his evil ex" SHUT UP
"oh i cant ask you out because my quarterback already staked his claim" "its the code, she can only date Eve now"
"I stifle a sigh while also trying to ignore the way my pulse speeds up"
No im out, that was the end for me, good luck for who stays. Jesus Christ this is really terrible writen, was this proofread?
The author didnt know if it wanted to do a romance or a mystery thriller so we have either.
The ONLY thing we have about the mystery is "the bodies were never found"
The romance is misoginy, stupid stuff and rules that came from the 90's and is not ironic.
Coments while reading:
My god this is really YA. Third chapter and we have a love interest and our FMC acting like never saw a hot guy.
i'm really hating this writing good lord.
20% nothing happens and if i hear one more time "they didnt found the bodies" i'm gonna crash. It was said around 10 times, WE GET IT.
"oh he likes you but careful with his evil ex" SHUT UP
"oh i cant ask you out because my quarterback already staked his claim" "its the code, she can only date Eve now"
"I stifle a sigh while also trying to ignore the way my pulse speeds up"
No im out, that was the end for me, good luck for who stays. Jesus Christ this is really terrible writen, was this proofread?
July 2, 2026
What a fun read! This is the 2nd YA mystery I've read this year that has immediately hooked me and it's really telling me that I need to read more thrillers/mysteries ASAP.
The premise caught my attention right away. Like the FMC is the daughter of a serial killer??? And the mystery surrounding what happened to all those dead bodies that her father hid away??? It was so interesting seeing how the story would go. And though I do wish we got some more spookiness (which is wild coming from me considering i stay away from horror loll), I was thoroughly engaged and could not stop reading!!
I don't really have any strong opinions on Ryan honestly. She was fine. I did love some of the side characters like Connor, and her aunt and uncle. The romance tbh I didn't really care for and wouldn't have minded if there was no romance subplot at all. Chase was just there for me.
Though they weren't mind blowing, I definitely didn't expect some of those twists at the end! Especially that last one. Overall this was a great young adult thriller from Elle Kennedy.
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The premise caught my attention right away. Like the FMC is the daughter of a serial killer??? And the mystery surrounding what happened to all those dead bodies that her father hid away??? It was so interesting seeing how the story would go. And though I do wish we got some more spookiness (which is wild coming from me considering i stay away from horror loll), I was thoroughly engaged and could not stop reading!!
I don't really have any strong opinions on Ryan honestly. She was fine. I did love some of the side characters like Connor, and her aunt and uncle. The romance tbh I didn't really care for and wouldn't have minded if there was no romance subplot at all. Chase was just there for me.
Though they weren't mind blowing, I definitely didn't expect some of those twists at the end! Especially that last one. Overall this was a great young adult thriller from Elle Kennedy.
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 30, 2026
Ryan Shipley a.k.a. Gabrielle Thorn, is the daughter of serial killer Gabriel Thorn. She just moved back to her hometown of Starling to finish out her senior year after the death of her grandmother. Upon the 10-year anniversary of her father's arrest, come a renewed interest in the case of the missing bodies. How many secrets will be unveiled along the way?
Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars. It was easy to get sucked in right away. Ryan was a likeable character, and I couldn't help but root for her. No child should live in shadow of a monster or pay for their crimes. The characters were easy to like, and Elle did a good job writing in a diverse group of friends. She plucked a person from each clique and blended them together (artist, bad boy, football star, cheerleader, the mean girl, the rebel, etc). I enjoyed that she blended some romance into this story. I wasn't sure where the story was going, but I was very pleasantly surprised with how it ended!
*YA mystery/thriller
*Romance
*Hidden identity
*Family
*Trauma
Format: ebook
Thank you NetGalley, Elle Kennedy, and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!
Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars. It was easy to get sucked in right away. Ryan was a likeable character, and I couldn't help but root for her. No child should live in shadow of a monster or pay for their crimes. The characters were easy to like, and Elle did a good job writing in a diverse group of friends. She plucked a person from each clique and blended them together (artist, bad boy, football star, cheerleader, the mean girl, the rebel, etc). I enjoyed that she blended some romance into this story. I wasn't sure where the story was going, but I was very pleasantly surprised with how it ended!
*YA mystery/thriller
*Romance
*Hidden identity
*Family
*Trauma
Format: ebook
Thank you NetGalley, Elle Kennedy, and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!
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August 23, 2026
I’m not sure what to think of this book.
Was it entertaining? Yes, it was fast paced and I wasn’t bored while reading.
But (and it’s a big but) it definitely had some flaws.
Ryan, our main character, is a pick me girl (in my opinion), she’s one of the cool girls and of course that’s the case when every other girl is bitchy, dramatic or just way too girly for Ryan.
Her two love interest - Everett and Chase - didn’t feel like real characters. They felt a little bit flat.
Everett was the football captain and all grin happy golden boy, while Chase was the bad boy with a motorcycle.
While reading it I again realized that there is definitely quality difference in some writing. I felt like the writing in this book was mediocre/okay, while the drama was rushed or forced.
But, like I said, it was enjoyable. I did have fun.
Was it entertaining? Yes, it was fast paced and I wasn’t bored while reading.
But (and it’s a big but) it definitely had some flaws.
Ryan, our main character, is a pick me girl (in my opinion), she’s one of the cool girls and of course that’s the case when every other girl is bitchy, dramatic or just way too girly for Ryan.
Her two love interest - Everett and Chase - didn’t feel like real characters. They felt a little bit flat.
Everett was the football captain and all grin happy golden boy, while Chase was the bad boy with a motorcycle.
While reading it I again realized that there is definitely quality difference in some writing. I felt like the writing in this book was mediocre/okay, while the drama was rushed or forced.
But, like I said, it was enjoyable. I did have fun.
February 21, 2026
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was a fun ya book nothing outstanding but super interesting. The romance was super bland in my opinion and definitely not Elle Kennedys best work. The mystery itself was predictable but enjoyable. I will say the ending was super rushed and anticlimactic. A fine first thriller from mrs. kennedy and i would definitely check out any more she decides to write.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was a fun ya book nothing outstanding but super interesting. The romance was super bland in my opinion and definitely not Elle Kennedys best work. The mystery itself was predictable but enjoyable. I will say the ending was super rushed and anticlimactic. A fine first thriller from mrs. kennedy and i would definitely check out any more she decides to write.
March 1, 2026
I was excited when I saw Elle Kennedy’s name on a thriller!! This hooked me from the start and held my interest. I was expecting a little more from the ending but I still think worth the read.
July 25, 2026
ARC REVIEW — Thornbird by E. Kennedy
★★★★½ — 4.5 stars
Tropes / vibes:
✨serial killer’s daughter
✨small-town secrets
✨sins of the father
✨cryptic messages & anonymous threats
✨cold case mystery
✨ YA / high school setting
✨ everyone is suspicious
✨hidden identity
✨missing bodies
romantic subplot
✨family secrets & complicated friendships
✨ twists on twists
Okay, Elle Kennedy writing a YA thriller was not something I expected, but apparently I’m very much here for it.
The premise immediately got me: the daughter of an infamous serial killer returns to the town where everything happened ten years ago, under a different identity, while people start digging into her father’s crimes again. There are still missing bodies, people who want answers, anonymous messages appearing on Ryan’s phone… and obviously approximately everyone in this town is hiding something.
And this was FUN.
Ryan was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. I really liked that being the daughter of a serial killer wasn’t treated as just a cool gimmick for the mystery. Her entire relationship with her father’s crimes, her family, and her own identity is complicated. She’s spent years carrying the consequences of something she didn’t do, while simultaneously knowing there are things about the past she still doesn’t fully understand.
The mystery also worked really well for me. There were enough clues that I could actually theorize instead of just waiting for the author to randomly reveal something, but the story kept shifting my suspicions. And those final chapters?? That’s where the book really got me. Some reveals I had considered, others absolutely not.
I especially loved the family and friendship dynamics. For a book about murder, those relationships ended up giving the story much more emotional weight than I expected.
My biggest issue was definitely the romance. I didn’t hate it, but compared with everything happening around Ryan, it felt like the least interesting part of the story. The supposed love-triangle-ish situation especially had me going, wait… are we actually doing this? 😭 I would have happily traded some of that page time for even more focus on the mystery and Ryan’s family.
And yes, there are definitely moments where you have to suspend disbelief a little. This is still very much a YA thriller, and if you start interrogating every detail of a decade-old investigation too hard, you might have questions.
But did that stop me from inhaling the mystery?
Absolutely not.
For E. Kennedy’s first jump into this genre, Thornbird genuinely surprised me. It has the addictive readability I expected from Elle Kennedy, just redirected into murder, secrets, suspicious teenagers, and deeply questionable family history.
4.5★ — not quite perfect, mostly because the romance didn’t do much for me, but the mystery, Ryan, the family dynamics, and especially that ending made this such an entertaining read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2026
My Selling Pitch:
A wannabe Holly Jackson YA thriller with Elle Kennedy’s internalized misogyny working overtime.
Pre-reading:
If you’re like Samantha, didn’t you put your current book down for being nsfw? How is the hockey smut author writing murder safer? And so valid bestie, but if you read chapter one of Games, it will be in the running for the filthiest thing you’ve read all year. My nsfw poker face-very high. I repeat, I cannot read that book at work. 😂
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Oh hello, mixed media! We love to see!
BigDickTracy made me cackle.
I swear to god right now, if this is a Hannibal using his daughter to lure victims situation, I’m gonna be pissed. (Hadn’t even heard seven years old and I was ready to fight.)
I love Sweet Home Alabama, the movie and the song.
All right, we are aggressively scoring this, and that is a pet peeve of mine in books.
Ah, dead wife montage footage.
I like the name Ryan Mayfair. She’s good at naming characters.
Did we get a paternity test on this bitch?
So her mom has a sister who married a man from the same town and his mom left them a giant property. Sus. Did uncle come visit every year the girls went missing? Grandma didn’t like him. Did she smell evil? Did I solve it right here at 3%? (No lol)
I feel like she’s being cheeky here being like psycho uncle talking about her dad, but it’s actually the uncle she’s living with. And I repeat, I’m gonna be pissed if I opened this book and figured it out. (You did not.)
I feel like mom maybe had an affair with the brother and he did kill HER but uncle killed all the others. (Warmer.)
I’m gonna be annoyed if they’re like in a witness protection program and that’s why there’s no bodies cause they’re not dead.
I’m Switzerland- that’s from Twilight, baby!
Hunger Games references have almost become cringe to me.
There’s no way they would be allowed to vote on that in class given that they have active students who are related to him.
And token black friend. Got it. (I was being snarky, but this is actually such a horrendous example.)
That photography classroom is straight out of Life is Strange.
I feel like if he were a proper serial killer, he would’ve marked their graves with his little custom bird houses. (Nailed it.)
Uncle Dan did it, I swear. (Biffed it.)
Oh, she wants to be Holly Jackson so bad.
Oh, she’s a cereal killer girl alright. Badum tss.
A me!
Oh, she’s got a map of the bird houses? Go dig under those. You literally have a treasure map.
I feel like psycho uncle definitely works with the rebel love interest that I don’t know if they’ve told us the name of yet
Another hands-off rule. Elle. In 2026?
Does the photograph he latched onto have a birdhouse in it-
Girl, I’m sure it fell off at the cabin and it’s about to be posted online. (Wrong!)
I’m sus of his mom working at a women’s clinic. Were his victims maybe denied abortions so he killed them to set them free and this is southern commentary? (I was really pulling for this to have any ounce of feminism and for there to be any victim pathology other than he thought they were hot.)
No, they can’t have dogs because the uncle is a serial killer. (Wrong.)
Kennedy, do not kill the dogs. (Dogs are fine!)
I have a feeling the brother-in-law said take the fall for it or I’ll kill your daughter. (My theory makes way more sense.)
I love Reese romcoms.
Do you know how tempted I am to flip ahead and find out that it’s the uncle because I opened this book and said it was him?
She needs to stop slut shaming other girls’ outfits.
Girl, how do you not investigate the women your dad killed???
Can I just skip ahead and confirm that I’m right? (It’s going to be so embarrassing if I’m wrong but like-)((I’m less embarrassed when the book actually decides to make no sense for the sake of the twist.))
Girls don’t act out sexually because they lack a maternal figure. WTF, Elle
The colors of the bird houses they’re buried under? (Basically.)
This isn’t how the justice system would interview a minor, but go off.
So that’s a completely contrived drama scene. I hate when we don’t advance plot.
You’re a 17-year-old meeting a full-grown man for breakfast in a small town and you don’t think anyone’s gonna notice and be like what the fuck?
We love a fake out make out!
I feel like so much of this book is just spinning its wheels to kill time between the bigger reveals versus the reason I loved a AGGGTM so much was because it kept up with you. As soon as it introduced a clue, we were moving on it. This is slow, and the love triangle-that I can’t tell if they’re trying to expand into what, a love square?-is not enough to keep my attention.
Why is the FBI interviewing her? I thought they only got involved when killers crossed state lines.
The FBI just implied that you’re a suspect. Don’t touch the body. Do not be the one to discover the body. Be so fucking for real. Use a single brain cell.
Elle Kennedy, this isn’t very YA of you. Get the smut outta here.
There’s no way a teacher doesn’t yank the cord to the projector. Be so for real.
Dude, you were seven? What were you gonna do? Slip her a juicebox?
Girl, I opened this book and said that’s where they were. These cops are so bad at their jobs. If you think this is a plot twist, you are legally stupid.
Call the police. Don’t be an idiot.
And now you have disturbed the crime scene.
When the hell did he have time to build this bunker and where did he get the money for it?
So like the uncle killed his ex-girlfriend? The uncle is not a good person..
There’s no way they would give her the actual journal to look at and not photocopies. Has she watched a single episode of a crime show?
Oh, poor Dan. Your wife had twins and now she doesn’t have time for her manchild. He sucks!
Hope we’re not going full Hannibal and he fed her to the dogs. (I went so much darker than this book lol.)
That actually doesn’t make any sense for his sister to be like stop looking for the bodies unless she’s like my brother killed mommy and that’s why she doesn’t think he’s nice.
Miss girl, please call the police. He literally just confessed to murder. This is negative survival skills. At least hit record on the voice notes app ffs!
Girl, he was seven. Be so for real. Elle. The actual fuck.
There’s no way the cops don’t check the well on your property.
So that’s not how FBI rewards work because they didn’t call it in, and they did contaminate a crime scene, and hello, massive conflict of interest.
So are we never gonna circle back to why all these teenage girls were meeting men in their 40s at local bars and no one was doing anything about it???
I think Bama is the worst place for a student athlete to escape his crimes. (Or best? But like for shame, Elle Kennedy!)
So they actually would exhume her body from that well and see how she died and verify if it was from impact or dehydration, and this man would actually go to jail so-
She really said it’s open season on murdering women. Consequences? Nah! Men get a slap on the wrist. Oh my god, I hate this book. I was so convinced I knew what was gonna happen. My explanation makes a lot more sense. I feel like it doesn’t count as a plot twist if you have to throw every scrap of logic out the window for it to function.
So no deeper insight into how he picked his victims? They were hot? Girlllll.
Post-reading:
Oh brother, I’ve got so many complaints!
To kick us off, romance belongs in YA. Smut does not. There is a difference between writing teenage characters having sex and writing sexy teenagers. There’s too much of it! Not a prude, unapologetically horny on main, I don’t want to read about a 17-year-old getting oral until she’s spent. You know, at least the kids use protection, but this seems to be a common problem for Miss Kennedy. She harps on girls' outfits and them showing skin so frequently that it ruined my immersion. We’re not bringing slut shaming of CHILDREN into 2026. We’re not giving people V cards. Grow up. Read something feminist. I find these choices especially interesting given how popular Off Campus has become again, and how people have criticized content within those books, to the point that the show pointedly removed the hands-off rule, only for this book to bring it back. Like what are we doing?
The justice system is always a joke, but it may as well not exist in this book. Truly, you need a Herculean suspension of disbelief to get through this book. No one suffers any consequences and that really pisses me off. She really said oop, the girls are already dead. Boys will be boys. He buried his wife alive. Oh, but he helps shelter dogs- Guys. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we knock it through society’s head that women are allowed to leave relationships. Also, every single dude in this book sucks. Oh well, I needed to have an affair because my wife was too busy taking care of my children to give me attention because I’m a giant nonfunctional manchild. I viewed women as aesthetic objects. I scared and coerced my girlfriend on purpose. I doxxed someone. I took an unaccompanied minor to a pseudoscience quack to retraumatize her. Like what are we doing?
I think the pacing is shit. I think a lot of the book feels like we’re spinning our wheels. An incident will happen only for us to realize it’s not relevant to the larger plot. The love triangle in this is not compelling enough to carry the story considering how much time we spend on it.
I know it’s a YA and my brain is a disgusting predictive algorithm, but no one is gonna open this book and not immediately jump to the bodies are buried under his bird houses. There’s no way the FBI-who mind you probably wouldn’t even be involved in this case because it doesn’t cross state lines-wouldn’t immediately check his property before they drag an entire fucking lake. It’s never explained how he had the time to build that bunker or the money. I don’t think tchotchke selling is making that kind of dough. Also, if he’s going in and out of said underground bunker, the dirt would be disturbed. It would be a random patch of dirt in the middle of the woods with a trail cutting through the brush to it. The police are blind, but they’re not that blind. Similarly, if you report your wife missing, they’re going to check the well on your property. That’s like step number one. It’s like pools and then calling in Lassie to see if Timmy fell down a well.
I think the side characters need a lot of work. There is a token black friend to tick diversity boxes in this, who adds absolutely nothing to the narrative. If you can remove a character from your book without changing it, there’s a problem.
It also just doesn’t feel very original. Holly Jackson didn’t invent YA thrillers, but you can’t help but side-eye ones with mixed media and podcast elements. A lot of the serial killer daughter moments felt way too close to Hannibal’s Hobbs plotline. The photography classroom is ripped directly from Life is Strange.
And even if you’re willing to look past all of that, girlypop is still gonna piss you off because she has negative survival skills. She’s going to jail for obstruction. You actually can’t just waltz into crime scenes and contaminate everything-especially when there’s an asinine moment where they implied she was a seven-year-old accomplice to murder. She confronts multiple criminals with no backup and they just up and decided to spill their guts to her and then refrain from murdering her out of the goodness of their hearts.
The more I think about it, the more I wanna give it one star, but like, you can get through this. You can blow through it in a day. I think it’s twisty enough to entertain a younger audience, even if those twists are so fucking dumb you’re gonna wanna put your head through a wall. If this were an adult, absolutely one star, but because it’s for a younger audience that is gonna root for the main character and ignore the absence of any and all functional adults, I think it can squeak by with a two.
Who should read this:
YA thriller fans
Ideal reading time:
Anytime
Do I want to reread this:
No
Would I buy this:
No, get this from your library
Similar books:
* The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson-a better version of this book, YA mystery, revenge thriller, family drama, mixed media
* A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson-the OG YA mixed media mystery, revenge thriller, family drama, romance
* Veal by Mackenzie Nolan-lit fic, psychological horror, family drama, queer, social commentary
* Roses of May by Dot Hutchison-fbi crime thriller
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A wannabe Holly Jackson YA thriller with Elle Kennedy’s internalized misogyny working overtime.
Pre-reading:
If you’re like Samantha, didn’t you put your current book down for being nsfw? How is the hockey smut author writing murder safer? And so valid bestie, but if you read chapter one of Games, it will be in the running for the filthiest thing you’ve read all year. My nsfw poker face-very high. I repeat, I cannot read that book at work. 😂
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Oh hello, mixed media! We love to see!
BigDickTracy made me cackle.
I swear to god right now, if this is a Hannibal using his daughter to lure victims situation, I’m gonna be pissed. (Hadn’t even heard seven years old and I was ready to fight.)
I love Sweet Home Alabama, the movie and the song.
All right, we are aggressively scoring this, and that is a pet peeve of mine in books.
Ah, dead wife montage footage.
I like the name Ryan Mayfair. She’s good at naming characters.
Did we get a paternity test on this bitch?
So her mom has a sister who married a man from the same town and his mom left them a giant property. Sus. Did uncle come visit every year the girls went missing? Grandma didn’t like him. Did she smell evil? Did I solve it right here at 3%? (No lol)
I feel like she’s being cheeky here being like psycho uncle talking about her dad, but it’s actually the uncle she’s living with. And I repeat, I’m gonna be pissed if I opened this book and figured it out. (You did not.)
I feel like mom maybe had an affair with the brother and he did kill HER but uncle killed all the others. (Warmer.)
I’m gonna be annoyed if they’re like in a witness protection program and that’s why there’s no bodies cause they’re not dead.
I’m Switzerland- that’s from Twilight, baby!
Hunger Games references have almost become cringe to me.
There’s no way they would be allowed to vote on that in class given that they have active students who are related to him.
And token black friend. Got it. (I was being snarky, but this is actually such a horrendous example.)
That photography classroom is straight out of Life is Strange.
I feel like if he were a proper serial killer, he would’ve marked their graves with his little custom bird houses. (Nailed it.)
Uncle Dan did it, I swear. (Biffed it.)
Oh, she wants to be Holly Jackson so bad.
Oh, she’s a cereal killer girl alright. Badum tss.
A me!
Oh, she’s got a map of the bird houses? Go dig under those. You literally have a treasure map.
I feel like psycho uncle definitely works with the rebel love interest that I don’t know if they’ve told us the name of yet
Another hands-off rule. Elle. In 2026?
Does the photograph he latched onto have a birdhouse in it-
Girl, I’m sure it fell off at the cabin and it’s about to be posted online. (Wrong!)
I’m sus of his mom working at a women’s clinic. Were his victims maybe denied abortions so he killed them to set them free and this is southern commentary? (I was really pulling for this to have any ounce of feminism and for there to be any victim pathology other than he thought they were hot.)
No, they can’t have dogs because the uncle is a serial killer. (Wrong.)
Kennedy, do not kill the dogs. (Dogs are fine!)
I have a feeling the brother-in-law said take the fall for it or I’ll kill your daughter. (My theory makes way more sense.)
I love Reese romcoms.
Do you know how tempted I am to flip ahead and find out that it’s the uncle because I opened this book and said it was him?
She needs to stop slut shaming other girls’ outfits.
Girl, how do you not investigate the women your dad killed???
Can I just skip ahead and confirm that I’m right? (It’s going to be so embarrassing if I’m wrong but like-)((I’m less embarrassed when the book actually decides to make no sense for the sake of the twist.))
Girls don’t act out sexually because they lack a maternal figure. WTF, Elle
The colors of the bird houses they’re buried under? (Basically.)
This isn’t how the justice system would interview a minor, but go off.
So that’s a completely contrived drama scene. I hate when we don’t advance plot.
You’re a 17-year-old meeting a full-grown man for breakfast in a small town and you don’t think anyone’s gonna notice and be like what the fuck?
We love a fake out make out!
I feel like so much of this book is just spinning its wheels to kill time between the bigger reveals versus the reason I loved a AGGGTM so much was because it kept up with you. As soon as it introduced a clue, we were moving on it. This is slow, and the love triangle-that I can’t tell if they’re trying to expand into what, a love square?-is not enough to keep my attention.
Why is the FBI interviewing her? I thought they only got involved when killers crossed state lines.
The FBI just implied that you’re a suspect. Don’t touch the body. Do not be the one to discover the body. Be so fucking for real. Use a single brain cell.
Elle Kennedy, this isn’t very YA of you. Get the smut outta here.
There’s no way a teacher doesn’t yank the cord to the projector. Be so for real.
Dude, you were seven? What were you gonna do? Slip her a juicebox?
Girl, I opened this book and said that’s where they were. These cops are so bad at their jobs. If you think this is a plot twist, you are legally stupid.
Call the police. Don’t be an idiot.
And now you have disturbed the crime scene.
When the hell did he have time to build this bunker and where did he get the money for it?
So like the uncle killed his ex-girlfriend? The uncle is not a good person..
There’s no way they would give her the actual journal to look at and not photocopies. Has she watched a single episode of a crime show?
Oh, poor Dan. Your wife had twins and now she doesn’t have time for her manchild. He sucks!
Hope we’re not going full Hannibal and he fed her to the dogs. (I went so much darker than this book lol.)
That actually doesn’t make any sense for his sister to be like stop looking for the bodies unless she’s like my brother killed mommy and that’s why she doesn’t think he’s nice.
Miss girl, please call the police. He literally just confessed to murder. This is negative survival skills. At least hit record on the voice notes app ffs!
Girl, he was seven. Be so for real. Elle. The actual fuck.
There’s no way the cops don’t check the well on your property.
So that’s not how FBI rewards work because they didn’t call it in, and they did contaminate a crime scene, and hello, massive conflict of interest.
So are we never gonna circle back to why all these teenage girls were meeting men in their 40s at local bars and no one was doing anything about it???
I think Bama is the worst place for a student athlete to escape his crimes. (Or best? But like for shame, Elle Kennedy!)
So they actually would exhume her body from that well and see how she died and verify if it was from impact or dehydration, and this man would actually go to jail so-
She really said it’s open season on murdering women. Consequences? Nah! Men get a slap on the wrist. Oh my god, I hate this book. I was so convinced I knew what was gonna happen. My explanation makes a lot more sense. I feel like it doesn’t count as a plot twist if you have to throw every scrap of logic out the window for it to function.
So no deeper insight into how he picked his victims? They were hot? Girlllll.
Post-reading:
Oh brother, I’ve got so many complaints!
To kick us off, romance belongs in YA. Smut does not. There is a difference between writing teenage characters having sex and writing sexy teenagers. There’s too much of it! Not a prude, unapologetically horny on main, I don’t want to read about a 17-year-old getting oral until she’s spent. You know, at least the kids use protection, but this seems to be a common problem for Miss Kennedy. She harps on girls' outfits and them showing skin so frequently that it ruined my immersion. We’re not bringing slut shaming of CHILDREN into 2026. We’re not giving people V cards. Grow up. Read something feminist. I find these choices especially interesting given how popular Off Campus has become again, and how people have criticized content within those books, to the point that the show pointedly removed the hands-off rule, only for this book to bring it back. Like what are we doing?
The justice system is always a joke, but it may as well not exist in this book. Truly, you need a Herculean suspension of disbelief to get through this book. No one suffers any consequences and that really pisses me off. She really said oop, the girls are already dead. Boys will be boys. He buried his wife alive. Oh, but he helps shelter dogs- Guys. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we knock it through society’s head that women are allowed to leave relationships. Also, every single dude in this book sucks. Oh well, I needed to have an affair because my wife was too busy taking care of my children to give me attention because I’m a giant nonfunctional manchild. I viewed women as aesthetic objects. I scared and coerced my girlfriend on purpose. I doxxed someone. I took an unaccompanied minor to a pseudoscience quack to retraumatize her. Like what are we doing?
I think the pacing is shit. I think a lot of the book feels like we’re spinning our wheels. An incident will happen only for us to realize it’s not relevant to the larger plot. The love triangle in this is not compelling enough to carry the story considering how much time we spend on it.
I know it’s a YA and my brain is a disgusting predictive algorithm, but no one is gonna open this book and not immediately jump to the bodies are buried under his bird houses. There’s no way the FBI-who mind you probably wouldn’t even be involved in this case because it doesn’t cross state lines-wouldn’t immediately check his property before they drag an entire fucking lake. It’s never explained how he had the time to build that bunker or the money. I don’t think tchotchke selling is making that kind of dough. Also, if he’s going in and out of said underground bunker, the dirt would be disturbed. It would be a random patch of dirt in the middle of the woods with a trail cutting through the brush to it. The police are blind, but they’re not that blind. Similarly, if you report your wife missing, they’re going to check the well on your property. That’s like step number one. It’s like pools and then calling in Lassie to see if Timmy fell down a well.
I think the side characters need a lot of work. There is a token black friend to tick diversity boxes in this, who adds absolutely nothing to the narrative. If you can remove a character from your book without changing it, there’s a problem.
It also just doesn’t feel very original. Holly Jackson didn’t invent YA thrillers, but you can’t help but side-eye ones with mixed media and podcast elements. A lot of the serial killer daughter moments felt way too close to Hannibal’s Hobbs plotline. The photography classroom is ripped directly from Life is Strange.
And even if you’re willing to look past all of that, girlypop is still gonna piss you off because she has negative survival skills. She’s going to jail for obstruction. You actually can’t just waltz into crime scenes and contaminate everything-especially when there’s an asinine moment where they implied she was a seven-year-old accomplice to murder. She confronts multiple criminals with no backup and they just up and decided to spill their guts to her and then refrain from murdering her out of the goodness of their hearts.
The more I think about it, the more I wanna give it one star, but like, you can get through this. You can blow through it in a day. I think it’s twisty enough to entertain a younger audience, even if those twists are so fucking dumb you’re gonna wanna put your head through a wall. If this were an adult, absolutely one star, but because it’s for a younger audience that is gonna root for the main character and ignore the absence of any and all functional adults, I think it can squeak by with a two.
Who should read this:
YA thriller fans
Ideal reading time:
Anytime
Do I want to reread this:
No
Would I buy this:
No, get this from your library
Similar books:
* The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson-a better version of this book, YA mystery, revenge thriller, family drama, mixed media
* A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson-the OG YA mixed media mystery, revenge thriller, family drama, romance
* Veal by Mackenzie Nolan-lit fic, psychological horror, family drama, queer, social commentary
* Roses of May by Dot Hutchison-fbi crime thriller
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2026
An addictive, character-driven YA thriller packed with high school angst, heavy romance, and a twisty true-crime backdrop.
Devoid of heavy gore or blood, this novel offers a PG take on the genre, serving as a decent crossover from romance to a serial killer thriller by E. Kennedy.
Devoid of heavy gore or blood, this novel offers a PG take on the genre, serving as a decent crossover from romance to a serial killer thriller by E. Kennedy.
May 28, 2026
Dark and Twisty!
Twist after twist after twist.
The last thing Gabby Thorn (I will refer to her as Ryan from now on, as she changes her name near the beginning of the book) wants to do is be reminded of her father’s reputation. And yet, that’s exactly the situation she is thrust upon in “Thornbird” when she moves in with the Shipleys.
After a million dollar reward is offered for knowledge of the bodies of the victim’s whereabouts, Ryan finds herself ensconced in memories and nightmares, despite trying to navigate a “normal” high school experience.
You can really feel her nervousness surrounding her father and the whereabouts of the bodies. The use of the caged birds added to the creeptastic-ness of this book.
Mixed into the heart-thumping thriller tropes, there is even a bit of romance, which had the perfect amount of spice for me. The banter is cute and there were some truly genuine moments in the development of the relationship.
Most of the twists I did not see coming and it kept me on my toes. This was a great YA thriller and perfect for those who like a good twisty, sinister read!
A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Twist after twist after twist.
The last thing Gabby Thorn (I will refer to her as Ryan from now on, as she changes her name near the beginning of the book) wants to do is be reminded of her father’s reputation. And yet, that’s exactly the situation she is thrust upon in “Thornbird” when she moves in with the Shipleys.
After a million dollar reward is offered for knowledge of the bodies of the victim’s whereabouts, Ryan finds herself ensconced in memories and nightmares, despite trying to navigate a “normal” high school experience.
You can really feel her nervousness surrounding her father and the whereabouts of the bodies. The use of the caged birds added to the creeptastic-ness of this book.
Mixed into the heart-thumping thriller tropes, there is even a bit of romance, which had the perfect amount of spice for me. The banter is cute and there were some truly genuine moments in the development of the relationship.
Most of the twists I did not see coming and it kept me on my toes. This was a great YA thriller and perfect for those who like a good twisty, sinister read!
A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!
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