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A Charlie Schiffer Mystery #1
In the Pines
A Charlie Schiffer Mystery
When your high school crush is also your number one suspect, what’s a boy to do?
After the disappearance of Eastview High’s homecoming king, seventeen-year-old Charlie Schiffer must put his detective skills to work to help class heartthrob Dare Chalmers find his missing twin brother. From the gator-filled swamps of Paynes Prairie to the truck-stop strip club Café Risqué, there’s no situation too dicey for this amateur sleuth when he’s on the prowl for clues to this mystery.
Meanwhile, Dare is everything Charlie could want in a boyfriend—charismatic, handsome, polite—but as Charlie’s mother always says, the unlikeliest people can turn out to be criminals. When evidence surfaces revealing his suspects’ hidden motives, Charlie must dig deep to suss out who among them is innocent and who is guilty, even if it means betraying the man he cares for most.
When your high school crush is also your number one suspect, what’s a boy to do?
After the disappearance of Eastview High’s homecoming king, seventeen-year-old Charlie Schiffer must put his detective skills to work to help class heartthrob Dare Chalmers find his missing twin brother. From the gator-filled swamps of Paynes Prairie to the truck-stop strip club Café Risqué, there’s no situation too dicey for this amateur sleuth when he’s on the prowl for clues to this mystery.
Meanwhile, Dare is everything Charlie could want in a boyfriend—charismatic, handsome, polite—but as Charlie’s mother always says, the unlikeliest people can turn out to be criminals. When evidence surfaces revealing his suspects’ hidden motives, Charlie must dig deep to suss out who among them is innocent and who is guilty, even if it means betraying the man he cares for most.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2018
9 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lascarso
30 books502 followersMM+ AUTHOR | Romance so good it hurts
Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society.
When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and trying to convince politicians to act on climate change. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Join her Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/LaurasLounge
Sign up for her newsletter at www.lauralascarso.com
Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society.
When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and trying to convince politicians to act on climate change. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Join her Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/LaurasLounge
Sign up for her newsletter at www.lauralascarso.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 25, 2018
3.5
It pains me to not rate this higher because this Author is one of the best at writing totally engaging YA stories.This book is a lot different from the previous books I've read by her-maybe I was expecting something similar? That's not to say I think Authors should stick to the same formats,because of course they shouldn't-in fact I've got nothing but admiration for Authors who can be diverse in their writing.
If you're looking for a book mainly focused on romance,you won't find it here.It is there,but it takes a back seat.
Dare and Mason are twins,the popular kids at school.But along with popularity comes envy sometimes...
When Mason goes missing the whole town is thrown into turmoil and just about everyone is under suspicion.Did I work it out? No,but I'd kind of lost interest to be honest.
Charlie is a super sluth,it's what he loves and having a mother in the Police Force has fuelled his interest.But this time it's personal because he's been crushing on Dare for a long time so when Dare asks for his help in finding out what happened to Mason,of course he's going to help.But is Dare just playing him?
What I enjoyed,
-I couldn't help but love Charlie,he's got a bit of a nerdy vibe going on which I love,
-Dare and Charlie are super cute together and when they do get down and dirty it's just enough for the story,
-Tameka,what a,kick ass character....I loved that girl.
What didn't quite work,
-like I said,just about anyone who acted slightly out of character was a suspect,
-Charlie,basically,solving the mystery before the police was a bit far fetched for me
Can't say much more without completing spoiling it.So,not a massive hit for me but enjoyable enough.
Review copy.
It pains me to not rate this higher because this Author is one of the best at writing totally engaging YA stories.This book is a lot different from the previous books I've read by her-maybe I was expecting something similar? That's not to say I think Authors should stick to the same formats,because of course they shouldn't-in fact I've got nothing but admiration for Authors who can be diverse in their writing.
If you're looking for a book mainly focused on romance,you won't find it here.It is there,but it takes a back seat.
Dare and Mason are twins,the popular kids at school.But along with popularity comes envy sometimes...
When Mason goes missing the whole town is thrown into turmoil and just about everyone is under suspicion.Did I work it out? No,but I'd kind of lost interest to be honest.
Charlie is a super sluth,it's what he loves and having a mother in the Police Force has fuelled his interest.But this time it's personal because he's been crushing on Dare for a long time so when Dare asks for his help in finding out what happened to Mason,of course he's going to help.But is Dare just playing him?
What I enjoyed,
-I couldn't help but love Charlie,he's got a bit of a nerdy vibe going on which I love,
-Dare and Charlie are super cute together and when they do get down and dirty it's just enough for the story,
-Tameka,what a,kick ass character....I loved that girl.
What didn't quite work,
-like I said,just about anyone who acted slightly out of character was a suspect,
-Charlie,basically,solving the mystery before the police was a bit far fetched for me
Can't say much more without completing spoiling it.So,not a massive hit for me but enjoyable enough.
Review copy.
October 24, 2018
Great start to a series.
Don't worry I'm not going to give anything away as far as the plot goes but I will talk about my experience with this book.
This being my first experience with Lascarso after her books filling up my GR feed I maybe had some lofty expectations, some of which were met. Where I think she sets herself apart is creating an atmosphere from the high school cliques to Boots (AWWWW!!! GET INTO MY POCKET!) to his relationship with his mother. She brought this small Florida town and its inhabitants to life by making the details of life in this community part of the narrative without weighing it down with info dumps.
This is a mystery first and foremost with Charlie Schiffer at the center of it, without him and Lascarso's deft touch in making him likable and relateable, the whole thing would've fallen apart. I connected with Charlie quickly-kind of an outcast after an kerfuffle with some classmates, a bit on the nerdy side, extremely intelligent, has some familial baggage and is the son of a police officer. Naturally inclined to be investigative and inquisitive leads him to the heart of this mystery.
See the rest on the blog then later here.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Don't worry I'm not going to give anything away as far as the plot goes but I will talk about my experience with this book.
This being my first experience with Lascarso after her books filling up my GR feed I maybe had some lofty expectations, some of which were met. Where I think she sets herself apart is creating an atmosphere from the high school cliques to Boots (AWWWW!!! GET INTO MY POCKET!) to his relationship with his mother. She brought this small Florida town and its inhabitants to life by making the details of life in this community part of the narrative without weighing it down with info dumps.
This is a mystery first and foremost with Charlie Schiffer at the center of it, without him and Lascarso's deft touch in making him likable and relateable, the whole thing would've fallen apart. I connected with Charlie quickly-kind of an outcast after an kerfuffle with some classmates, a bit on the nerdy side, extremely intelligent, has some familial baggage and is the son of a police officer. Naturally inclined to be investigative and inquisitive leads him to the heart of this mystery.
See the rest on the blog then later here.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2018
*** 3.5 Stars ***
Once again LL takes a risk and comes up with something different. I commended her bravery when I wrote my thoughts about Hiroku and I feel the need to mention it again. It take guts, experimenting, when you already know a win recipe. She embraces it fearlessly! So hats off, AGAIN!
Here are my thoughts about In the Pines,
The mystery was brilliantly done. She gave us a pic of all characters close to the boy who disappeared, in a way that led us to think that everyone was suspicious. His colleagues, a teacher, a coach and even his brother had been given a motive to be the one, in a very well done twisted way. Sufficient to say I had no idea who to blame until the very end.
So, why only 3.5 stars? I knew it was a mystery but deep down I was counting on more romance.
That being said, I feel bad for it because she does state the book as a Mystery. So, my bad. Totally on me.
I am content with the way the story ended since it gave me closure, so I can't help but wonder what book 2 will be about.
One thing for sure, I'll be reading it! After all, we never know... maybe she will deliver the romance I missed so much??? I am looking at you, dear Laura! ;-)
** Loved the cover!
ARC receveid in exchange for an honest review
Thank you!
Once again LL takes a risk and comes up with something different. I commended her bravery when I wrote my thoughts about Hiroku and I feel the need to mention it again. It take guts, experimenting, when you already know a win recipe. She embraces it fearlessly! So hats off, AGAIN!
Here are my thoughts about In the Pines,
The mystery was brilliantly done. She gave us a pic of all characters close to the boy who disappeared, in a way that led us to think that everyone was suspicious. His colleagues, a teacher, a coach and even his brother had been given a motive to be the one, in a very well done twisted way. Sufficient to say I had no idea who to blame until the very end.
So, why only 3.5 stars? I knew it was a mystery but deep down I was counting on more romance.
That being said, I feel bad for it because she does state the book as a Mystery. So, my bad. Totally on me.
I am content with the way the story ended since it gave me closure, so I can't help but wonder what book 2 will be about.
One thing for sure, I'll be reading it! After all, we never know... maybe she will deliver the romance I missed so much??? I am looking at you, dear Laura! ;-)
** Loved the cover!
ARC receveid in exchange for an honest review
Thank you!
October 7, 2018
THIS. WAS. SO. GOOD!!!
***This review contains a few SPOILERS. If you don't want to know any spoilers, stop reading here. I try to keep them to a minimum, but some I can't really work around.***
This book exceeded my expectations from the first page, and kept me glued to the pages until the end. I absolutely adored this book, and it is a must not miss one, especially if you've read this author before and loved her work. Her work continues to excel with this book.
I am one who loves romance and mystery together. Give me a good mystery with romance entwined in the story and I am one happy camper.
Put in a little Veronica Mars-like character/situation, and it's golden. Charlie is like a male Veronica Mars, although not as snarky and sarcastic, but equally as awesome - and adorable. Charlie is a 17 year old senior in high school, with a mother detective, and he definitely wants to follow in her footsteps, with plans to go to the University of Florida and study criminology.
Charlie's father has been dead for about 4 or so years before the start of this - I won't say more, so as to let you guys discover how and why.
But Charlie knows a little bit what it's like to lose someone, so when Dare, his crush of about two years, is put in that position with the death of his twin brother, - yep, it's not just a missing case, it turns into a murder mystery. And I didn't put that under spoilers because I can't really hide it. It isn't a kidnapping or missing persons case for long, and the rest of the story is the murder mystery, not a missing persons mystery - Charlie feels for him, and doesn't feel like he could be the one who could do that to his brother.
The blurb says Dare is Charlie's number one suspect, but I feel that is misleading. Not that Charlie rules it out, but he actually feels pretty damn sure Dare didn't do it throughout the book.
But what I loved is that, since this is all from Charlie's POV, the author puts in just enough doubt to make you as the reader wonder - and worry - that the boy Charlie is falling for is a criminal. A murderer. Because Charlie has feelings for Dare, pretty intense feelings, and could his insistence that Dare couldn't have done it be his feelings clouding his judgement? Or are his feelings precisely why he knows Dare couldn't have done it? Does he see more in Dare than anyone else - the good, the love for his brother?
But also, Dare is a thespian, a theater geek who usually stars in the productions - or has a big role, at least - so that means he can act, right? Although Charlie thinks he's a better singer than an actor - or is Dare a better actor than Charlie ever thought and has been playing him this whole time?
That's the crux of the issue throughout this book. Are we reading a guy playing Charlie and acting like he wants to find his brother's killer so it will seem like it isn't him - because the killer can't possibly want someone to investigate into it when they did the killing, right? But then it makes me think of shows like Criminal Minds when a few cases here and there had the killer inserting themselves into the investigation. So that doesn't rule Dare out.
But then also...is Dare just a grieving brother who wants revenge/justice and his grief and anger is motivating him?
That's the mystery of the book - and also, everyone else around Mason - Dare's twin brother - is suspicious.
That also something I adored about this book. Everyone was so damn suspicious except for Tameka, - Mason's girlfriend's friend (who was awesome, I loved her) - that I honestly wasn't sure of who it was.
At times I was like "Oh, it is SO them!" but then also "noo, wait...it could totally be them!" Everyone seemed to have a motive, or just made me damn suspicious, that I never had a solid person in my mind at any point until the end when everything was coming to a bang and the killer was revealed. Then it all made sense.
I love when a mystery can do that, make everyone seem suspicious and like they're hiding something, no matter how big or small, that could be why it happened. As Charlie thinks in the book: "People have killed for less" and I won't say what that line is in reference to haha.
But, you know, I wondered to myself if the author was making this a romance mystery, or just a mystery. It made me doubt Dare too, who didn't have a solid alibi and a motive, as week as it felt to me (some things don't matter to you, but might matter to someone else.), but at the same time I was enjoying him and Charlie together.
Charlie's crush on Dare was adorable - but once he and Dare really started to get to know each other, it became more than a crush. A part of me was wondering if Dare was playing Charlie the whole time, but then another part of me felt it was genuine, and that part of me loved their scenes together. They had chemistry.
And I feel like I can't say much about their relationship because it could give stuff away. Because Dare's a suspect too, so is this romance...or a charade of romance?
I bet you guys can guess, if you read my tags and the fact that I am not raging right now (because I would have, if it turned out the way I feared.) But even feeling like it couldn't go the way I feared because this WAS also a romance, right? It still made me doubt and it made me sit on the edge of my seat, regardless of what I kept telling myself. Which is a mark of amazing writing, too.
And this is only the first in a series - I have no idea how many books there will be - so hopefully
The only thing I have to say that is slightly negative about this book is that the police felt like they were somewhat incompetent compared to Charlie (which also rings of Veronica Mars-esque) which isn't that realistic. Especially when Charlie's mother is supposedly one of the best detectives on the force - and also, why didn't she want to work with Charlie on the case when he has in the past? Helped her out as an assistant, I mean? I guess because he was too close to this one, but really her obstinance was more of a hinderance in the case than helpful.
I know police also have to deal with red tape and the law and all that where Charlie doesn't - but mostly, except for a time or two, he was just going around talking to people, asking questions, which the police are more than capable of doing. Like why wasn't Charlie's mom the one really asking Mason's girlfriend the tough questions? Or was it because Charlie wasn't a cop that people seemed to talk more easily? I don't know. But the cops seemed to be taking too long with their investigation, is all I'm saying.
But that could just be that one day Charlie will be the best detective they have, it seems. And it may seem like I'm saying that Charlie is better than the police force and being a detective, but that's just because I'm totally saying that.
So should you guys read this awesome Veronica Mars-esque, romance/mystery thriller? Hell fucking yes! I absolutely adored this book.
And yes,
I can't wait for you guys to read this is as well, because it's amazing and awesome and fun and intriguing and edge-of-your-seat, non-stop "whodunnit" action with some glorious romance woven into it all.
Highly Recommend! <3
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
***This review contains a few SPOILERS. If you don't want to know any spoilers, stop reading here. I try to keep them to a minimum, but some I can't really work around.***
This book exceeded my expectations from the first page, and kept me glued to the pages until the end. I absolutely adored this book, and it is a must not miss one, especially if you've read this author before and loved her work. Her work continues to excel with this book.
I am one who loves romance and mystery together. Give me a good mystery with romance entwined in the story and I am one happy camper.
Put in a little Veronica Mars-like character/situation, and it's golden. Charlie is like a male Veronica Mars, although not as snarky and sarcastic, but equally as awesome - and adorable. Charlie is a 17 year old senior in high school, with a mother detective, and he definitely wants to follow in her footsteps, with plans to go to the University of Florida and study criminology.
Charlie's father has been dead for about 4 or so years before the start of this - I won't say more, so as to let you guys discover how and why.
But Charlie knows a little bit what it's like to lose someone, so when Dare, his crush of about two years, is put in that position with the death of his twin brother, - yep, it's not just a missing case, it turns into a murder mystery. And I didn't put that under spoilers because I can't really hide it. It isn't a kidnapping or missing persons case for long, and the rest of the story is the murder mystery, not a missing persons mystery - Charlie feels for him, and doesn't feel like he could be the one who could do that to his brother.
The blurb says Dare is Charlie's number one suspect, but I feel that is misleading. Not that Charlie rules it out, but he actually feels pretty damn sure Dare didn't do it throughout the book.
But what I loved is that, since this is all from Charlie's POV, the author puts in just enough doubt to make you as the reader wonder - and worry - that the boy Charlie is falling for is a criminal. A murderer. Because Charlie has feelings for Dare, pretty intense feelings, and could his insistence that Dare couldn't have done it be his feelings clouding his judgement? Or are his feelings precisely why he knows Dare couldn't have done it? Does he see more in Dare than anyone else - the good, the love for his brother?
But also, Dare is a thespian, a theater geek who usually stars in the productions - or has a big role, at least - so that means he can act, right? Although Charlie thinks he's a better singer than an actor - or is Dare a better actor than Charlie ever thought and has been playing him this whole time?
That's the crux of the issue throughout this book. Are we reading a guy playing Charlie and acting like he wants to find his brother's killer so it will seem like it isn't him - because the killer can't possibly want someone to investigate into it when they did the killing, right? But then it makes me think of shows like Criminal Minds when a few cases here and there had the killer inserting themselves into the investigation. So that doesn't rule Dare out.
But then also...is Dare just a grieving brother who wants revenge/justice and his grief and anger is motivating him?
That's the mystery of the book - and also, everyone else around Mason - Dare's twin brother - is suspicious.
That also something I adored about this book. Everyone was so damn suspicious except for Tameka, - Mason's girlfriend's friend (who was awesome, I loved her) - that I honestly wasn't sure of who it was.
At times I was like "Oh, it is SO them!" but then also "noo, wait...it could totally be them!" Everyone seemed to have a motive, or just made me damn suspicious, that I never had a solid person in my mind at any point until the end when everything was coming to a bang and the killer was revealed. Then it all made sense.
I love when a mystery can do that, make everyone seem suspicious and like they're hiding something, no matter how big or small, that could be why it happened. As Charlie thinks in the book: "People have killed for less" and I won't say what that line is in reference to haha.
But, you know, I wondered to myself if the author was making this a romance mystery, or just a mystery. It made me doubt Dare too, who didn't have a solid alibi and a motive, as week as it felt to me (some things don't matter to you, but might matter to someone else.), but at the same time I was enjoying him and Charlie together.
Charlie's crush on Dare was adorable - but once he and Dare really started to get to know each other, it became more than a crush. A part of me was wondering if Dare was playing Charlie the whole time, but then another part of me felt it was genuine, and that part of me loved their scenes together. They had chemistry.
And I feel like I can't say much about their relationship because it could give stuff away. Because Dare's a suspect too, so is this romance...or a charade of romance?
I bet you guys can guess, if you read my tags and the fact that I am not raging right now (because I would have, if it turned out the way I feared.) But even feeling like it couldn't go the way I feared because this WAS also a romance, right? It still made me doubt and it made me sit on the edge of my seat, regardless of what I kept telling myself. Which is a mark of amazing writing, too.
And this is only the first in a series - I have no idea how many books there will be - so hopefully
The only thing I have to say that is slightly negative about this book is that the police felt like they were somewhat incompetent compared to Charlie (which also rings of Veronica Mars-esque) which isn't that realistic. Especially when Charlie's mother is supposedly one of the best detectives on the force - and also, why didn't she want to work with Charlie on the case when he has in the past? Helped her out as an assistant, I mean? I guess because he was too close to this one, but really her obstinance was more of a hinderance in the case than helpful.
I know police also have to deal with red tape and the law and all that where Charlie doesn't - but mostly, except for a time or two, he was just going around talking to people, asking questions, which the police are more than capable of doing. Like why wasn't Charlie's mom the one really asking Mason's girlfriend the tough questions? Or was it because Charlie wasn't a cop that people seemed to talk more easily? I don't know. But the cops seemed to be taking too long with their investigation, is all I'm saying.
But that could just be that one day Charlie will be the best detective they have, it seems. And it may seem like I'm saying that Charlie is better than the police force and being a detective, but that's just because I'm totally saying that.
So should you guys read this awesome Veronica Mars-esque, romance/mystery thriller? Hell fucking yes! I absolutely adored this book.
And yes,
I can't wait for you guys to read this is as well, because it's amazing and awesome and fun and intriguing and edge-of-your-seat, non-stop "whodunnit" action with some glorious romance woven into it all.
Highly Recommend! <3
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
December 6, 2018
IN THE PINES is kind of like a gender-reversal Veronica Mars but without all the backstory drama. Intrepid dorky teen Charlie Schiffer, son of a local detective, is well versed in crime from time spent pouring over cases with his mum. But though he has always enjoyed the thrill of sussing out the clues in the case of the week, he never quite expected things to hit so close to home. But when a local boy, twin to Charlie's crush, is found gruesomely murdered.. everyone is suspect and Charlie, egged on by a grieving Dare, is on the case. Despite his mother's wishes.
Other kids got a rush from winning wrestling matches or performing on stage or acing a test. For me, it was helping to solve a crime.
I enjoyed how twisty this mystery was and all the people who had reasons to lie, or hide the (unrelated) truth, and how those secrets came out. I liked how almost everyone took a turn at being guilty until proven innocent, even our MC, and really enjoyed the sweet slow burny -- but deliciously intense -- romance and how that was navigated whilst in the midst of grief and emotional upheaval. Also I really really loved Tameka, the cheerleader Charlie recruits to be his eyes and ears and social media sleuth. I think she was my favourite character and, together, they were a fantastic little duo.
I'm really looking to more from this series but lets be real : I'm going to read whatever this author puts out. Highly recommend for those who like their YA a little less cookie cutter or fluffy.
3.5 "rumours spread faster than gonorrhea, both unfortunate side effects of living in a small town" stars
** I received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Other kids got a rush from winning wrestling matches or performing on stage or acing a test. For me, it was helping to solve a crime.
I enjoyed how twisty this mystery was and all the people who had reasons to lie, or hide the (unrelated) truth, and how those secrets came out. I liked how almost everyone took a turn at being guilty until proven innocent, even our MC, and really enjoyed the sweet slow burny -- but deliciously intense -- romance and how that was navigated whilst in the midst of grief and emotional upheaval. Also I really really loved Tameka, the cheerleader Charlie recruits to be his eyes and ears and social media sleuth. I think she was my favourite character and, together, they were a fantastic little duo.
I'm really looking to more from this series but lets be real : I'm going to read whatever this author puts out. Highly recommend for those who like their YA a little less cookie cutter or fluffy.
3.5 "rumours spread faster than gonorrhea, both unfortunate side effects of living in a small town" stars
** I received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Want to read
October 21, 2018SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY. After Hiroku, Lascarso is an auto-buy.
October 4, 2024
Yeahhhhh, no. This did not work for me. At all.
I love the idea of this book, gay high school kid investigating a murder. I love the idea of it so much I read the whole thing, when honestly I'd have dnf'd it by 15% or so if it was anything else.
My problem is the writing. I don't mean in the mechanical sense. Lascarso strings the words together in a sensible order and puts the punctuation in appropriate places. From a storytelling skills perspective there were one or two points I thought she slipped in a detail about a character way, way, way beyond the point it was acceptable to be introducing new facts, but that's minor compared to the voice.
In the Pines is told in first person from the point of view of Florida high school junior Charlie Schiffer, and quite honestly I can not recall ever having read a less believable teenage male, or cast of characters in general. It's not unusual in books with teen characters for them to simply come off feeling like adults in kid's clothing, or grade school kids playing at being much older. This felt like neither of those to me, it was more like they were written in the way someone wished teenagers behaved. Their dialog, their attitudes, their relationships with each other and with their parents just weren't believable for me and that blocked my ability to just get lost and enjoy the plot, which actually I think was decent.
If not for my issues with the voice, I think I would have enjoyed this quite a bit. But it was not to be...
I love the idea of this book, gay high school kid investigating a murder. I love the idea of it so much I read the whole thing, when honestly I'd have dnf'd it by 15% or so if it was anything else.
My problem is the writing. I don't mean in the mechanical sense. Lascarso strings the words together in a sensible order and puts the punctuation in appropriate places. From a storytelling skills perspective there were one or two points I thought she slipped in a detail about a character way, way, way beyond the point it was acceptable to be introducing new facts, but that's minor compared to the voice.
In the Pines is told in first person from the point of view of Florida high school junior Charlie Schiffer, and quite honestly I can not recall ever having read a less believable teenage male, or cast of characters in general. It's not unusual in books with teen characters for them to simply come off feeling like adults in kid's clothing, or grade school kids playing at being much older. This felt like neither of those to me, it was more like they were written in the way someone wished teenagers behaved. Their dialog, their attitudes, their relationships with each other and with their parents just weren't believable for me and that blocked my ability to just get lost and enjoy the plot, which actually I think was decent.
If not for my issues with the voice, I think I would have enjoyed this quite a bit. But it was not to be...
October 16, 2018
4.25 MYSTERIOUS STARS Fanstastic high school murder mystery with slow burn romance. I could. It wait to get my hands on Laura Lacaruso’s next book, I have enjoyed every story. This was quite a change from anything I have read from her as and recently. for me high school books I can be picky, IMO all the characters were portrayed very realistic without the OTT drama. The chemistry was natural and worked well into the story between soling the mystery. For me I could not put this down, I needed to know “who did it” and where it was going from the minute I began. Looking forward to more from this author.
October 27, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Laura Lascarso is back with a new release, In the Pines, the first in what seems to be a new series starring one Charlie Schiffer. Charlie isn’t your usual high school student. He is on the college-bound track at school, taking most courses for college credit, and has been helping his mom with investigations since he was in middle school. Being bright, intuitive, and old beyond his years still doesn’t make Charlie any less immune to an ongoing crush on one of the most popular boys in school, Dare Chalmers. Dare is a fraternal twin to his brother Mason, who is the school’s top athlete. When Mason goes missing and is later found dead, Dare calls on Charlie to help him find the murderer. Time spent together bring the two boys closer and both admit to their attraction before long. But there is a lot of mystery surrounding Mason’s death and Charlie secretly worries that he is being blinded by Dare’s attentions and therefore missing the twin’s possible involvement.
What this author does well is the mystery portion of this novel. It’s a solid whodunnit and she offers up several red herrings before dropping the bomb as to who actually did the murder. This is a fast-paced story and it certainly kept me captivated. What I struggled with is exactly how to label this story. Due to on the page sex that was rather explicit, I can hardly call it a young adult, and yet these were both high school boys and therefore it really can’t be a new adult either. The other problem I had was how Charlie’s voice gained a great deal of maturity at times, especially during the sex scenes. I could accept that Charlie was different—way more mature than most his age and a kind of junior detective to boot. However, the language the author chose to revert to in describing the sex took on a decided adult tone and for Charlie, who was a virgin—never even having kissed before, that was a bit of a stretch. This proved so out of character that it actually yanked me out of the scene for a moment and made me shake my head in disbelief.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Laura Lascarso is back with a new release, In the Pines, the first in what seems to be a new series starring one Charlie Schiffer. Charlie isn’t your usual high school student. He is on the college-bound track at school, taking most courses for college credit, and has been helping his mom with investigations since he was in middle school. Being bright, intuitive, and old beyond his years still doesn’t make Charlie any less immune to an ongoing crush on one of the most popular boys in school, Dare Chalmers. Dare is a fraternal twin to his brother Mason, who is the school’s top athlete. When Mason goes missing and is later found dead, Dare calls on Charlie to help him find the murderer. Time spent together bring the two boys closer and both admit to their attraction before long. But there is a lot of mystery surrounding Mason’s death and Charlie secretly worries that he is being blinded by Dare’s attentions and therefore missing the twin’s possible involvement.
What this author does well is the mystery portion of this novel. It’s a solid whodunnit and she offers up several red herrings before dropping the bomb as to who actually did the murder. This is a fast-paced story and it certainly kept me captivated. What I struggled with is exactly how to label this story. Due to on the page sex that was rather explicit, I can hardly call it a young adult, and yet these were both high school boys and therefore it really can’t be a new adult either. The other problem I had was how Charlie’s voice gained a great deal of maturity at times, especially during the sex scenes. I could accept that Charlie was different—way more mature than most his age and a kind of junior detective to boot. However, the language the author chose to revert to in describing the sex took on a decided adult tone and for Charlie, who was a virgin—never even having kissed before, that was a bit of a stretch. This proved so out of character that it actually yanked me out of the scene for a moment and made me shake my head in disbelief.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
August 6, 2020
Riveting!!
I had a tiring day of travelling and lack of sleep. But I stayed up soooo late to finish this. And to think I had planned an early night! 😆
Anyway, definitely riveting. It kinda gave had me guessing till the very end. I’d have given this 5 stars in my exhausted, sleep deprived state. But when I got up this morning, it occurred to me that a few things in the story didn’t quite make enough sense. It’s like when a boxer pulls his punch at the last minute. It felt kinda like that for me.
But don’t get me wrong. Still riveting. Just wasn’t sure Ms Lascarso has the best crime strategy or not 🤔
I had a tiring day of travelling and lack of sleep. But I stayed up soooo late to finish this. And to think I had planned an early night! 😆
Anyway, definitely riveting. It kinda gave had me guessing till the very end. I’d have given this 5 stars in my exhausted, sleep deprived state. But when I got up this morning, it occurred to me that a few things in the story didn’t quite make enough sense. It’s like when a boxer pulls his punch at the last minute. It felt kinda like that for me.
But don’t get me wrong. Still riveting. Just wasn’t sure Ms Lascarso has the best crime strategy or not 🤔
October 26, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up. This was OK, but from a murder/mystery POV, was fairly easy to work out. I would assume the YA angle was supposed to drag YA fans in, although I should warn you that this is primarily a murder mystery as opposed to a romance...the guys are only 17 after all, but things do change towards the end of the story.
Of course, this is fiction and Charlie Schiffer, the amateur sleuth somehow seemed to be much more competent than the Gainesville PD [of which his mum was a detective]. He had modern day technology at his disposal of course, and the help of the wonderful Tameka [you go girl!!] who poked, pried and prodded into various social media accounts and gave Charlie [or Dick as she sarcastically called him] lots of help. Will this be a group effort from now on with Charlie, Dare, Tameka and also include Daniela and Joey??
***Major Niggle. Can I please point out Dreamspinner that the Chalmers as a family are just that...the CHALMERS, and not Chalmerses as they were called for 95% of the story. Editing quality nowadays even at DsP is completely pathetic.***
Of course, this is fiction and Charlie Schiffer, the amateur sleuth somehow seemed to be much more competent than the Gainesville PD [of which his mum was a detective]. He had modern day technology at his disposal of course, and the help of the wonderful Tameka [you go girl!!] who poked, pried and prodded into various social media accounts and gave Charlie [or Dick as she sarcastically called him] lots of help. Will this be a group effort from now on with Charlie, Dare, Tameka and also include Daniela and Joey??
***Major Niggle. Can I please point out Dreamspinner that the Chalmers as a family are just that...the CHALMERS, and not Chalmerses as they were called for 95% of the story. Editing quality nowadays even at DsP is completely pathetic.***
December 6, 2018
3.75 stars rounded up
I liked Lascarso's books previously, and since I still had that 'mystery' mood I decided to pick this one up. Even if it has high school students as main heroes, which is never my favorite kind of amateur sleuths. Luckily, Charlie Schiffer, the main character in this book, is a son of REAL police detective (and it's his mom, not his dad, yay!) so he sort of have training in sleuthing. Which makes things more plausible :)
The mystery in this book is related to the murder of Mason Chalmers, a popular jock, homecoming king, and twin brother of Dare Chalmers, whom Charlie has crush on. This is quite heartbreaking to read -- I can't imagine how it feels to lose a twin. I mean, I always read about that twin connection, and Dare losing his twin brother like so, it must be very tough on him. The murder is pretty gruesome too.
I liked the mystery enough, I liked the investigation enough ... I might need more to be convinced about Charlie and Dare as a couple though. Even if it's said that both are crushing one another without the other one knowing, it is a TRAGEDY that makes them closer. I guess I want to see how they are without Dare's demons -- his missing Mason so much -- hanging around them.
Which means I need FOLLOW UP of this book ^^
I liked Lascarso's books previously, and since I still had that 'mystery' mood I decided to pick this one up. Even if it has high school students as main heroes, which is never my favorite kind of amateur sleuths. Luckily, Charlie Schiffer, the main character in this book, is a son of REAL police detective (and it's his mom, not his dad, yay!) so he sort of have training in sleuthing. Which makes things more plausible :)
That's what my mom does for a living, investigates homicides, and I help.
If it were up to me, I'd spend all my time sifting through police reports, studying lab analyses, and listening to witness testimony, but unfortunately there was this thing that kept getting in my way.
High school.
The mystery in this book is related to the murder of Mason Chalmers, a popular jock, homecoming king, and twin brother of Dare Chalmers, whom Charlie has crush on. This is quite heartbreaking to read -- I can't imagine how it feels to lose a twin. I mean, I always read about that twin connection, and Dare losing his twin brother like so, it must be very tough on him. The murder is pretty gruesome too.
I liked the mystery enough, I liked the investigation enough ... I might need more to be convinced about Charlie and Dare as a couple though. Even if it's said that both are crushing one another without the other one knowing, it is a TRAGEDY that makes them closer. I guess I want to see how they are without Dare's demons -- his missing Mason so much -- hanging around them.
Which means I need FOLLOW UP of this book ^^
January 9, 2019
Overall, the story was good. I liked Charlie, I liked his relationship with his mum and with Dare. But, in the end, this book made me feel really sad.
November 20, 2018
4.5 stars!
Very interested book and a little sad.
Charlie is 17 years old when Mason, a guy from his high school, goes missing. Mason is Dare’s twin brother and Dare is also Charlie’s crush for a very long time. Charlie most of the time helps his mom with her cases, and this one he really wants to get involved. His mom disapproves of this decision because she is scared something will happen to him if he goes around asking questions and looking for who did it. But Charlie likes Dare and wants to help him find
I liked Charlie and the fact he wanted to help Dare because he knows about losing someone you love since he lost his dad years ago and is still straggling with it. Dare on the other hand took me a while to warm up. My mind was always on the fact that he could be the one that hurt Mason. So I was always wondering if it was him.
The relationship between Charlie and Dare was okay. It neither excited me nor turned me off. It could have been avoided but it was nice.
I felt bad about Dare. And I really connected with Mason from the very first pages and seeing that he goes missing and then things happening, it really saddened me.
On my mind I kind of guessed who did it. I mean, it was pretty obvious. But I had no idea on the motive and why. Facts changed a lot throughout the story and the blame could be pointed at different people. I was unsure. But I liked it a lot.
Highly recommend it!
Very interested book and a little sad.
Charlie is 17 years old when Mason, a guy from his high school, goes missing. Mason is Dare’s twin brother and Dare is also Charlie’s crush for a very long time. Charlie most of the time helps his mom with her cases, and this one he really wants to get involved. His mom disapproves of this decision because she is scared something will happen to him if he goes around asking questions and looking for who did it. But Charlie likes Dare and wants to help him find
I liked Charlie and the fact he wanted to help Dare because he knows about losing someone you love since he lost his dad years ago and is still straggling with it. Dare on the other hand took me a while to warm up. My mind was always on the fact that he could be the one that hurt Mason. So I was always wondering if it was him.
The relationship between Charlie and Dare was okay. It neither excited me nor turned me off. It could have been avoided but it was nice.
I felt bad about Dare. And I really connected with Mason from the very first pages and seeing that he goes missing and then things happening, it really saddened me.
On my mind I kind of guessed who did it. I mean, it was pretty obvious. But I had no idea on the motive and why. Facts changed a lot throughout the story and the blame could be pointed at different people. I was unsure. But I liked it a lot.
Highly recommend it!
November 13, 2018
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
The most exciting part of finishing this book is the subtitle—”A Charlie Schiffer Mystery.” That means Lascarso is nowhere near finished with Charlie, Dare, and the drama of Eastview High and Paynes Prairie, Florida. I could easily devour about a dozen more of these mysteries. They cannot come soon enough!
It took me a few chapters to warm up to Charlie, the shy son of a local detective who has always helped his mom with her cases. He edges into precociousness here and there, sounding more like a 40-year-old than a teenager, but he finds his voice quickly. He prefers the quiet life of an introvert—a mom he loves, a perfect dog, and the possibility of juicy local cases that will help him sharpen his detective skills. He’s also nursing a years-long crush on Dare Chalmers, the charismatic prince of Drama Club who rules the school with his twin brother, Mason.
When Mason goes missing on the night of the twins’ birthday party, the mystery unfolds quietly and steadily. The suspect list grows longer, the evidence fits together piece by piece. Charlie soon becomes Dare’s source of support, but his mother warns him that Dare himself might be the prime suspect. When Mason’s disappearance hits a horrifying fever pitch, the small-town stakes are raised, and Charlie sets out to solve the case. This book is a great example of a classic mystery. Once we think we know who did it, the tables turn, and we’re back to guessing again. It’s a formula that absolutely works—and definitely pays off in the nail-biting climax.
I like the growing dynamic between Charlie and the other high school students as he methodically questions them about the case. Some, like Mason’s girlfriend Daniela and curious cheerleader Tameka, are eager to help. But others raise an eyebrow as Charlie’s inquisitive nature. He’s only one of them, after all—he’s not a cop. And due to an SAT cheating ring he infiltrated the year before, his peers still see him as a traitor. But Charlie takes his role as junior investigator pretty seriously, and even though his methods can be clunky, he tends to get the job done. He’s mellow and affable, not prone to drama or turning heads, making him the ideal man to fly under the radar.
Charlie and Dare are absolutely wonderful together. Their relationship grows slowly—Dare is grieving, and Charlie has never even kissed anyone before. But Dare trusts Charlie in a way he can’t trust anyone else, even his parents, and Charlie is always a cool-headed, steady rock to lean against. Charlie is shy, but he knows what he wants, and he vows to be the stability Dare craves. Despite Dare being outgoing and popular, he’s still a teenager figuring himself out, and his earnest courtship with Charlie is achingly adorable. I’ve noticed in previous Lascarso works that the heat level gets pretty high for teen characters, but this one simmers at a high PG-13 level that will probably go up in future works.
Another of Lascarso’s 2018 releases, When Everything Is Blue, is one of my favorite YA romances of the year so far. Now this one is definitely high up on my list, too. She captures teenage melancholy so well, and she writes younger characters with both sympathy and a hint of justified humor. I think she’s still finding that perfect teenage voice, but I can only see her works getting better and better.
This is a truly excellent mystery, romance, and young adult thriller. It’s a great start to a series that will hopefully last a long, long time.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
The most exciting part of finishing this book is the subtitle—”A Charlie Schiffer Mystery.” That means Lascarso is nowhere near finished with Charlie, Dare, and the drama of Eastview High and Paynes Prairie, Florida. I could easily devour about a dozen more of these mysteries. They cannot come soon enough!
It took me a few chapters to warm up to Charlie, the shy son of a local detective who has always helped his mom with her cases. He edges into precociousness here and there, sounding more like a 40-year-old than a teenager, but he finds his voice quickly. He prefers the quiet life of an introvert—a mom he loves, a perfect dog, and the possibility of juicy local cases that will help him sharpen his detective skills. He’s also nursing a years-long crush on Dare Chalmers, the charismatic prince of Drama Club who rules the school with his twin brother, Mason.
When Mason goes missing on the night of the twins’ birthday party, the mystery unfolds quietly and steadily. The suspect list grows longer, the evidence fits together piece by piece. Charlie soon becomes Dare’s source of support, but his mother warns him that Dare himself might be the prime suspect. When Mason’s disappearance hits a horrifying fever pitch, the small-town stakes are raised, and Charlie sets out to solve the case. This book is a great example of a classic mystery. Once we think we know who did it, the tables turn, and we’re back to guessing again. It’s a formula that absolutely works—and definitely pays off in the nail-biting climax.
I like the growing dynamic between Charlie and the other high school students as he methodically questions them about the case. Some, like Mason’s girlfriend Daniela and curious cheerleader Tameka, are eager to help. But others raise an eyebrow as Charlie’s inquisitive nature. He’s only one of them, after all—he’s not a cop. And due to an SAT cheating ring he infiltrated the year before, his peers still see him as a traitor. But Charlie takes his role as junior investigator pretty seriously, and even though his methods can be clunky, he tends to get the job done. He’s mellow and affable, not prone to drama or turning heads, making him the ideal man to fly under the radar.
Charlie and Dare are absolutely wonderful together. Their relationship grows slowly—Dare is grieving, and Charlie has never even kissed anyone before. But Dare trusts Charlie in a way he can’t trust anyone else, even his parents, and Charlie is always a cool-headed, steady rock to lean against. Charlie is shy, but he knows what he wants, and he vows to be the stability Dare craves. Despite Dare being outgoing and popular, he’s still a teenager figuring himself out, and his earnest courtship with Charlie is achingly adorable. I’ve noticed in previous Lascarso works that the heat level gets pretty high for teen characters, but this one simmers at a high PG-13 level that will probably go up in future works.
Another of Lascarso’s 2018 releases, When Everything Is Blue, is one of my favorite YA romances of the year so far. Now this one is definitely high up on my list, too. She captures teenage melancholy so well, and she writes younger characters with both sympathy and a hint of justified humor. I think she’s still finding that perfect teenage voice, but I can only see her works getting better and better.
This is a truly excellent mystery, romance, and young adult thriller. It’s a great start to a series that will hopefully last a long, long time.
October 25, 2018
4 / 5 Stars
I have read some of the author's previous works and she has a unique style able to captivete you.
First things first, I'm in love with the cover, it suits the story so well. I hope the rest of the series have similar ones.
Now onto the book itself (I will try not to give important spoilers). It's an absorbing, Y/A, mystery-murder, slow-burn romance story. The characters are good, bad, show their flaws and act as they should, like teenagers, which is good because I dislike when they act like 30 something. It has all the right elements to be amazing. And it is most of the time.
I really liked Charlie, he's sweet and in his own world but not the typical geek that doesn't interact with others. Dare is ok, he has an exuberant personality, my only problem with him is that in the last part of the book he lost all common sense and did "that" stupid thing that put they at risk. Daniela is better than she first seemed and Tameka is awesome and funny. Now the mystery was good but by the end I kind of think I know what's going on... and I thought the reason would be more... "important". But then again, killing someone is not always done for important reasons.
Overall, the book is interesting and I really enjoyed it, it left me wondering what else is going to happen to these characters. And I also want Charlie and Dare's newly-found relationship to have more development.
I have read some of the author's previous works and she has a unique style able to captivete you.
First things first, I'm in love with the cover, it suits the story so well. I hope the rest of the series have similar ones.
Now onto the book itself (I will try not to give important spoilers). It's an absorbing, Y/A, mystery-murder, slow-burn romance story. The characters are good, bad, show their flaws and act as they should, like teenagers, which is good because I dislike when they act like 30 something. It has all the right elements to be amazing. And it is most of the time.
I really liked Charlie, he's sweet and in his own world but not the typical geek that doesn't interact with others. Dare is ok, he has an exuberant personality, my only problem with him is that in the last part of the book he lost all common sense and did "that" stupid thing that put they at risk. Daniela is better than she first seemed and Tameka is awesome and funny. Now the mystery was good but by the end I kind of think I know what's going on... and I thought the reason would be more... "important". But then again, killing someone is not always done for important reasons.
Overall, the book is interesting and I really enjoyed it, it left me wondering what else is going to happen to these characters. And I also want Charlie and Dare's newly-found relationship to have more development.
November 5, 2022
Charlie Schiffer, dix-sept ans, est le fils de l'une des inspectrices de police de sa petite ville d'Eastview. Assez solitaire et introverti, il peine à se remettre du suicide de son père cinq ans plus tôt et est profondément épris de justice et de vérité, ce qui a mis sa côte de popularité en berne quand il a piégé Mason Chalmers, l'un des jeunes princes de la ville, le forçant à avouer qu'il a participé à une tricherie pour avoir de bonnes notes. D'autant plus difficile pour Charlie qu'il a un gros béguin pour Dare Chalmers, le frère jumeau de Mason, depuis plusieurs années, mais il fait avec, se contentant de l'admirer de loin et d'avoir tenu le rôle de "cale-porte" dans la pièce de théâtre dont Dare était le héros...
Mais quand Mason disparait, n'apparaissant pas à sa propre fête d'anniversaire (à laquelle d'ailleurs Dare l'avait invité, à sa grande surprise), il décide de mener l'enquête, après tout, il a même une carte en tant que membre de la police adjoint et ce n'est pas pour rien que ses camarades de lycée l'appellent Dick Tracy. Et puis il est d'autant plus motivé que Dare lui-même lui demande son aide. Mais une découverte macabre va faire monter d'un cran le désespoir de Dare et le duo d'enquêteurs va devoir faire preuve de courage, d'esprit de déduction, de réflexion, de négociation avec la mère de Charlie pour tenter de trouver le fin mot de l'histoire, chacun dans cette petite ville ayant des choses à cacher... et leur attirance mutuelle peut aussi brouiller les pistes.
Je découvre la plume de l'auteur, fluide et moderne, bien rendue par une bonne traduction, mise au service d'une enquête plutôt intéressante, plus dans le déroulé des évènements que dans sa résolution, j'avoue avoir trouvé très rapidement la solution. C'est donc plus dans les révélations de chacun au fil des questions de Charlie, les parts d'ombre des habitants de cette petite ville, et en parallèle l'évolution de la relation entre les deux adolescents que j'ai trouvé l'intérêt de ce roman. Après, je me demande comment un ado de dix-sept ans peut participer ainsi à des enquêtes (vu que c'est comme ça qu'il a eu son surnom et sa carte de membre de la police). La relation entre les deux adolescents est mignonne, plutôt saine finalement, même si je trouve que la personnalité de Dare n'est pas assez fouillée, mais comme ce n'est que le premier tome, je me dis que ça viendra peut-être dans les suivants... Les personnages secondaires sont plutôt agréables et la sexualité de chacun n'est finalement qu'anecdotique, pas de coming-out tonitruant, tout se passe crème et ça fait du bien.
Bref, un premier roman qui présente un jeune héros plutôt sympathique et dont j'ai hâte de lire la suite des aventures, je me demande si l'auteur va arriver à garder ce mélange intéressant d'enquête et de romance, en toute logique, Dare ne sera pas si impliqué dans la suite.
Mais quand Mason disparait, n'apparaissant pas à sa propre fête d'anniversaire (à laquelle d'ailleurs Dare l'avait invité, à sa grande surprise), il décide de mener l'enquête, après tout, il a même une carte en tant que membre de la police adjoint et ce n'est pas pour rien que ses camarades de lycée l'appellent Dick Tracy. Et puis il est d'autant plus motivé que Dare lui-même lui demande son aide. Mais une découverte macabre va faire monter d'un cran le désespoir de Dare et le duo d'enquêteurs va devoir faire preuve de courage, d'esprit de déduction, de réflexion, de négociation avec la mère de Charlie pour tenter de trouver le fin mot de l'histoire, chacun dans cette petite ville ayant des choses à cacher... et leur attirance mutuelle peut aussi brouiller les pistes.
Je découvre la plume de l'auteur, fluide et moderne, bien rendue par une bonne traduction, mise au service d'une enquête plutôt intéressante, plus dans le déroulé des évènements que dans sa résolution, j'avoue avoir trouvé très rapidement la solution. C'est donc plus dans les révélations de chacun au fil des questions de Charlie, les parts d'ombre des habitants de cette petite ville, et en parallèle l'évolution de la relation entre les deux adolescents que j'ai trouvé l'intérêt de ce roman. Après, je me demande comment un ado de dix-sept ans peut participer ainsi à des enquêtes (vu que c'est comme ça qu'il a eu son surnom et sa carte de membre de la police). La relation entre les deux adolescents est mignonne, plutôt saine finalement, même si je trouve que la personnalité de Dare n'est pas assez fouillée, mais comme ce n'est que le premier tome, je me dis que ça viendra peut-être dans les suivants... Les personnages secondaires sont plutôt agréables et la sexualité de chacun n'est finalement qu'anecdotique, pas de coming-out tonitruant, tout se passe crème et ça fait du bien.
Bref, un premier roman qui présente un jeune héros plutôt sympathique et dont j'ai hâte de lire la suite des aventures, je me demande si l'auteur va arriver à garder ce mélange intéressant d'enquête et de romance, en toute logique, Dare ne sera pas si impliqué dans la suite.
July 16, 2021
Readers should be warned that this seems to be a standalone mystery (despite the #1 titular flag) as no subsequent offering to the series has been produced since this was published. That said, this read like Twin Peaks, Melrose Place and Riverdale all mashed together with interesting MCs and a good array of suspects and motivations. The investigative plot pacing was blended nicely with the M-M romance storyline.
My main quibbles are the narrative voices seemed too mature for 17-18 year olds and the occasional jarring passage such as:
My main quibbles are the narrative voices seemed too mature for 17-18 year olds and the occasional jarring passage such as:
Around here rumors spread faster than gonorrhea, both unfortunate side effects of living in a small town.I guess readers are also meant to accept the 'Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew' premise of local enforcement accepting 'advice and assistance' from teen-aged sleuths (irregardless of Charlie's mother being an Eastview PD officer). 3 stars overall.
March 27, 2020
I like Charlie Schiffer, he is great strong main character. His personality was pulling and friendly. I liked how Charlie behaved with Dare and how he went around his own mom to solve the same murder, she was paid to solve. Charlie has his own demons to fight with, like his fathers death. Nonetheless, his relationship with his mom was strong and fantastic for the entire time. I loved that part of the story. The criminal mystery behind Masons murder was well-developed and written. Ending was acceptable, I liked it.
November 16, 2018
Euhmmm Where did the book go? LOL I mean, I've finished it in a day and, yes, I ate, I worked and I slept but somehow I finished it in so little time, so... That also shows how much I enjoyed the story ;)
Full review soon.
Full review soon.
July 27, 2021
Alors alors.... alors si vous n'êtes pas encore au courant, je suis une grande fan de Veronica Mars. Alors forcément, quand on me parle d'un Veronica Mars en MM je ne peux que craquer.
Et j'ai franchement beaucoup aimé.
C'est carrément un Veronica Mars en MM et l'essentiel du roman est basé sur l'enquête plus que sur la romance.
J'avais déjà eu l'occasion de lire un roman de l'auteure et j'ai trouvé sa plume toujours aussi fluide. J'ai beaucoup aimé ses personnages. Charlie est très attachants et j'ai adoré le suivre au fil des pages. Un vrai détective en herbe qui prend parfois trop de risque au grand damne de sa mère. J'ai retrouvé tout ce que j'aime dans la série télé et j'ai adoré le voir transposé dans l'univers proposé par l'auteure.
L'enquête est très bien menée et on en découvre plus sur Mason, le frère jumeau de Darren au fur et à mesure de l'histoire. On est happé par l'histoire dès les premières pages et on se laisse emporter par les pages et l'envie d'en savoir plus. On participe avec Charlie à l'enquête en étant aux premières loges. Personnellement, je ne suis pas du genre à chercher à résoudre l'enquête, j'ai tendance à me laisser porter et laisser les personnages faire tout le boulot. Et c'est exactement ce que j'ai fait pour ce roman que j'ai dévoré en quelques heures (et je pense que si je n'avais pas eu à aller travailler je l'aurai lu en une seule traite.)
J'ai beaucoup aimé le lycée américain présenté par l'auteure. Même si on retrouve quelques clichés habituels, on évite la ségrégation et le coté sectaire que peuvent avoir parfois les lycées. Les groupes se mélangent assez facilement et l'ambiance est assez positive et bienveillante.
La relation entre Charlie et Dare est vraiment très mignonne, je me suis franchement demandé comment ça allait finir pour eux deux tellement il y a de tournants dans l'enquête.
En résumé, un roman clairement Young Adult très bien écrit et structuré. Des personnages attachants. Une enquête prenante et bien construite. Un sans faute pour Laura Lascarso.
Et j'ai franchement beaucoup aimé.
C'est carrément un Veronica Mars en MM et l'essentiel du roman est basé sur l'enquête plus que sur la romance.
J'avais déjà eu l'occasion de lire un roman de l'auteure et j'ai trouvé sa plume toujours aussi fluide. J'ai beaucoup aimé ses personnages. Charlie est très attachants et j'ai adoré le suivre au fil des pages. Un vrai détective en herbe qui prend parfois trop de risque au grand damne de sa mère. J'ai retrouvé tout ce que j'aime dans la série télé et j'ai adoré le voir transposé dans l'univers proposé par l'auteure.
L'enquête est très bien menée et on en découvre plus sur Mason, le frère jumeau de Darren au fur et à mesure de l'histoire. On est happé par l'histoire dès les premières pages et on se laisse emporter par les pages et l'envie d'en savoir plus. On participe avec Charlie à l'enquête en étant aux premières loges. Personnellement, je ne suis pas du genre à chercher à résoudre l'enquête, j'ai tendance à me laisser porter et laisser les personnages faire tout le boulot. Et c'est exactement ce que j'ai fait pour ce roman que j'ai dévoré en quelques heures (et je pense que si je n'avais pas eu à aller travailler je l'aurai lu en une seule traite.)
J'ai beaucoup aimé le lycée américain présenté par l'auteure. Même si on retrouve quelques clichés habituels, on évite la ségrégation et le coté sectaire que peuvent avoir parfois les lycées. Les groupes se mélangent assez facilement et l'ambiance est assez positive et bienveillante.
La relation entre Charlie et Dare est vraiment très mignonne, je me suis franchement demandé comment ça allait finir pour eux deux tellement il y a de tournants dans l'enquête.
En résumé, un roman clairement Young Adult très bien écrit et structuré. Des personnages attachants. Une enquête prenante et bien construite. Un sans faute pour Laura Lascarso.
June 2, 2021
J’ai longuement hésité à prendre ce titre. Je suis toujours craintive des titres de Teen Spirit car je ne suis pas adepte du YA, et maintenant que j’ai lu cette histoire, je suis contente d’avoir dépassé mes préjugés. C’était excellent, un mini coup de cœur.
Charlie est un étudiant lambda quoique très amateur d’enquêtes, mais avec une mère dans la police ça se comprend. Rien n’aurait pu le préparer à découvrir que le frère jumeau de son crush était disparu un matin. Le voilà sur l’enquête alors que sa mère lui a interdit, que le dit crush est le suspect numéro 1 et que tout le monde cache des secrets ! Ça ne va pas être simple !
Ce titre concentre tout ce que j’aime dans la littérature : des personnages intéressants, crédibles et touchants – une intrigue sur une enquête policière développée et qui nous tient en haleine dès les premiers chapitres – de la douce romance qui touche votre cœur et un peu d’humour ! Une pépite !
Charlie est vraiment un gentil garçon. Il a un coeur énorme et il nous le montre du début à la fin. Il est aussi extrêmement intelligent et nous montre que lorsque l’on tient à quelqu’un, nous pouvons tout affronter.
Dare est dévasté par la disparition de son jumeau. Rien que pour tout ce sujet, ce héros est formidable et terriblement attachant. Mais j’ai aussi aimé son côté solaire, heureux et fort.
Deux jeunes adultes qui ont failli ouvrir les yeux trop tard. Même si le premier sujet est l’intrigue, ils nous offrent une jolie romance, douce, naissante et attendrissante. Ils m’ont beaucoup plu.
Comme vous vous en doutez l’intrigue tourne autour de la disparition de Mason. Qui était-il ? Que cachent les élèves ou les professeurs ? C’est vraiment très addictif. Je suis rentrée dedans très rapidement et je n’avais pas envie de poser mon roman.
Tout un cercle est développé avec les adultes comme la maman de Charlie. Son histoire familiale, l’importance des parents de Dare. Mais aussi les étudiants comme Daniela, Joey, Peter ou Tameka. Et n’oublions pas Boots ! J’espère les revoir dans le prochain opus !
La plume de l’auteure est divine, le rythme donné, les touches d’humour, c’est pour moi un sans faute ! Alors je vais m’arrêter là avant de donner trop d’indices et sans surprise, je vous recommande fortement de lire ce titre et de me suivre dans cette saga prometteuse !
Charlie est un étudiant lambda quoique très amateur d’enquêtes, mais avec une mère dans la police ça se comprend. Rien n’aurait pu le préparer à découvrir que le frère jumeau de son crush était disparu un matin. Le voilà sur l’enquête alors que sa mère lui a interdit, que le dit crush est le suspect numéro 1 et que tout le monde cache des secrets ! Ça ne va pas être simple !
Ce titre concentre tout ce que j’aime dans la littérature : des personnages intéressants, crédibles et touchants – une intrigue sur une enquête policière développée et qui nous tient en haleine dès les premiers chapitres – de la douce romance qui touche votre cœur et un peu d’humour ! Une pépite !
Charlie est vraiment un gentil garçon. Il a un coeur énorme et il nous le montre du début à la fin. Il est aussi extrêmement intelligent et nous montre que lorsque l’on tient à quelqu’un, nous pouvons tout affronter.
Dare est dévasté par la disparition de son jumeau. Rien que pour tout ce sujet, ce héros est formidable et terriblement attachant. Mais j’ai aussi aimé son côté solaire, heureux et fort.
Deux jeunes adultes qui ont failli ouvrir les yeux trop tard. Même si le premier sujet est l’intrigue, ils nous offrent une jolie romance, douce, naissante et attendrissante. Ils m’ont beaucoup plu.
Comme vous vous en doutez l’intrigue tourne autour de la disparition de Mason. Qui était-il ? Que cachent les élèves ou les professeurs ? C’est vraiment très addictif. Je suis rentrée dedans très rapidement et je n’avais pas envie de poser mon roman.
Tout un cercle est développé avec les adultes comme la maman de Charlie. Son histoire familiale, l’importance des parents de Dare. Mais aussi les étudiants comme Daniela, Joey, Peter ou Tameka. Et n’oublions pas Boots ! J’espère les revoir dans le prochain opus !
La plume de l’auteure est divine, le rythme donné, les touches d’humour, c’est pour moi un sans faute ! Alors je vais m’arrêter là avant de donner trop d’indices et sans surprise, je vous recommande fortement de lire ce titre et de me suivre dans cette saga prometteuse !
November 10, 2020
Fair warning, I'm from Ocala which is roughly around the area that this story takes places so I was immediately sucked in a little deeper just because I could fully visualize a lot of the exact places where things were happening.
Special shout out to Café Risque, we bare all indeed.
Charlie is great, the biting commentary of Veronica Mars mixed with the often annoying vulnerability of being a gay teenager. Charlie is what I liked to think I was in high school, even though I know that's not the case at all.
The mystery was fun, it didn't take too many twists and turns but I will say that one of the reveals of the "how" at the end of the book was fun and I wouldn't have guessed that.
Anyway, book is great and I'm still looking forward to an eventual sequel.
Special shout out to Café Risque, we bare all indeed.
Charlie is great, the biting commentary of Veronica Mars mixed with the often annoying vulnerability of being a gay teenager. Charlie is what I liked to think I was in high school, even though I know that's not the case at all.
The mystery was fun, it didn't take too many twists and turns but I will say that one of the reveals of the "how" at the end of the book was fun and I wouldn't have guessed that.
Anyway, book is great and I'm still looking forward to an eventual sequel.
August 3, 2021
Me encantó.
Una vez más Laura Lascarso logra cautivarme totalmente con sus libros.
Deseaba leer algo que me hiciera sentir feliz y me diera realmente una buena lectura y se logró, este libro lo disfruté muchísimo; simplemente te atrapa.
Básicamente la historia es sobre Charlie, un chico con una madre policía que le ha inculcado sus habilidades y conocimientos, y él intenta resolver el misterio del asesinato de uno de los chicos más populares de su escuela queriendo descifrarlo más que nada debido a que desea ayudar a que el hermano gemelo se sienta mejor, y además resulta ser su “crush” desde hace tiempo.
El libro principalmente se centra en el tema del thriller, no el romance para que no se ilusionen. Aún así, está narrado y desarrollado de excelente manera, me sorprendió bastante lo mucho que estaba inmersa en la historia de Charlie y el asesinato, y los supuestos sospechosos que se presentaban, no logré descifrar el final así que me parece es impredecible y muy bueno; y pese a que estaba consiente de que había posibilidad de que no salieran bien las cosas en cuanto a Charlie y su crush con Dare, me quedé completamente satisfecha en cómo resultó y se dió todo el asunto entre ambos.
La dinámica de mantenerte en total incertidumbre me fascinó, y la astucia de Charlie igual me cautivó, realmente disfruté muchísimo su personaje y los demás, aunque no tuvieron gran protagonismo, me hicieron sentir muchas cosas y totalmente cumplen con el objetivo de que desconfíes, o los desprecies. Solo puedo decir que la autora sabe realmente bien cómo construir personajes que resultan realistas y que se disfruten.
Definitivamente me encantó, de verdad que la prosa de esta autora es increíblemente genial para mí, engancha demasiado y cautiva con su elegante simpleza. Su manera de contar historias y crear personajes es excelente.
Recomiendo ampliamente el libro si se busca una historia enfocada en el misterio, con toques de romance mlm que deje un buen sabor de boca.
⭐️4.5
Una última cosa es que amaría que pronto saliera el siguiente libro, ya que se supone que esto será una serie así que yo feliz y ansiosa espero para leer más de Charlie, que se ganó mi cariño. Por favor Laura no abandones esta historia. I NEED MORE PLEASE I BEG YOU😭🙏🏻
Una vez más Laura Lascarso logra cautivarme totalmente con sus libros.
Deseaba leer algo que me hiciera sentir feliz y me diera realmente una buena lectura y se logró, este libro lo disfruté muchísimo; simplemente te atrapa.
Básicamente la historia es sobre Charlie, un chico con una madre policía que le ha inculcado sus habilidades y conocimientos, y él intenta resolver el misterio del asesinato de uno de los chicos más populares de su escuela queriendo descifrarlo más que nada debido a que desea ayudar a que el hermano gemelo se sienta mejor, y además resulta ser su “crush” desde hace tiempo.
El libro principalmente se centra en el tema del thriller, no el romance para que no se ilusionen. Aún así, está narrado y desarrollado de excelente manera, me sorprendió bastante lo mucho que estaba inmersa en la historia de Charlie y el asesinato, y los supuestos sospechosos que se presentaban, no logré descifrar el final así que me parece es impredecible y muy bueno; y pese a que estaba consiente de que había posibilidad de que no salieran bien las cosas en cuanto a Charlie y su crush con Dare, me quedé completamente satisfecha en cómo resultó y se dió todo el asunto entre ambos.
La dinámica de mantenerte en total incertidumbre me fascinó, y la astucia de Charlie igual me cautivó, realmente disfruté muchísimo su personaje y los demás, aunque no tuvieron gran protagonismo, me hicieron sentir muchas cosas y totalmente cumplen con el objetivo de que desconfíes, o los desprecies. Solo puedo decir que la autora sabe realmente bien cómo construir personajes que resultan realistas y que se disfruten.
Definitivamente me encantó, de verdad que la prosa de esta autora es increíblemente genial para mí, engancha demasiado y cautiva con su elegante simpleza. Su manera de contar historias y crear personajes es excelente.
Recomiendo ampliamente el libro si se busca una historia enfocada en el misterio, con toques de romance mlm que deje un buen sabor de boca.
⭐️4.5
Una última cosa es que amaría que pronto saliera el siguiente libro, ya que se supone que esto será una serie así que yo feliz y ansiosa espero para leer más de Charlie, que se ganó mi cariño. Por favor Laura no abandones esta historia. I NEED MORE PLEASE I BEG YOU😭🙏🏻
July 28, 2025
I have a bit of a love-hate-relationship with Laura Lascarso's books. Her prose is always sharp and engaging, but the content and plot are not always my jam. I found Charlie to be a rather frustrating protagonist. He had absolutely no business interfering with an active murder investigation, and even if I try to suspend my disbelief long enough to accept that he somehow had his own police department ID and was regularly allowed to assist his mum with cases (seriously?!), I couldn’t get past how his mum continually enabled his behaviour. It stretched credibility to the point of irritation and pulled me out of the story more than once.
This book was another reminder that mysteries and crime novels just really aren’t for me. I don’t necessarily mind when a story features detectives or police officers—especially if it’s character-driven and focused more on emotional dynamics and the MCs' relationship than procedural detail—but I tend to lose interest quickly when the emphasis is on solving the case. The whole amateur-sleuth angle feels contrived and unrealistic, which makes it hard for me to stay invested.
While I initially thought I might warm up to Charlie and the plot, it ultimately didn’t hold my attention.
This book was another reminder that mysteries and crime novels just really aren’t for me. I don’t necessarily mind when a story features detectives or police officers—especially if it’s character-driven and focused more on emotional dynamics and the MCs' relationship than procedural detail—but I tend to lose interest quickly when the emphasis is on solving the case. The whole amateur-sleuth angle feels contrived and unrealistic, which makes it hard for me to stay invested.
While I initially thought I might warm up to Charlie and the plot, it ultimately didn’t hold my attention.
August 11, 2021
Quand le roi du lycée disparaît, son frère jumeau Dare demande l’aide de Charlie pour le retrouver. Avec une mère flic, Charlie a l’habitude de mener des enquêtes difficiles. Mais quand les preuves convergent vers Dare, Charlie se demande si son crush pour Dare ne risque pas de compromette les investigations…
Il s’agissait de mon premier Teen Spirit et c’est une excellente surprise de lecture que je n’attendais pas 💖
N’étant pas fan des Young Adult, ce qui m’a fait craquer pour ce titre s’est notamment la comparaison qu’avait faite @surletagere avec la série télé Veronica Mars 🔎 Et je la rejoins à 100% ♥️
On retrouve cet ado un peu intello, qui observe les « populaires » de loin, un peu cynique et qui mène des enquêtes au sein du lycée. Il s’agit de Charlie. Il craque sur le fascinant et populaire Dare.
J’ai aimé retrouver cette ambiance Teen Movie avec une super enquête 👍 Tout le monde est suspect et l’intrigue m’a tenu en haleine jusqu’au bout. Charlie et Dare révèlent les secrets des lycéens de Eastview et je peux vous dire qu’ils sont nombreux à avoir des trucs à cacher…
Bien que l’enquête soit au cœur du bouquin, la romance n’est pas en reste. Le rapprochement entre Charlie et Dare est crédible, et même si ça n’est pas le livre le plus hot de l’année, on a quand même une bonne dose de sexytude 🔥
J’ai beaucoup aimé la personnalité de Charlie qui, même si son cœur appartient à Dare, essaye de rester objectif dans l’enquête et l’inclu toujours dans la liste des suspects. De son côté, Dare est dévasté par la disparition de son jumeau et il est déterminé à trouver le coupable. Sa romance avec Charlie ne guérie pas ses blessures mais elle apaise un peu sa peine.
J’ai vraiment adoré me replonger dans cette ambiance lycée et mener l’enquête (je suis fière de moi, pour une fois, j’avais trouvé le méchant 😁). Je le recommande a tous ceux qui veulent se prendre pour Sherlock Holmes version teenager 😜
Note : 17/20
Il s’agissait de mon premier Teen Spirit et c’est une excellente surprise de lecture que je n’attendais pas 💖
N’étant pas fan des Young Adult, ce qui m’a fait craquer pour ce titre s’est notamment la comparaison qu’avait faite @surletagere avec la série télé Veronica Mars 🔎 Et je la rejoins à 100% ♥️
On retrouve cet ado un peu intello, qui observe les « populaires » de loin, un peu cynique et qui mène des enquêtes au sein du lycée. Il s’agit de Charlie. Il craque sur le fascinant et populaire Dare.
J’ai aimé retrouver cette ambiance Teen Movie avec une super enquête 👍 Tout le monde est suspect et l’intrigue m’a tenu en haleine jusqu’au bout. Charlie et Dare révèlent les secrets des lycéens de Eastview et je peux vous dire qu’ils sont nombreux à avoir des trucs à cacher…
Bien que l’enquête soit au cœur du bouquin, la romance n’est pas en reste. Le rapprochement entre Charlie et Dare est crédible, et même si ça n’est pas le livre le plus hot de l’année, on a quand même une bonne dose de sexytude 🔥
J’ai beaucoup aimé la personnalité de Charlie qui, même si son cœur appartient à Dare, essaye de rester objectif dans l’enquête et l’inclu toujours dans la liste des suspects. De son côté, Dare est dévasté par la disparition de son jumeau et il est déterminé à trouver le coupable. Sa romance avec Charlie ne guérie pas ses blessures mais elle apaise un peu sa peine.
J’ai vraiment adoré me replonger dans cette ambiance lycée et mener l’enquête (je suis fière de moi, pour une fois, j’avais trouvé le méchant 😁). Je le recommande a tous ceux qui veulent se prendre pour Sherlock Holmes version teenager 😜
Note : 17/20
July 23, 2020
Veronica Mars if she was a gay male in Florida
I enjoyed this thriller and didn't guess who the killer was until the end as was, I assume, the plan of the author.
I liked Charlie's pluck and Date's determination, the pace was great and, whilst there was a lot happening in the shadows of this school, it didn't seem super over the top (except maybe one line at the end by the killer).
My one quibble is that it's highly unlikely Charlie would have been able to get away with as much sleuthing as he did, and it seemed like the police force kept dropping the ball but the author didn't want you to think they were incompetent so there was this strange dichotomy.
I enjoyed this thriller and didn't guess who the killer was until the end as was, I assume, the plan of the author.
I liked Charlie's pluck and Date's determination, the pace was great and, whilst there was a lot happening in the shadows of this school, it didn't seem super over the top (except maybe one line at the end by the killer).
My one quibble is that it's highly unlikely Charlie would have been able to get away with as much sleuthing as he did, and it seemed like the police force kept dropping the ball but the author didn't want you to think they were incompetent so there was this strange dichotomy.
July 26, 2020
Very interesting.
I have yet to read a book of this writer that I didn't love and this was no exception. Loved the high school setting with Charlie and his knowledge of police work and Dare trusting and depending on him. Great mystery here , sweet young guys. There were a couple of things I found funny about this book hope that doesn't mean I'm too strange. Thank you for a great book.
I have yet to read a book of this writer that I didn't love and this was no exception. Loved the high school setting with Charlie and his knowledge of police work and Dare trusting and depending on him. Great mystery here , sweet young guys. There were a couple of things I found funny about this book hope that doesn't mean I'm too strange. Thank you for a great book.
July 19, 2020
I was so into this! I don't read a lot of mysteries, so it was a bit random for me--I was like, he's just doing that? And people are buying that he's 'investigating a murder'? But ok.
Once I gave myself over to it, I really enjoyed this and am super mad the next book isn't out yet. Fun, gay, mystery!!
Once I gave myself over to it, I really enjoyed this and am super mad the next book isn't out yet. Fun, gay, mystery!!
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