Title: Liar’s Beach
Author: Katie Cotugno
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publishing date: May 2, 2023
Genre: YA Mystery
My Rating: 4/5
Summary:
A fresh new take on Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery The Mysterious Affair at Styles, with iconic detective Hercule Poirot recast as a brilliant, brash teen girl named Holiday, and narrated by her childhood friend Linden, an athlete-scholar who fits right in at his elite New England prep school—all the while hiding some secrets of his own.
Michael Linden—or just Linden to his preppy boarding school pals—doesn’t belong in wealthy, storied Martha’s Vineyard. But when his roommate Jasper invites him to spend the end of summer at his massive beachfront home, August House, Linden tries his best to fit in. Linden wouldn’t call it lying, exactly. Though it turns out August House is full of liars.
Then someone is found unconscious in Jasper’s pool, and everyone has something to hide—Jasper, his beautiful sister Eliza, their older brother Wells, and their friends. The accident is written off as just that—an accident—but Linden begins to wonder…
Enter: Holiday Proctor. Linden’s childhood friend, and the one person on the island who knows the truth about Linden. There’s nothing Holiday loves more than a good old-fashioned mystery and she’s convinced there’s a potential killer on the Vineyard. The only question is…who?
*Thank you to Delacorte Press for a free e-copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.*
While I am not well-versed in all of Agatha Christie’s stories, I can say that Liar’s Beach definitely has that classic murder mystery feel. A near deadly “accident” occurs at the beginning of the story, and our protagonist goes down different paths to consider possible suspects until the truth is revealed at the end. I didn’t find the answer to “whodunnit” to be much of a surprise, but I didn’t really mind. To me this story was more about the journey than the end. Linden is a character trying to fit into a world that he doesn’t feel he fully belongs in, and he learns a lot about himself as a person and a friend. And trying to fit in means, while he’s digging in everyone else’s secrets, he’s also got a few of his own. Overall I think it has a simple but enjoyable plot, a good protagonist who is complex and shows growth, and the right touch of love and drama.
Of all the characters, my favorite was Holiday. She’s the unique personality, a little different from those around her and embracing herself in a way that it takes a while for Linden to appreciate. She’s got a big personality, but she’s definitely the most real character out of them all, and so she easily endears herself to readers. She’s a part of Linden’s past that he’s yet to fully embrace and deal with, and I like the tension that creates in the story. And overall I like the way she balances him out. She’s a very fun character that helps to make the story more enjoyable.
This is definitely a read I’d recommend. It doesn’t have the most jaw-dropping twist or anything, but it’s fun and has a nice classic feel that makes it a good cozy read. If you’re looking for a nice YA mystery, check this one out.
What setting would you love to see a “whodunnit” in?
Thanks for reading!
Faith Noelle 