The Dead Girl Under the Bleachers by Donna M. Zadunajsky

TITLE INFORMATION

The Dead Girl Under the Bleachers

Donna M. Zadunajsky

Black Rose Writing, 319 pages

9781684334698, 06-2020

BOOK REVIEW

Overall Rating = 4.5

Storyline & Concept = 5

Writing & Delivery = 4

Editorial = 4.5

The Dead Girl Under the Bleachers is a mystery that follows the murder of a senior on the night of their high school homecoming dance. The story opens in the heat of the action where one of the characters, who remains a secret at this point, is being chased by the murderer. The story then goes back to a month prior to the murder and alternates between the perspectives of three very different, yet connected, high-school seniors.

Zadunajsky does a great job of maintaining suspense as the reader is given just enough hints throughout the novel to keep them interested, but not enough to give anything away. The story contains mature elements that may be disturbing to some readers, although it helps to demonstrate the modern complexity of the lives of these coming-of-age females. The author plays with the narrative using curse words, which might seem unnecessary, but the technique also plays a role in portraying the angst and impulsivity of these teenage girls. Overall, this is a great story that is easy to follow and contains surprise elements that keep the reader intrigued. I hope to see more books within this series.

Sublime Line: “A suspenseful and gripping debut novel of the Craven Falls Mystery series that ties together the complexities of three young, coming-of-age females leading to a surprising murder.”

Sublime Book Review

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