Death at Morning House

Gr 9 Up–Marlowe Wexler is an accidental arsonist. After an exploding candle ruins her first date with the girl of her dreams—and a family friend’s cabin—Marlowe wants nothing more than to get away. She snatches at the opportunity to take a summer job as a tour guide on Ralston Island, one of the Thousand Islands (of salad dressing fame) and home of the infamous Morning House, where, in the 1930s, two of the Ralston children tragically and mysteriously died. As Marlowe gets to know her fellow teen colleagues—stoner Van, rich kid Tom, serious and put-together Liani, peacemaker April, and sarcastic Goth Riki—it becomes apparent that they and Morning House, with its marbled hallways and extravagant living quarters, hold many secrets. When Dr. Benson, a historian writing about the Ralston family and overseer of the tours, goes missing, Marlowe and company are thrust into solving an uneasy whodunit. If they’re the only ones on the island, who can Marlowe trust? Alternating chapters tell the story of the fateful days leading up to the deaths of Clara and Max Ralston almost 100 years before. The fleshing out of the supporting cast leaves a little to be desired, but it is endearing, awkward, kind Marlowe who drives this narrative; readers can’t help but root for her. Some readers may solve both mysteries long before the characters do, but that shouldn’t take away from an enjoyable, fast-paced read. All characters are described or read as white, except Riki, who is Indian American.