Murder for the Modern Girl

Gr 8 Up–Ruby Newhouse, living in Chicago in 1928, uses her reputation as a carefree flapper and her ability to read minds to hide her secret life—she kills men who mistreat women. Ruby’s father is Cook County’s state attorney. He’s been combating corruption in City Hall and, after several attempts on his life, Ruby is focused on finding out who’s behind it. Guy Rosewood can shape shift, changing all aspects of his physical appearance, which had devastating consequences in the past. He takes a job in the Cook County morgue to connect with a doctor there who’s done research on his condition. Ruby and Guy cross paths when Ruby visits the morgue in search of information, discovering his ability in the process. Ruby enlists him to help her unravel the conspiracy against her father. As they work together and grow closer, they struggle to decide if they can trust each other with their secrets. The plot is an interesting blend of historical fiction, crime drama, and fantasy, steeped in danger and scheming. However, it lacks strong worldbuilding. Characters tend to be clearly good or bad with little depth. Ruby’s murders are presented without question. Ruby is cued as white; most characters aren’t described and are assumed white.