Wicked Darlings

Gr 9 Up–Noa’s older sister died the summer before, and Noa feels guilty. She’s happy she no longer has to live in her sister’s shadow; people at school see her for herself and not “Leah’s little sister,” and she’d be lying if she said she hasn’t been basking in the attention. She feels even worse that she was one of the last people her sister texted before she died, and Noa ignored her. By the end of her senior year, Noa’s guilt drives her to investigate what Leah’s life was like before she seemingly chose to end it. She leaves home and follows her sister’s footsteps to Manhattan and into the glittering, glamorous world of the Avalon twins. Gradually, she learns that being a part of the Avalons’ world comes at a price—and that Leah’s refusal to pay it may have cost her her life. This murder mystery does a great job illustrating media bias towards corporate stakeholders and the staggering privilege that comes with wealth, all in a way that is accessible to teens. The mystery of Leah’s death is a satisfying puzzle scattered with red herrings and skillfully entwined with Noa’s journey through her grief and complicated feelings towards her sister. Great for fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars and the YA spiritual equivalent of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s You Are Not Alone.