Wild and Crooked

Gr 9 Up—Gus and Kalyn would both give anything to avoid attention from their classmates at Jefferson High in Samsboro, KY. Kalyn Spence's last name is synonymous with the brutal murder her father was arrested for 18 years prior, so she attends school under a pseudonym. Gus Peake hates the pitying looks and well-meaning comments from classmates who don't know how to act around someone with cerebral palsy, let alone someone with CP and a murdered father. The only saving grace is his best friend Phil, until the two of them meet Kalyn, and their shared history draws them into the painful mystery of Samsboro's most famous murder. Aside from one-note villains and stereotypical high school students, the characters are detailed and thoughtful portrayals of people with their own histories and emotions surrounding Gary Peake's death, and the nuanced depiction of the adults who lived through the murder is particularly strong. Gus and Kalyn's journeys to build identities outside of their families are realistic and engaging.