Review by Booklist Review
Clara Seibert's identical twin sister, Moura, was murdered five months ago, and Clara is still a suspect in the unsolved crime. While the twins were not close (Moura was a piano prodigy about to leave for Juilliard, while Clara has no musical aptitude but a considerable talent for journalism), Clara and her family are still reeling. Then Clara, who runs the school newspaper's advice column, starts getting threatening e-mails (such as the book's title) and finds herself needing to take an active role in the murder investigation. Slaughter creates a tidily constructed murder mystery, adds a conventional romance, and offers glimpses into the pressure-cooker environment of elite classical music. The adherence to mystery formulas provides a comfortable, often predictable rhythm, but the main drawback here is that the teen dialogue, actions, and even thought processes feel like those of an adult. Clara is far more grounded and organized than most teens, which might work if other teen characters were more convincingly adolescent. Still, teen classical musicians will enjoy seeing themselves portrayed in a positive light.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This solid mystery from Slaughter (While I Danced) opens with the murder of Clara Seibert's twin sister, Moura, a piano prodigy. Plenty of people think Clara did it-including the girls' mother-since the sisters were heard arguing before the murder, and Clara was the only one home at the time of the killing. As Clara's family falls apart and her reputation suffers, the only thing keeping the high school senior sane is her work as an advice columnist for her school newspaper. After Clara starts receiving anonymous threats at school from someone who thinks that she was responsible for Moura's murder, she reaches out to her sister's friends and music rivals, hoping that she can figure out who could have wanted the talented Moura dead-before they come for Clara, too. Clara's voice and internal conflict feel authentic, and the contentious relationship between the sisters is equally believable. Although the novel doesn't push the envelope much, Slaughter successfully highlights the dangers of abusive relationships; fans of the genre will find much to enjoy in this thriller. Ages 12-up. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Five months ago, Clara Seibert's twin sister, Moura, was murdered. The only thing that makes Clara's grief-filled life feel semi-normal is being an anonymous advice columnist for her school newspaper. That is, until someone starts sending threatening messages. The emails allude to her being the one who has killed her sister. Clara reaches her breaking point and decides to take the crime investigation into her own hands since the police have yielded nothing in their search. She begins interviewing people who were in Moura's life, including her piano teacher and another piano student. While looking through Moura's belongings, Clara believes she has uncovered an affair between Moura and her piano teacher's husband, Joel Rasher. Clara thinks she has caught the killer until other details emerge. The whodunit's logic flounders at this point of the narrative. The writing style is very captivating and ideal for teens who like thrillers and mysteries. Clara has a sweet romance that teen readers will enjoy. While there are parts of this book that drag, the spine-chilling climax and ending almost make up for the unnecessary parts. Slaughter makes most of the sensationalism of this book believable and keeps her readers turning the pages. VERDICT Purchase for teens who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and romance.-Jill Baetiong, formerly of Morris Area Public Library, IL © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
