Killing time

Gr 9 Up--When true crime enthusiast Natalie Temple hears that her favorite teacher has been murdered, she feels compelled to investigate. She anticipated spending her last summer before college with her friends, working at her mother's diner, interning at the local newspaper, and continuing her secret podcast. Natalie feels obliged to tell her teacher's story. Keeping her over-protective mother in the dark about her actions, though, will be a challenge. As she uncovers more about what happened to Mrs. Halsey, Natalie also learns more about herself and the secrets she has avoided for so long. Natalie is a challenging protagonist to root for, continually making the worst decisions throughout her underdeveloped character arc. The strength of this story lies in the dual time lines of Natalie's present and her mother Helen's past. The two perspectives demonstrate the similarities between mother and daughter and offer a basis for their tense relationship. Erlich provides a unique perspective on true crime podcasts, which can often be sensationalized. Instead, she shines light on the true emotions and impacts of involved individuals. VERDICT A secondary purchase where mysteries, especially true crime stories, circulate well.--Aliza Mangefrida

A teen true-crime aficionado investigates a murder in her small Connecticut town. Natalie Temple spends her last summer before college in the usual way: waking up far too early to exercise with her mother, Helen; working at the family diner; interning at the local newspaper; and secretly recording her true-crime podcast, Killing Time, with her best friend, Katie. Because her frustratingly overprotective and anxious mother has forbidden Natalie from indulging in her love for crime and murder, Natalie finds herself constantly at odds with her and often hiding her activities. When her favorite teacher is murdered, Natalie decides to investigate her death--both to honor Mrs. Halsey and to test her own skills as a budding investigative reporter. But danger lurks in Ferry, and soon everybody's secrets will be out in the open. Ehrlich's engaging thriller unfolds in two timelines with occasional flashbacks to Helen's difficult first year in college that provide an insight into just how similar mother and daughter are despite their fraught relationship. That relationship is one of the core strengths of the novel, together with the seamless convergence of timelines and Natalie's bumpy character arc. The novel thoughtfully examines the sometimes-exploitative, often titillating nature of the true-crime phenomenon while also, in a fine balancing act, paying homage to it. All main characters are assumed White. A layered tale of true crime, family ties, and unveiled secrets. (Thriller. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.