Mystified

Fifteen-year-old, beauty pageant queen Jules has been drowned in her family’s swimming pool. Who would want her dead? Who would benefit from her death?

Before her death, Jules Parker had strict rules to live by, not to mention being isolated by her mother, a former beauty queen herself. But Jules, like those in her family, had her secrets. Her main secret – her budding friendship with Truitt Windsor, her seventeen-year-old neighbor.

After her death, Truitt isn’t afraid to see her ghost. He even helps Jules try to uncover who drowned her. She needs to know, but will she like what she learns?

This was a very enjoyable whodunit involving a ghost wanting to know who caused her death. Along the way, she won’t be the only character learning secrets and getting answers. I really enjoyed the ghost aspect and thought it was done very well in this book.

I always enjoy trying to guess whodunit in these books. The author gives readers several suspects and in enjoyed whittling down my list. I did guess aspect of the book very early on, but that did not affect my enjoyment of the book in any way. In fact, I enjoyed patting myself on the back.

This was a nice murder mystery/ghost/YA read for me which I enjoyed. Most of the characters are unlikeable, some are flawed (aren’t we all) while others are likeable. I found the pacing to be spot on, nothing felt rushed or drawn out. I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end about her experiences in a haunted house.

Enjoyable, haunted, mysterious.

Thank you to Julia Ash who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.