Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Beloved classic becomes a super twisty modern mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BETH IS DEAD begins the morning after a New Year's Eve party, when Jo March discovers that her younger sister Beth is not in her room and that their sister, Amy, had left Beth drunk and alone at the party. Jo and Amy go searching for Beth and discover her blood-soaked body in the snow. The police and the press soon descend on the March house—the police in search of the killer and the press in search of a story. It's not long before everyone close to Beth becomes a suspect. Their bestselling novelist father recently published a controversial book about the family, in which Beth dies in a car crash. Amy was seen arguing with Beth at the party, and everyone knows she's outraged that Aunt March offered to pay Beth's tuition at the prestigious Plumfield Academy for the Arts rather than give Amy the money for a summer studying art in Europe. Jo has a contract to write a response to their father's novel titled Beth Is Dead, but would she go that far for a good story and more followers on social media? Beth knew a secret that could get both Meg and her best friend, Sallie, expelled from Harvard, and Beth's boyfriend, Henry, was angry that she might leave him behind if she went to Plumfield. Then there are the lies and false alibis told by Meg's boyfriend, John, and by Laurie, the boy who lives next door. Not to mention the whereabouts of Mr. March, who's gone camping in Canada and hasn't been heard from since.
Is It Any Good?
This fast-paced, twisty thriller modernizes iconic sisters from the 19th century and makes them both recognizable to devoted Little Women fans and relatable to today's teens. The lives of the March sisters in Beth Is Dead mirror so many of the challenges faced by readers: being shy and trying to find the courage to speak up for yourself, liking someone who doesn't return your feelings, and dealing with jealousy. Also helping out a friend, then realizing that what you've done (with the best intentions) is wrong, and learning the hard way that telling the truth always ends better than telling a lie. This well-crafted mystery will appeal both to readers unfamiliar with the source material and to longtime fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the part that jealousy and suspicion played in Beth Is Dead. Why were the sisters and their friends ready to think the worst about each other?
How would you respond if a close friend asked you to lie for them or do something you know is wrong?
It took courage for Beth to audition for a place at Plumfield. What's something you'd very much like to do that you aren't quite brave enough to try?
Is there a favorite classic novel or story you'd like to turn into a mystery? Who would be the murderer and who'd solve the crime?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Sarah Barley Books/Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : January 6, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : January 30, 2026
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