Buzz Kill
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Teen murder mystery is fun, flighty, formulaic.
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What's the Story?
There's a long list of people at Honeywell High who might have a reason to want the football coach dead. But when Coach Killdare's body is discovered, the police quickly zero in on Millie's father, the town mayor and assistant coach, as the prime suspect. Convinced of her father's innocence, Millie draws inspiration from her childhood favorite, Nancy Drew, to investigate the murder herself and clear her father's name. The mysterious quarterback Chase, who's definitely hiding something himself, agrees to help Millie get to the truth. With her rival Vivienne throwing obstacles in her path at every turn, Millie will need all the help she can get to solve the crime.
Is It Any Good?
BUZZ KILL is an enjoyable, if a bit frivolous, teen murder mystery with a structure and formula that follows in the comfortable footsteps laid by Agatha Christie and Carolyn Keene. The heroine, Millie, is smart and quirky, a worthy heiress to her favorite teen sleuth Nancy Drew, who provides the inspiration for her pluck, determination, and resolve.
Teens will easily relate to Millie's struggles with feeling like an outsider. Veteran mystery readers may stay a step or two ahead of Millie, but even those who can spot the red herrings will enjoy author Beth Fantaskey's lively, engaging writing and root for Millie to solve the crime and get the guy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why murder mysteries are so popular. Why do we enjoy reading them so much? What are some of your favorites? How does Buzz Kill compare with your favorites?
Did you solve the mystery before Millie did? If you did, how did you figure it out? If you didn't, how surprised were you when you learned who the murderer was?
Ms. Parkins, the librarian, is a big help to Millie both with books and her personal life. Do you know your librarian? Has he or she ever helped you with a project or a problem?
Book Details
- Author: Beth Fantaskey
- Genre: Mystery
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models , High School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Publication date: May 6, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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