Parents' Guide to

Confessions of a Murder Suspect

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Teen must prove she didn't kill parents in taut thriller.

Book James Patterson , Maxine Paetro Mystery 2012
Confessions of a Murder Suspect Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

MomOf2Kids132
MomOf2Kids132 Adult
March 16, 2021
age 9+

Great Book!

I think this book is great! There are some things that little kids wont understand but probally for the better. There is some violence but I think this book is very good and a little heart warming.

This title has:

Great messages
Rainewriter
Rainewriter Adult
June 27, 2013
age 18+

Good but ending stinked (Cliffhanger)

This book is perfect for the teenage reader! I literally read this book in a day it was that good. When I finished, to warn all of you, it ends like there might be another book??? We shall see :)

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Fifteen-year-old Tandoori (Tandy) Angel is awakened in the wee hours by police banging on the door of her wealthy family's apartment at the Dakota, insisting that there's been a murder. When her parents, Malcolm and Maud, prove to have been poisoned in their bed, Tandy, her brothers, and her parents' assistant seem to be the only ones who could have done it, as they were the only people in the locked apartment. And, given the elder Angels' perfectionist, controlling parenting, it's not unreasonable to believe that one of the kids had finally had enough. Determined to find out who really killed her parents -- even if it's her brothers or even herself, as her memory isn't always the best -- Tandy investigates, in the process discovering a tangled web of long-buried secrets that may or may not point to the killer.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (15 ):

This book's complex, clever plot keeps the pages turning as it wends its way to a surprising resolution and several cliffhangers. CONFESSIONS OF A MURDER SUSPECT sets up a series of detective novels featuring Tandy Angel -- and leaves plenty of loose ends to be addressed in sequels. As a narrator, super-smart, self-confident, and deeply conflicted Tandy is an intriguing character; the Angels' family life is over-the-top weird with its obsession with achievement, and some may find it hard to suspend disbelief or relate to its effects on the kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how it would be to have people like Malcolm and Maud for parents. Is there anything about the Angel kids' lives that makes you want to change places with them?

  • Why do you think the theme of giving kids drugs to enhance their abilities is so popular?

  • What still needs to be explained after the book ends, and do you think it will all come out in the sequel?

Book Details

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