Publishers Weekly
02/29/2016
New evidence makes a teenager rethink everything she knows about her mother’s murder in Henry’s (Blood Will Tell) underwhelming thriller. At age three, Ariel Benson was the only witness to her mother’s stabbing, a crime everyone believed Ariel’s father committed, before he disappeared. Left in a Walmart hundreds of miles from the crime scene, Ariel bounced around the foster care system and, thanks to a failed adoption, became Olivia Reinhart, and an emancipated minor by 17. Olivia is working a dead-end job in Portland, Ore., when the cops arrive to tell her they have found her father’s remains in the same woods where her mother died, leading them to believe the couple died at the same time. Olivia launches her own unofficial investigation and heads to the small Oregon town of Medford, where every old acquaintance of her parents could be a killer. Predictably, there’s a cute and helpful boy, a slow unpacking of dormant memories, and a shoal of red herrings, but dry narration and underdeveloped characters do little to elevate this whodunit. Ages 12–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (May)
From the Publisher
Winner of the Anthony Award for Best Young Adult Mystery Novel
An Edgar Award for Best YA Nominee
A Texas Lonestar List Selection
A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
An ILA YA Choices Selection
An Oregon Spirit Award Winner
An Iowa Teen Book Award Nominee
A Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee
A South Dakota Teen Choice Award Nominee
"Henry has done it again with another edge-of-your-seat mystery/thriller. Recommended for middle school and high school mystery/thriller/suspense collections and for April Henry fans" —VOYA, starred review
"A must-have for YA mystery-thriller collections." —School Library Journal
“Fast-paced and engaging . . . reminiscent of Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones.” —VOYA
“The author's expertise at plotting a murder mystery and knowledge of police procedure are evident.” —Publishers Weekly on The Point Last Seen Series
“Fast-moving and well-constructed... A quick, thrilling read that doesn't skimp on characterization.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Point Last Seen Series
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"Henry has done it again with another edge-of-your-seat mystery/thriller." —VOYA Starred Review
New York Times–bestselling author of Blind F CJ Lyons
A thrill-packed story with twists and turns you'll never see coming. Hop on board for an adrenaline fueled ride!
screenwriter and bestselling thriller author of Th Alexandra Sokoloff
A psychological mystery wrapped in a thriller with a smart and resourceful heroine. Great read!
School Library Journal
04/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—Olivia Reinhart (born Ariel Benson) always believed her father murdered her mother, stabbing her 19 times before driving Olivia to a Walmart and vanishing. Fourteen years later, the cops come knocking, and it isn't the news she expects. Olivia's father hasn't been on the run; his body has been found only about a mile from where her mother's body had previously been discovered. They were both murdered that day, which leaves Olivia as the only survivor—the only witness to her parents' horrific ending. Olivia returns to the scene of the crime, the town she left long ago, to attend her father's funeral. Nobody recognizes the three-year-old girl all grown up, and Olivia uses this to her advantage. She sticks around Medford to see if she can finally understand what happened to her parents, and she uncovers more than she can fathom. With the help of some key players, Olivia is stunningly close to figuring out who killed her parents, but as the flash-forward that starts the novel suggests, it isn't likely she'll survive the truth. A fast-paced and engaging read, this is a strong choice for readers of mysteries and thrillers. The conclusion is reminiscent of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, as both protagonists learn chilling truths about themselves and those close to them. VERDICT A must-have for YA mystery-thriller collections.—Meghan Oppelt, Whitehall School District, WI
JULY 2018 - AudioFile
Narrator Amy McFadden makes listeners shiver from the very start of this eerie exploration of a family murder. She captures the angst of teenage girls, particularly Olivia, whose mother is murdered when she is in high school. McFadden's voice is spooky, an effect of her slightly raspy timbre. The danger is palpable from the graduation party, with its underage drinking, to the moment Olivia realizes that someone else, not her father, killed her mother. Listeners will want to hear this on road trips or long flights in order to cram in as many chapters as possible in one sitting. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2016-02-02
Olivia's father murdered her mother when Olivia was 3 and then vanished, throwing Olivia into a series of foster homes until she achieves early emancipation at age 17. Living alone in Portland, Oregon, Olivia learns that some of her father's remains have been found, leading police to believe that he was not the murderer but a victim as well. Olivia decides to return to her hometown and rent her own inherited house there, never telling the townspeople that she really is Ariel Benson, the child survivor of the murder. She meets Duncan, who recognizes her from a scar but agrees to keep her secret as he helps her gather evidence and possible suspects. The two comb through library records and casually interview townspeople who might remember Olivia's family and the murder. Olivia's elderly next-door neighbor becomes a special friend, giving Olivia a sense of family again. But of course, it's a murder mystery with suspects, and despite speculation that the perpetrator might have been a serial killer with random victims, readers can be fairly sure that one of the townspeople will not only turn out to be the killer, but will try to kill Olivia too. Henry unfolds her drama while keeping equal focus on the mystery and on Olivia's emotions as the girl returns to the hometown she does not remember and to friends and possible family that she craves. A solid thriller. (Mystery. 12-18)
