08/09/2021
Set in late-1940s Washington, D.C., this tumultuous trilogy opener from Copenhaver (Dodging and Burning ) sees polite Philippa Watson and fiery outcast Judy Peabody forge a friendship with encouragement from audacious English teacher Christine Martins, whom the teens idolize. When Philippa visits Miss Martins’s apartment to return a book and finds the teacher entangled with a half-dressed man, she flees, embarrassed and uncertain whether she witnessed an attack. Judy dismisses Philippa’s concerns as prudish, but the next day, Miss Martins resigns. Shortly thereafter, picnickers discover the corpse of Cleveland Closs, a surly student with whom Miss Martins clashed. Similarities to the unsolved murder of Judy’s adoptive parents’ nine-year-old biological daughter prompt the police to focus on their previous prime suspect, but Philippa and Judy think something else is afoot and investigate. Copenhaver’s tale unfolds via breathless diary entries from both girls, purportedly strung together by an anonymous narrator in 1963. A profusion of devastating twists complements the pulp-noir tone and keeps readers on tenterhooks, and a tentative romance between Judy and Philippa adds depth. Megan Abbott fans, take note. Agent: Annie Bomke, Annie Bomke Literary. (Oct.)
A gripping coming-of-age story set in 1948 propels the character-driven The Savage Kind , which explores the unresolved sexual attraction between two teenage outcasts, quiet Philippa Watson and opinionated Judy Peabody. John Copenhaver's second novel (after the Macavity Award-winning Dodging and Burning ) captures the awkwardness of teenagers grappling with identity and a need to belong.
Shelf Awareness - Oline Cogdill
The Savage Kind was terrific—dark, twisty, fierce, well worth the wait. It’ll be fascinating to see what those two are up to in the next book!
"John Copenhaver’s dark sparkler of a second novel, The Savage Kind , tantalizes from its first pages. With rich period detail and a sneaky subversion of storied noir tropes, it brings to life the delicious intricacies of teen female friendship and the slippery line between identification and desire, between desire and desperation."
John Copenhaver is proving himself to be a force of nature in the crime fiction community.
"Philippa Watson and Judy Peabody, the nervy teenage duo at the center of John Copenhaver’s delicious trilogy opener The Savage Kind , each bring loneliness to a friendship that burns with intensity from the get-go. Their fascination — or is it obsession? — with each other, and with crime, begins after the death of a fellow student and the disappearance of a beloved pulp-fiction-loving teacher. To expose the darkness and rot beneath his tale, Copenhaver peppers it with literary allusions — Greek tragedy abounds, as do allusions to Wuthering Heights , classic poetry and contemporary detective fiction. But this 1940s noir homage would not succeed if it weren’t for Judy and Philippa’s chemistry, which promises to deepen — and perhaps combust — over two more books."
The New York Times Book Review - Sarah Weinman
Copenhaver does a magnificent job of capturing the ever-shifting nature of teenage girls. Intelligent, bold, and passionate, Philippa and Judy are bursting with the possibilities of who they may become. The Savage Kind accomplishes a self-aware nostalgia, reveling in the good memories while shining a light on the more sinister aspects of the past. The result is a suspenseful and thrilling novel unapologetic in its revitalization of classic elements of crime fiction and its appreciation for complicated, morally gray women seeking agency over their lives, using whatever means possible to do so.
"The Savage Kind is a superbly multi-layered mix of a dizzyingly twisty murder mystery, a poignant coming-of-age love story, and a psychologically astute exploration of the blurry lines between infatuation, love, and obsession. John Copenhaver is in top form, using an inventive structure to create a haunting and wonderfully atmospheric page-turner. I loved this book."
"John Copenhaver has managed to unmask one of literature’s most elusive and underrepresented psyches: the evolving teenage girl. While fictional young women are often presented as harmless caricature, Copenhaver’s dual heroines crackle with a burgeoning anger and sense of self. As with other unreliable narrators – Humbert Humbert in Lolita ; Mary Katherine in We Have Always Lived in the Castle – warning signs are dropped early that you should not be taken in, that you should keep your guard up. The story is so alluring that you soon forget the warning signs and plunge headlong into the thicket."
"Wow. The Savage Kind is evocative, seductive and rivetingly creepy. John Copenhaver proves he is a brilliant talent, and this gorgeously unsettling story of power, control, gaslighting, and murder is not to be missed."
"Clever girls with dark leanings... powerful DC families hiding dangerous secrets... The Savage Kind is a new take on femme fatales in a dazzling 1940s noir wrapper. Copenhaver will have you guessing till the very last page."
"Copenhaver has crafted a tangle of mysteries as beautifully woven as a spider’s web. Ominous asides hint at the darker story to come: false identities, forbidden liaisons, and murderous family secrets. Nothing can be guessed because nothing is as it seems, except the affection between the two friends who team up to solve a classmate’s death. An enthralling, genre-bending read from the first word to the last."
"Fans like me of John Copenhaver’s debut novel Dodging and Burning will be thrilled with The Savage Kind which, like its predecessor, wraps a page-turning story in elegant prose. Once again, in Judy and Philippa, he has created compelling and morally complex characters who are both appealing and appalling. The Savage Kind is an exciting and riveting tale told by one of crime fiction’s emerging talents."
LGBTQ crime-writing has its heroes. John Copenhaver lists many of them. He may have to add himself to that list now.
A riveting debut. The intricate plot melds a coming-of-age story, a coming-out tale and a mystery with realistic characters who want to be accepted for themselves. The brisk pace is augmented by the character studies and an in-depth look at gay rights. Copenhaver brings a new voice to this genre with Dodging and Burning .
Associated Press Oline Cogdill
Dodging and Burning is a beautifully rendered coming of age story, a compelling exploration of a young man’s struggle with his sexual identity amid the evils of war, and an impeccably executed crime novel that keeps you guessing and ultimately strikes a deep and resounding emotional cord.
The level of detail in [Copenhaver’s] novel Dodging and Burning displays in full measure the demanding research required to uncover the hidden history of a community marginalized and rendered virtually invisible for much of the twentieth century.
Praise for Dodging and Burning:
The mystery also becomes an examination of gay life in the 1940s. The setting is well realized, and, interestingly, in its diction and syntax, the book reads as if it might itself have been written in the 1940s.
Set in 1945, Dodging and Burning is a striking and important debut illuminating the twin traumas of war and repressed sexual identity. A beautifully rendered literary mystery centered around a missing girl and a WWIII photographer’s journey toward adulthood and self-acceptance, the novel keeps you guessing until the very end.
10/01/2021
Copenhaver's (Dodging and Burning ) coming-of-age crime novel opens in 1948; impressionable 17-year-old Philippa Watson and her family have just moved to Washington, DC. At the Metro Baptist Bible School, Philippa meets the enigmatic Judy Peabody. The girls are quite different from each other but become fast friends, while attracting the attention of their English teacher, Christine Martins. Miss Martins engages Philippa and Judy with her love of detective books, which she lets Philippa and Judy borrow. One day, Philippa is returning a book to her teacher when she witnesses Miss Martins struggling with a man in the shadows. After the incident, Miss Martins becomes withdrawn and then goes missing. When another classmate is found dead with a strange note attached to their defiled body, Philippa and Judy team up to discover what happened to their beloved teacher and their classmate, while grappling with their burgeoning feelings for each other. Long-buried secrets rise to the surface, the threat of a killer nearby looms, and Philippa and Judy need to uncover the truth before the murderer claims another victim. VERDICT Copenhaver's latest is jam-packed with noir themes and plot twists. Sure to please fans of queer fiction and twisty mysteries.—Anna Kallemeyn, Allen Cty. P.L., Fort Wayne, IN
This twisty audiobook thriller features two teenage girls in 1940s Washington, DC, as they grapple with their intense friendship and disturbing murders. Conventional-seeming newcomer Philippa is an undercover misfit who quickly identifies iconoclast Judy as a kindred spirit. As their friendship—and attraction—grows, so does their obsession with uncovering the dirty secrets behind recent murders in their community. With cool tones and a sarcastic bite, Jeanette Illidge's portrayal of Judy brings out the girl's detachment and anger. Naughton conveys Philippa's blend of chirpiness and angst with skill. While the two sometimes sound similar, the resulting confusion heightens the listener's unease. Rounding out the cast is Robin Miles, who narrates a frame story with smooth caginess, keeping listeners off-balance until the end. R.A.H. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
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