Title: The Amateurs
Author: Sara Shepherd
Publisher: Hot Key Books (Allen & Unwin)
About the book: It’s been five years since Aerin’s sister disappeared, and a year since she was found dead in the forest near her house. Police have long-since closed the case but her murderer was never caught. Then she meets, via an amateur sleuth website, Seneca and Maddy, amateur crime solvers, who turn up and put the case on its head.
What I thought: This book was full of so many secrets and twists, it was impossible to know who the murderer was until the end. I really enjoyed having that element of trying to match your wits against the characters to see who could solve the crime first, but I admit I didn’t see the twist coming!
I really liked how all the voices sounded very real and contemporary, and how the point of view changed, so you could see every character’s perspective on the case.
This book contains very strong themes, coarse language, references to drug use and strong violence. It’s definitely not for readers under 14.