Title: Beware the Abbott Boys
Author: Chelsea Ichaso
Genre: mystery
Age range: teen
Similar book: Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson
Summary (provided by publisher): The Abbott boys, fraternal triplets Henry, Bram, and Adam, live in a mansion on the outskirts of Silver Creek. For decades, their family's been at odds with the town, long before Mariana Flores died in a fiery accident on the Abbott property last year. The police ruled out foul play, but ask anyone in Silver Creek about it and they'll say one of the Abbott boys killed her. They just don't know which one.
But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend—maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.
When the new school year brings a new victim—a popular girl, found dead in the woods—the hunt for a monster begins anew. The security camera footage doesn't show the face of the boy she was last seen with, but from his hoodie he could be any one of the Abbott brothers.
To clear their names, Hayden starts investigating the new death, but the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she becomes. Is one of the Abbott brothers a killer? Or could they all be monsters? And what will the boys do to protect themselves and the truth?
What I liked: Ichaso handles the evidence well. We have a fair number of clues that could be interpreted in a variety of ways. With flashbacks to the original crime and the various figures involved, the truth is carefully threaded throughout the novel with plenty of red herrings making for compelling reading.
What I didn't like: All three Abbotts are named after figures in classic horror novels. Their personalities seemed to reflect this connection. But there's no payoff. Ichaso doesn't see that connection through, an addition that would have truly elevated this otherwise standard novel.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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