Brynn never thought she’d come back to her home town of Sturgis. After all, so many teens her age dream of a time when they can leave the going nowhere place. Four years ago, her father’s job took Brynn, her younger sister Ellie and their parents away from Sturgis, but for the same reason they moved, they’re back.

Now in her senior year, Brynn is back at Saint Ambrose, a private school with a strong have/have not vibe. This has always been there, but now Brynn notes, students are split between elites and dregs. Elites are the wealthy parented paying students / the dregs being smart local kids attending on scholarship. These lines aren’t usually crossed, but Brynn knows one exception – beautiful Charlotte Holbrook and her also wealthy boyfriend from middle school, Shane Delgado, being close friends with Tripp Talbot.

Tripp used to be Brynn’s best friend until he unexpectedly shamed her mercilessly in front of the whole class. Tripp lives alone with his dad after his not-made-to-be-a-mum left them to it years before, and he attends Saint Ambrose like many others – on scholarship. But now, somehow, Tripp’s two closest friends are not only elites, but the top couple of the Elite school ladder.

Mind you, they did discover a body together.

Four years ago, just before Brynn left Sturgis, her English teacher (William Larkin) was murdered in the woods behind their school. Tripp, Charlotte and Shane found him. No-one was ever charged, even though Shane’s prints were on the murder weapon.

Mr Larkin was the person who helped Brynn find her goal in life – writing and eventually investigative journalism. Now she’s back in town, Brynn is applying for an internship to aid her chances in College applications. With the unsolved Larkin case in mind, Brynn scores the job.

More than one person wants her to leave things alone. When she rebuilds friendships, one being with Tripp, she realises she must tell them about her investigation. Suddenly it’s too late and another body sends everything spinning out of control. The police are involved, her parents are livid, her friends are ignoring her, and Tripp is left reeling from his past and her betrayal.

Brynn vows to drop everything – her internship, her investigation and her hopes for her future College applications, to try and help Tripp but things have been put in motion that can’t be stopped. Threads have begun to unravel and confidences are shared. This in turn kicks off violent retribution and yet another death. When will it all end? Will Brynn ever forgive herself, and the question that kicked it all off remains – Who killed Mr Larkin?

The Queen of the High School Murder Mystery is back with an even more intricate plot dance than her smash hit One of Us is Lying. This time a teacher is the victim and the author sent me on several wrong paths before I could even guess who might be the murderer. Then I was thrown off the path again, and again.

The reader will get to know two characters well – Brynn Gallagher who has returned to her home town, determined to investigate her favourite teacher’s murder, and Tripp Talbot, who found the body of their teacher along with two other students.

Brynn has her reasons for the investigation and Tripp has his for the lies he has told. Bring them together and you have two teens that were once best friends but now tip-toe around each other due to past betrayals and the need to keep more than one secret hidden.

Fast paced, well written and with interesting characters built from different backgrounds, Nothing More To Tell is gripping until the very-last-page! 

Author – Karen McManus

Age – 13+

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(2022, Penguin, Murder, Love, Friendship, Private School, Investigation, Investigative Journalism, Internship, Loyalty, School, Mystery, Secrets, Misconceptions, Wealth, Broken families, Selfish Mum, Guilt, Scholarships, Brothers, Crime)