What is Thornbird about?
A 17 year old girl moves back to the place her father killed 6 women, including her own mother. Hiding her identity from all but her aunt and uncle, she aims to stay under the radar until graduation and turning 18. However, this small town refuses to forget the crimes of the serial killer who lived among them.
Plot summary of Thornbird (No Spoilers)
Ryan Shipley (real name Gabrielle Thorn) moves back to the small town of Sparling, Tennessee, where she lived until she was 7 years old. That’s the age her father killed her mother and was arrested for six murders.
She went to live with her grandmother, taking a new name and trying to forget what her father did. Now 10 years later, she is living with her aunt, uncle and twin cousins.
Starling has never forgotten what Gabriel Thorn did, even now as he sits on death row with his execution pending. Ryan begins high school among them, keeping her secret identity close, as everyone knows she’s the new girl in town. She wants to live a normal life with her new family, go to school and graduate.
To her surprise, she attracts the interest of the handsome cliche quarterback and also the bad boy in town, no matter how much she tries to avoid them.
When the families of the slain women put up a million dollars for any clues that lead to the bodies of the missing women, Sparling true crime buffs and podcasters begin to investigate the crime themselves – trawling through the sparse facts from the last 10 years.
Filled with guilt, Ryan wants to find them herself to ease the pain in this town, and prevent anyone else getting hurt.
Review
This YA Thriller grabbed me in the first few pages. Secrets, serial killers and returning to the scene of the crime? Bring it on!
I really felt for main character Ryan who was only 7 when her father was revealed as a serial killer. The horror of losing her mother at such a young age, mixed with her confusion at missing her father, even though she knew he was a monster, is emotive. I want her to be happy in her new family, but know along with her that if her cousins find out who she really is – the fallout will be horrendous.
The tale is perfectly timed, gripping me more tightly at each plot hook or secret revealed, and then even more surprises are to come.
With letters from her serial killer father, FBI agents pressuring her and her emotions constantly swirling just below the surface, Thornbird is a captivating read.
Book Style
431 Pages / 145 Chapters Each chapter has a descriptive heading, and podcasts and texts are sprinkled through the narrative.
FAQ’s
What age is it for?
14+
Where & When is it set?
A fictional town named Sparling in Tennessee, USA
What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?
1st person / Present tense
Is there Violence?
Details of crime
Is there any sex in the novel?
Yes
What genre is Thornbird?
Young Adult Thriller
Themes
Family / Crime / Secrets / Guilt / Romance / School / Real Life
Is it part of a series?
No
Author
E Kennedy
Publisher
Electric Monkey / Harper Collins
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(2026, Harper Collins, YA Thriller, Family, Crime, Real Life, Secret, Romance, School, Tennessee, Cousins, Identity, Serial Killer,