A Young Adult Locked Room Mystery with a touch of romance, They Want Us Dead.
Sam is going to a retreat for content creators that are influencers in the area of true crime. Their online troll/enemy Dylan is also coming as a last-minute substitute. It doesn’t take long for them to be stranded with no wi fi or information, just as a dead body happens to fall into their laps (or down the steps).
A lot to like here- a non-binary main character, enemies-to-lovers energy, a cast of characters with foibles and dialogue around their craft. At 320 pages, it is intensely readable. In particular the main character Sam is endearing, and while insecure, I thought their voice was a solid one throughout the novel. The Gen Z/Gen Alpha language was pure and very believable. For me, what didn’t work was the pacing and the legacy family storyline. But this book already has really strong reviews so I know others will enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC. Book to be published April 28, 2026
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