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Reviewed by: Sarah Wergin, High School Librarian Title: Two Sides to Every Murder
Author: Danielle Valentine
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Year: 2024 Good for Grades: 9-12 Genre/Type of Book: Mystery/Thriller/Horror
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: No
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: The cover looked interesting. If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: Olivia's family owns the famous summer camp, Lost Lake. Once known for the hundreds of kids who flocked to the camp every summer - the camp is now known for the multiple murders that remain unsolved. When Olivia's sister, Andie, moves back home and plans to revive the camp. Will the camp succeed or will the Witch of Lost Lake continue to haunt the grounds.
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Review: Olivia D’Angeli, is questioning a lot in her life right now after accidentally discovering the man she calls Dad, is in fact, not her biological father. The D’Angeli's are well known in the small town of Lost Lake, in part because they own and run local diner but more so because Olivia's mother, owns the famous Lost Lake camp. The campground immediately closed after three people were found murdered on the property in 2008. Lost Lake made headlines again seventeen years later after a true crime podcast featured the story of the Witch of Lost Lake and the unsolved murders.
Reagan and her mom have been on the run since the true crime podcast featured The Witch of Lost Lake Murders. The podcast highlighted that the main suspect in the crimes, an employee of the camp who was seen fleeing the camp around the time of the murders. Reagan learns her mother is considered the prime suspect for the Camp Lost Lake Murders. Reagan knows her mother is innocent and is determined to prove the police, the town, and all the podcast obsessed fans that her mother has been wrongly blamed for the murders. With little evidence to go on, Reagan enlists the help of a friend to explore the Lost Lake Campground, which remained untouched since the night of the murders seventeen years ago, for any proof that will exonerate her mother.
Reagan was shocked to see a group of people at Camp Lost Lake, but decides to hide in the trees to observe the group. Reagan learns she picked the exact weekend that Olivia's much older sister, Andie, moved back home to open a new business on the Lost Lake property. This weekend was intended to be a clean up weekend - only before anyone can get much work one, a missing piece of evidence from the 2008 murders is discovered and there is one person who cannot let that evidence get into the hands of law enforcement. The Witch of Lost Lake is determined to keep the past in the past - and that means more people may have to die.
This story is a 2024 spin on the summer camp slasher packed with twists that kept me guessing up until the very last page! The story is told from multiple points of view and even has some flashbacks to the night of the murders in 2008. While I am not one who typically reads horror/slasher books, I did enjoy the thrill and mystery in the story. I highly recommend for fans of horror stories.
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Find more about Two Sides to Every Murder at Teachingbooks.net
You can also find more information about this book at the publisher's website.