Today we have a review for We’ll Never Tell by Wendy Heard. This post is part of the blog tour organized by TBR & Beyond Tours. Thank you for allowing me to take part in this tour!
I received this book for free from NetGalley to facilitate my review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard Published by Christy Ottaviano Books on 05/16/2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Mystery, Young Adult Fiction / Thriller
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
IndieBound
Goodreads
An ambitious and juicy whodunit doused in Hollywood lore, perfect for readers of sexy summer thrillers like The Twin by Natasha Preston and The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.
No one at Hollywood High knows who’s behind We’ll Never Tell—a viral YouTube channel where the anonymous creators trespass behind the scenes of LA’s most intriguing locales. The team includes CASEY, quiet researcher and trivia champ; JACOB, voice narrator and video editor, who is secretly dating EDDIE, aspiring filmmaker; and ZOE, coder and breaking-and-entering extraordinaire.
Now senior year is winding down, and with their lives heading in different directions, the YouTubers vow to go out with a bang. Their last episode will be filmed at the infamous Valentini “murder house,” which has been left abandoned, bloodstained, and untouched since a shocking murder/suicide in 1972. When the teens break in, they capture epic footage. But someone trips an alarm, and it’s a mad dash to get out before the police arrive—at which point they realize only three of them escaped instead of four. Jacob is still inside, slain and bleeding out. Is his attack connected to the historic murder, or is one of their crew responsible?
A week of suspicions and cover-ups unfolds as Casey and her remaining friends try to stay alive long enough to solve murder mysteries past and present. If they do, their friendship may not survive. If they don’t, the house will claim more victims.
When I read the description/synopsis of this book, I knew I had to do a review of it. It just sounded like it was going to be so good! I wasn’t wrong.
First, I love that main characters have a YouTube channel that is basically urban exploration with a twist – they break into various places that are abandoned, condemned, or just closed up at the moment for a behind-the-scenes look. I’m a fan of channels like that on YouTube myself, so that was cool.
Another thing I was in love with was the constant twists and turns. Just when I thought I’d figured out who might have attacked Jacob, I was wrong – and it turns out I never did guess the right person! There are also other twists, turns, and revelations that kept me on my toes and the edge of my seat.
Most of the story is told from Casey’s point of view, although some of it is told from Jacob’s point of view. You also get some newspaper/gossip rag articles and personal correspondence of Rosalinda Valentini’s. The newspaper/gossip rag articles are interesting and while Rosalinda’s correspondence might seem unnecessary at first, trust me, they’re there for a good reason.
I also like that there is queer representation, but that while it does figure into the story, it doesn’t do so in any way you might expect and it doesn’t overshadow the main storyline.
I gave this book 5 stars because the plot twists were amazing, the story was extremely well written, and honestly, I read this book in two sittings. It’s a great book and I highly recommend it!
About Wendy Heard
Wendy Heard is the author of suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s.