Rest in Peaches

August 12, 2024
Everyone at Quinn Marcelo’s California high school sees her as a “nobody.” But she’s actually—secretly—Peaches the Parrot, her high school’s beloved mascot. That is, until someone sabotages her costume, forcing Quinn to reveal her identity during a performance, destroying the brand-new Peaches suit in the process. Quinn, who lacks self-confidence outside of her Peaches persona, is determined to discover the culprit; she’s unexpectedly joined in her investigation by her former friend and crush, popular class president Tessa Banks. Things go haywire when someone in a Peaches costume goes on a killing spree, casting Quinn as the prime suspect. Worse, these murders might be connected to a double homicide the year before. Brown (Damned If You Do) imbues Quinn and Tessa’s alternating perspectives with distinct and satisfyingly parallel journeys that follow Quinn’s efforts to forge her own identity without Peaches and Tessa’s struggles to reject her seemingly perfect mother’s high expectations. This over-the-top horror romp may require a healthy suspension of disbelief, but its comedic blend of blood and banter make it a fun and gratifying ode to classic slasher films like Scream. Quinn and Tessa are Filipino American. Ages 14–up. Agent: Amy Bishop-Wycisk, Trellis Literary.

October 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Most of the time, Quinn Marcelo is a high school nobody. But as Peaches the Parrot, her school's beloved mascot, she is secretly the most popular person on campus, entertaining everyone as they're left guessing at the identity of the person in the suit. Quinn has big plans to be a professional mascot, but when someone sabotages her Peaches suit at the homecoming game, unmasking her and stealing Little Peaches, the real-life parrot she's trained, Quinn's life is ruined. Desperate for justice, Quinn goes on the hunt for the culprit, aided by her longtime secret crush, Tessa, the most popular girl in school. But there's also a killer on the loose in town, going after everyone involved in the unmasking-Peaches scandal. Quinn needs to act fast to stay one step ahead of the murderer. Chaos personified, this sapphic comedy slasher struggles with character development and building a believable romance between the leads, but careens toward the finish line with a lot of humor and originality.

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Starred review from October 1, 2024
A high school mascot runs amok. Quinn Marcelo is the third-greatest Peaches the Parrot mascot ever to serve at private girls' school Olivia Newton-John High. But her appearance during the homecoming halftime show--wearing a much-anticipated new costume and accompanied by a live parrot companion--is sabotaged, exposing her closely held secret identity. Soon after, a dead body falls from the ceiling, kicking off a string of bloody killings. Violence isn't new to the touristy beach town of Ocean's Reach, California: A year earlier, the community was rattled by the double murder of a science teacher and the woman he was having an affair with. As Quinn investigates, she teams up with Tessa, who was also her first crush and whose clout as a cheerleader and senior class president contrast with Quinn's status as "an anonymous, useless nobody." The girls, who both have one white parent, originally met while attending Filipino parties with their families. Thoughtful social commentary about race and the justice system is baked into this entertainingly absurd, page-turning slasher, which expertly balances several complex mysteries with humor and camp. The well-drawn characters get involved in situations that lead to wacky but believable twists. Transcripts from the true-crime podcast of Justice Hope (Quinn's best friend, with whom she had a fling she now regrets) and short, sardonic notes from the killer are interspersed among Tessa's and Quinn's alternating chapters, providing additional depth and intrigue. Delightfully heart-pounding, suspenseful, and campy horror.(Thriller. 14-18)

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February 7, 2025

Gr 7 Up-The biggest celebrity at Olivia Newton-John High School is their mascot, Peaches the Parrot, but it's school tradition that the student who wears the Peaches costume remains anonymous until graduation-which means that nobody knows Quinn Marcelo is the current genius behind the bird. When a malicious prank results in Quinn breaking the sacred anonymity of Peaches in front of the whole school, the town of Ocean's Reach acts as though Quinn murdered the mascot. The unexpected twist comes when someone dressed in a vintage Peaches costume starts committing actual murders around town. Quinn teams up with her crush and former best friend, Tessa, in order to discover the identity of Killer Peaches before any more murders occur. As they investigate, the duo experiences their fair share of small-town high school drama mixed with a very camp, genre-aware sequence of events. The narrative is jam-packed with ridiculous moments, including a chase scene inspired by the Home Alone movie franchise, that are presented with a deadpan sincerity that only enhances the hilarity. Despite the overall comedic spin, some very real teen struggles around identity and external expectations are portrayed delicately and with respect. There are explicitly pansexual and bisexual characters; both lead girls are Filipino. VERDICT Any collection serving teens who prefer their murder mysteries with a heaping side of campy humor should feature this priority purchase.-Austin Ferraro

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