We'll Never Tell

March 1, 2023
Four teens get involved with a 1970s Hollywood murder mystery. Casey, Jacob, Eddie, and Zoe are the anonymous creators behind We'll Never Tell, a popular YouTube channel which features them sneaking into exciting off-limit sites around Los Angeles. As their senior year comes to an end, they decide to go out with a bang by trespassing and entering the so-called "Valentini murder mansion," the site of an infamous, presumed 1972 murder-suicide involving two Hollywood darlings. After they get inside, however, they realize the house is not as untouched as it should have been. The night ends with Jacob getting stabbed and bleeding out in one of the rooms while the other three scramble to get out before they're caught by the police. In the days that follow, Casey--whose own backstory is full of trauma--becomes suspicious that one of her friends may be the culprit and that the truth may be connected to what happened in the past. This fast-paced thriller follows Casey in her attempt to uncover the truth. The narrative also includes some chapters from Jacob's viewpoint leading to the night of the break-in. While sophisticated readers may figure out the mystery before it is revealed, the historical elements are intriguing, and the characters' relationships, especially the romance between Jacob and Eddie, are highlights. The book follows a White default; Zoe's mother is from the Philippines, and Eddie is cued Chinese American. Casey is also queer. An enjoyable, character-driven whodunit. (Thriller. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 3, 2023
Recent high school graduates Casey, Jacob, Eddie, and Zoe are preparing to shoot the final video of their viral YouTube series We’ll Never Tell, which chronicles infamous California break-ins, in this hair-raising thriller by Heard (Dead End Girls), inspired by the Los Feliz Murder Mansion. The finale will showcase the Valentini Murder House, which is famed for the 1972 murder-suicide of actor Rosalind Valentini and her studio-executive husband—and is believed to be haunted by the couple’s ghosts. As the teens explore the house, a tripped alarm prompts them to beat a hasty retreat, but only three of them make it out. When they discover that Jacob is bleeding out within the residence after a stabbing, the group scrambles to cover their tracks. Casey is unsure whom to trust: Did Jacob fall victim to the house? Or was it one of the crew? Teaming up with a Valentini relative, Casey strives to uncover what happened to Jacob as the police close in. Letters by Rosalind Valentini and fictional 1970s newspaper reports pepper Casey and Jacob’s rapidly paced alternating narratives. While the overarching mystery offers few surprises, Heard deftly crafts dynamic interactions between the intersectionally diverse cast to deliver a multilayered read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lauren Spieller, Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr.

May 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 We'll Never Tell is a massively successful YouTube channel featuring an anonymous group of teens who thrill their one million followers by filming themselves breaking into off-limits locations throughout L.A. As they prepare to finish senior year and move away for college and work, Casey (trivia whiz), Jacob (editor and aspiring voice actor), Eddie (film enthusiast), and Zoe (coder and lockpicker) decide to sign off with one last epic break-in. Unfortunately, midway through their exploration of the notorious Valentini "murder house," Jacob gets stabbed in the chest. With the police on the way, the group has no choice but to leave him behind. In the aftermath, they struggle to keep their stories and relationships from falling apart. Multiple characters are queer, and the majority of the larger cast is white except Eddie, who is coded as Asian American, and Zoe, whose mother is from the Philippines. Secrets, lies, cover-ups, and betrayals are expertly interwoven by Heard, who makes liberal use of red herrings to surprise readers and bring the novel to a heart-pounding conclusion.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2023

Gr 9 Up-The popular YouTube channel We'll Never Tell is a viral sensation. Friends Casey, Jacob, Eddie, and Zoe are the anonymous creators, trespassing into and filming some of LA's most famous sites. As seniors ready to graduate, they decide to end their YouTube careers by visiting their most challenging venue-The Valentini "Murder House." This mansion has been locked in time since the 1972 unsolved murder/suicide of a famous actress and her husband, Rosalinda and Andrew Valentini. The teens break into the mansion and start to film when the abandoned house's alarm goes off. They run outside but discover they have left Jacob behind; inside the house, he has been stabbed in the same spot where Rosalinda was killed. They presume he is dead when they can't find his pulse and they flee. The three friends seek to find out who stabbed their friend and if someone is protecting the Murder House legend. Heard's quick-paced YA whodunit is sure to please teens who seek suspense. The Hollywood backdrop is intriguing. This character-driven novel keeps readers guessing as it twists and turns, and the characters try to solve the mysteries past and present. VERDICT A great fast-paced thriller that will keep YA readers guessing.-Nancy Hawkins

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