Book Review: Deadly Cool

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name.

But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.

A friend recommended Deadly Cool to me late last year, so it was a good I sat on for a while. I had a false start at the very beginning of the year, where I read the first chapter but then got distracted. Then, later, I picked it up again and found myself completely engrossed in the story.

First, the plot was really a lot of fun. I love a good mystery--especially in YA--and Gemma Halliday pulled this one off really well.

The premise of the story involves Hartley going to confront her allegedly cheating boyfriend, Josh, but instead finds the dead body of the girl he was supposed to be cheating on her with. While she believes Josh to be a cheater, she doesn't believe him to be a killer, and so, despite the state of their relationship, she sets out to prove Josh is not a killer.

The storytelling felt very tight and plausible. I didn't feel like the story went out to the way to create red herrings or create unnecessary mystery. It was done in such a way that you might expect of a few determined high schoolers.

Also, while I had my suspicions about the killer, I didn't know who it was immediately, and when the killer was revealed, it was a satisfying reveal. Too many mysteries involve the killer being some obscure character that was never really involved in the story. I'm glad to say that wasn't the case here.

Second, the characters were really enjoyable. I liked Hartley right off the bat. She's sassy, snarky and smart. Her voice was really what made the story so fantastic for me. She was also a sympathetic character. She's stuck in the middle of a situation that is less than desirable. There's a lot of stress to be had from it, but she keeps on trucking.

Her best friend Sam was a good supporting character. She was the kind of best friend I'd want to have with me if I were investigating a murder. She was also great for lightening up some of those more tense moments.

Chase, aside from being an apparent bad boy, was an interesting character. There's a bit of a mysterious air to him that I really liked. He also has some mad skills that proved to be quite useful. Also, he's hot.

Overall, I thought the story was a very satisfying (and quick!) read. I never felt bored or like parts of it dragged out. I was disappointed when I came to the end of the book, though, because I was ready for more. I will most definitely be checking out the next book, Social Suicide, very soon.