Finding the Vein: A Mystery by

By Jennifer Hanlon Wilde

*** 2022 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALIST FOR LGBTQ MYSTERY! ***

Everyone is a suspect, and as Heritage Camp's darkest secrets begin to unravel, they realize that murder is just the tip of the iceberg.

Isaac knew Heritage Camp would be different this year: he was different. While he had accepted who he was, he wasn't sure how his peers would feel. What he didn't expect was having to investigate the sudden death of his camp counselor.

Sergeant Mikie O'Malley is called to work on the case, but she finds herself distracted by the fact that the victim was adopted, reminding her of a recent inheritance that has her questioning what family really means.

Located outside of Portland, Oregon, Heritage Camp is a summer retreat for adopted international children where adoptees can explore their identities and bond over their shared experiences. When camp counselor Paul goes into fatal anaphylactic shock one evening, everyone believes it to be a tragic accident. But Sergeant Mikie, a former ER nurse, and her new partner Detective Wu aren't so easily convinced. Rumors spread quickly through the camp—everyone is a suspect. Isaac and his new friends share their grief and theories about what really happened, bringing shocking evidence to light. As the detectives and campers each conduct investigations into Paul's death, Heritage Camp's own secrets start to unravel. They soon discover something much more sinister than they ever expected.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ooligan Press
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781947845251

Jennifer Hanlon Wilde

Jennifer Hanlon Wilde lives and writes in Oregon. She is a nurse practitioner and teacher who thinks of her work as opening a kind of map to study the well-worn places where storytelling intersects with health. She also enjoys real maps, traveling the world with her family, and, as a doctoral student at Washington State University, nerding out over global health data. A robust community theater and music scene, acres of orchards, and unparalleled local cider and beer have made it a joy to put down roots in the Columbia River Gorge, but being a Red Sox fan is in her DNA. Finding the Vein is her first novel.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

July 25, 10:30 p.m.

The scent of burnt marshmallows rose in the night air. The sky was growing dark and the campers’ laughter was turning shrill and hysterical. Late nights and sugar got them seriously wound up, but that was half the fun of Heritage Camp. Paul Anderson accepted his third pie in the face with a good-natured smile, even though he thought his friend Katie planted it quite a bit harder than she needed to. He rubbed his nose and laughed, but she didn’t laugh with him. She just smirked, her eyes glittering in the light from the campfire.

Paul licked the whipped cream off his face and grinned as though it were delicious. In fact, it tasted like OFF! Deep Woods spray, and his tongue went numb.

Have mercy, Nathan. Use the lifeline next time, he said, speaking to a chubby boy with bushy hair and glasses. They stood together on a small platform at the edge of the woods, in front of a large campfire ringed with stones. A group of about ninety campers of all ages sat—and bounced and giggled and fidgeted—on wooden benches arranged like the seats in an amphitheater, watching the game unfold. Most of the kids were Asian, like him, though a few were from Ethiopia or Haiti. Some, like his friend Hal, were mixed race. Where they were from didn’t matter; what they all had in common was adoption. And despite the usual camp quarrels and dramas, they loved being together with other kids who knew what that was like: to feel different from their families, to be picked on at school, to have a blank space where other people had baby pictures. Despite everything he’d been through, Paul loved camp too.

I’ll get the next one right, Nathan promised.

Yo Heritage Camp! Ty hollered from his wheelchair. He was a round-faced young man with a booming voice, clever eyes, and a black fauxhawk. He always ran Heritage Trivia gleefully, appearing to relish his role as game-show host.

Yo what! the campers shouted as one.

Are we ready for the next question? Which counselors! Are! From! China!

Nathan appeared to think deeply. Hmm. Jia? Molly. And Paul?

I’m calling hacks! Paul cried. He got that wrong on purpose!

Are you playing your one and only switch card, brother Paul? Ty shouted.

Yes I am, brother Ty. Switch, please.

Ty said, Then the question goes to Annie. Remember, campers get to answer the questions, but the counselors get the pies!

A girl with pink hair smiled widely, showing her braces. That would be Xia, not Jia. Molly is correct. And Alex, not Paul—he’s from Thailand.

That is correct! Switch card means…the correct answer gets the pie! Get her, Paul! Ty shouted.

Katie’s mouth dropped open. What?!

The campers broke into applause as Paul accepted the pie, and they screamed with laughter as he planted it in Katie’s face.

After the trivia and the campfire songs, the mail was distributed and the campers were quiet for a short time, reading their letters or gazing at their friends’ mail rather than their own empty hands. Paul washed his face off in the lake and played a medley of pop songs on his clarinet.

When he was finished, Ty announced, Adoptees Got Talent is over, ladies and gentlemen!

But what about ghost stories? a little girl asked. Paul recognized little Eliza, attired in her usual outfit: shorts, a T-shirt, and fairy wings. The wings were growing floppy and ragged.

No ghost stories, Tinkerbell—not on my watch. Under-twelves to your cabins; everyone else to the lodge for the dance party at eleven! Stay with your buddy! Very quickly, the campers began to disperse and head up the path. Their noisy procession was a medley of bright sweatshirts, ponytails, sandals, and sleek, otter-brown heads. Paul coughed.

The camp nurse—a tall, thin woman with blond hair who stood out in the crowd—hung back. Paul? Are you okay?

Yeah. Thanks, Genevieve. It’s just the wood smoke—it bothers me sometimes.

I’ll be at the lodge doing night meds, she said. In case you need me.

Thanks, he said, relieved; she didn’t seem mad at him at all. She turned to Sophie, looking slightly worried. She always looked that way when speaking to her daughter. Paul had noticed it before.

Aren’t you coming up, Sophie? she asked.

I’ll be there in a minute.

Don’t dilly-dally, sweetheart.

Mom.

Genevieve looked reluctant to go. But a small voice from up the path called, Nurse? We need some first aid here! and she hurried away, glancing back. Sophie rolled her eyes—they were green today—and smiled at Paul.

Paul disassembled his clarinet and stowed it, snapping the case shut as the counselors in training (CITs) doused the campfire and then chased each other up the path, hurling marshmallows and laughing. One grazed Paul’s ear. He picked it up and fired it, popping it neatly off the back of Nathan’s retreating head.

Sophie stepped close to him as he stood up. I like that song you played. She sang the melody quietly. She was off-key and he suppressed a smile.

Miley Cyrus, he said lightly, stepping back. Why do people like pop music?

She stepped closer again. It helps them with their feelings. The ones they don’t know how to say out loud.

Sophie. He should move away. He didn’t.

Paul, she said, gently mocking. No one is watching. She put her hand on the back of his neck and kissed him. To reach, she had to stand on tiptoe, which meant balancing on one leg while the other—the prosthetic one—rested on its toes slightly behind her. The position was awkward, and it canted her forward slightly, so that he thought she was falling and reached out to steady her, dropping his clarinet case. But she was not falling; she was used to the imbalance. When he reached for her she reached back, and they were suddenly pressed together, which felt amazing and was exactly what he had tried to avoid, even as the heat gathered in his stupid, stupid body that didn’t care about the rules. There were several reasons why kissing her was not okay. But she started it, his body argued. Her mouth was soft and her hair smelled like flowers along with smoke and burnt marshmallows. Then he heard a little noise in the woods. Was it a twig snapping? Or just a bird? He squinted into the darkness and thought for a second he saw a green T-shirt moving through the trees. The CITs wore green. It jolted him back to reality. He put a hand on her shoulder and stepped back.

Sophie. I don’t want to be that guy.

Is it about the video? she asked, looking down. I told you, I don’t do that anymore. Why are you being so…

He hoped she wouldn’t say what Ty had said: so fucking good all the time. People seemed to think that. He wished it were true.

I know that. I’m not judging you, Sophie. He spoke quickly to stop her from saying it. And I deleted it. I told him to do the same thing.

Is that what you two were arguing about?

No, it’s—look, it doesn’t matter. He took another step back, and tried to focus on the crunch of the pine needles, the scent of smoke in the air, anything but Sophie’s puzzled and yearning expression. He told himself, probably for the thousandth time, that he was doing the best thing. I’m leaving my phone anyway, when I go.

Seriously? You’re still planning to go?

Yeah, Sophie. He tried to say it gently. I am.

Now she was the one to step back. Her face turned hard and angry. It’s so stupid. This was Tanya’s idea, wasn’t it?

No, he said, frustrated. It’s about me. Nobody else has to understand. Which was a good thing, he thought, since nobody did, apart from Tanya. But he didn’t want to think about Tanya now, either.

Let’s go up, okay? he said. I need my inhaler. He coughed again, feeling the slight wheeze from the smoke.

Their flip-flops slapped the dark path that wound through the woods, past the darkened infirmary and the younger kids’ cabins. As they approached the lodge, a huge log building, they moved apart. The air pulsed with the thump of the bass line as dance music emanated from the lodge. Suddenly Paul wanted to dance with Sophie. It would be okay just to dance. He didn’t really want anyone else to put their arms around her, smell her flowery shampoo, feel her little breasts pressed against them. He wanted that off-kilter feeling as she moved into him, just one last time. He opened the door for her and then propelled her to the dance floor under the pulsating lights. Someone had obtained a disco ball and hung it from a beam overhead.

What about your inhaler?

It can wait, he said. Feeling breathless and a little dizzy, he spoke quietly into her ear. Some things can wait.

At that, she gave him a tremulous smile. But then she frowned and said, Are you okay? You look puffy.

I’m fine, he said. But even as he spoke, he knew he wasn’t. His throat felt tight, his chest raw and itchy. I could use a Benadryl, he said. A small whistle escaped him as he spoke. "Get your mom—whee—my inhaler—whee—" Now the feeling was congealing in his neck. It felt like a panic attack, like he used to have before a party or a presentation at school, but he knew this was different: his lips and eyelids were swelling, and the feeling was spreading inside his chest. Fuck, this hadn’t happened in years, he had been so careful! He fumbled for his EpiPen in his pocket, got it out of its case, and tried to steady his hand as he shoved it into his right thigh.

Paul? Let’s go sit down! Sophie was shouting over the music, pulling on his arm.

Okay, he tried to say, but his voice wasn’t working. Only a rasping noise came out. His heart was racing and his fingers trembled. The EpiPen fell to the floor and he patted his pockets, his hands seeking his inhaler. But it wasn’t there. He hardly ever needed it, so he’d stopped carrying it around—he could picture it in his toiletry bag. He could only mouth the words at Sophie’s horrified face: my inhaler. He made no noise, not even a thump as he hit the floor—the music was too loud—but he heard Sophie clearly screaming MOM! It was a few long seconds before the nurse arrived, pulling the yellow canister from her fanny pack as she ran to him, opening it with her teeth, sticking the needle into his right leg in one fast, fluid motion.

Sophie, call 911, she said. Go! Now! Fast, he thought, she was so fast. It made him feel calm even though his heart was racing, his limbs were jackhammering, and his vision was going blurry around the edges. She smiled at him and her face was kind. It’s okay, she said. You’re okay now.

Her eyes were very blue. They were the last thing he saw as he plummeted through the floor and into dark waters where there was no air and the lights flickered at the surface, even as the music beckoned him deeper—the same melody Sophie had sung to him earlier. His mom bent over him and mussed his hair. His baby sister was born and he took her in his arms, brave enough to take her this time; he had been afraid before. The music grew louder. He could breathe now. He was grateful.

Chapter 1

July 11, 12:00 p.m.

Isaac fervently wished he hadn’t worn shorts. Besides the fact that the grass under his thighs was itchy, his legs were too skinny. It was obvious here, in a crowd of other teenagers, the way it hadn’t been at home, or in the dressing room at American Eagle Outfitters when he had shopped there for new summer clothes. His mom had waited nervously outside the dressing room—prepared to smile, he was now sure, no matter what he looked like. You look great, she had assured him. But he was thinner and softer than the other guys assigned to his cabin, who sat casually on the grass nearby, surely not thinking about their legs at all. He reminded himself to work out more, but there were no weights at camp. Lunges and squats, that would do it. He didn’t need to be huge, just a little stronger. He had always been fast enough to outrun the bullies—well, almost always—and there were always trees to climb when he couldn’t get away, but he wasn’t very strong. Not yet.

He brought his attention back to the present, like Michelle was always telling him to do. Kids were stirring, starting to get restless. The camp director, Ty, was wrapping up his speech. It was the same as last time: the we’re all a family talk. Inspiring stuff, but Isaac had heard it before. A trio of girls, nested together on the grass, were whispering together and glancing in his direction. He gave in to a split second of panic—were they talking about him?—but no, their gaze was trained behind him,on a handsome guy he recognized from a couple of years back: Paul something. He’d been a camper then, but judging from the clipboard in his hands and his orange Heritage Camp T-shirt, it looked like he was a counselor now.

People were getting up now, and Isaac scrambled to do the same. Handsome Paul something was walking toward him and saying his name. Isaac forced a smile and joined the group of boys clustered around Paul while the girls ran off in another direction. Kids were moving everywhere, and the noise was amazing. He had forgotten about all the shouting and screaming that happened at camp. Paul’s voice was surprisingly soft, and he had to strain to hear him.

Isaac? You’re new this year, right?

Yes, he heard himself say. Brand new.

My name’s Paul Anderson. You’re in C Cabin, right? I’m your counselor. Do you have a buddy yet?

Isaac cringed. He had forgotten the buddy system. No, actually.

Let me introduce you to someone, Paul said. He knows everyone, and he’ll get you all set up. He called out to a group of kids over by the lodge. Hal?

A slender brown-skinned boy in sunglasses turned and nodded. Isaac didn’t think he’d ever seen him before. The boy looked back at the girl he’d been talking to for a moment, and then they parted. Isaac realized who the girl was and felt his palms get damp. He wiped them on his stupid shorts as the kid, who was wearing a T-shirt with what looked like a TARDIS on it, approached. Isaac noticed he had skinny legs too. But he strode toward them without a trace of the self-consciousness that dogged Isaac at every step. His hair was tightly curled, cut close to his scalp, and his smile was open.

Salutations, my friend. A pleasure to see you, he said to Paul.

Paul grinned at Isaac, though his words were directed at the other boy. You too, dude. Isaac, this is Hal Shaw. Hal, this is Isaac, he’s new. Can you introduce him around?

Certainly, Hal said. It was hard to tell how old he might be. He was wearing wraparound shades that reminded Isaac of pictures he’d seen from the eighties—shiny and reflective. He turned to Isaac for a long moment and cocked his head. Isaac had a sense of being…scanned. Whose acquaintance would you like to make first?

Um, Isaac said. I’m not sure.

A systematic approach, then. We shall start with the Pauls, I think. There is quite a surplus of them, if you haven’t noticed, he said. He jerked his head toward the lodge and they started walking that way, across the long green field that Isaac knew would serve for endless games of Sharks and Minnows, elbow tag, and Heritage Olympics.

No, I—

There really are quite a lot. I’m developing an explanatory hypothesis. I think it has to do with church. You know how Heritage Camp started? Hal asked.

Isaac thought he probably did know but had forgotten. He shook his head.

Hal recited it briskly, like something he’d memorized. Hank and Thelma Lee, inspired by Christian charity, adopted seven children from Korea after the war, literally arranging an Act of Congress to do so. Their church brethren found this inspiring and many followed suit; Evangelicals love Paul, hence, a superfluous number of them. I was a Paul myself, but I changed my name.

Isaac had a lot of questions, but he settled on the one that seemed safest: Did your parents mind?

But they were now at the timbered porch, and Hal ignored the question. Isaac felt a little rush of nerves as about a dozen kids turned toward them, smiling at Hal, who said, Let me introduce you to everyone. Their faces were open and curious as they looked at Isaac. He saw no sign of recognition.

Later that evening, Isaac slipped his Chromebook out of the duffel bag under his bed and went looking for Ty. He found him in the lodge, sitting at the end of one of the long tables they used at meals.

Hey there! What can I do for you, my man? Ty asked.

Um, I’m Isaac Whitson. My parents said I could use the office once a day? For email?

Isaac, of course. I remember. Do you know where it is? Here, follow me. He backed away from the table and headed toward a little room off the kitchen. It was a bit messy, with boxes on the floor and two

Reviews for Finding the Vein

[calicok3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This fast-paced mystery about a children's camp will keep you turning the pages. The book is engaging and is a perfect read for a summer night. The ending is a bit fantastical, but overall a fun read. It is easy to engage with the characters and I liked that there are several sub-themes intertwined with the primary mystery-based theme. Well worth the read.

[abookishroad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I feel like this story has some good bones. I requested this book for review from LibraryThing because of the summary. I really enjoyed the different representations in this story. It was a fresh perspective. There weren’t any lulls and it was a pretty fast read.But I found myself disconnected from the characters from the very beginning. I feel like we jumped right into dialogue pretty quickly and the mood of the story was lost for me. The characters in the book felt one-dimensional at times. I wanted them to be fleshed out some more, know more about them. Other times I felt that I was reading two books at the same time. You had the adults perspective and the kids perspective. This made the book feel disjointed at times. I think this book would have been better if had just been written thru the lens of the kids alone or the adults.Towards the end, the story felt rushed. There were a lot of “secrets” that were quickly mentioned but not fully explored or brought up again. For example, Isaac’s difference (mentioned in the book summary) isn’t stated until the very end of the book, and only to one person & another camper who has discovered his secret. You as the reader will probably figure it out sooner.There is this trope that I have seen in a lot of movies, shows & books, where the “kids” are smarter than the adults. This shows up in this book, and it had my eyes rolling at times. As well, as Isaac being at the right place and at the right time, which happened when the adults (police/suspect) were talking about the “important” things.This happened quite often. Once or twice … I would not have batted an eye but three times and more… why??Forgetting, every eye-roll and annoyance this story may have given me, I did overall enjoy this read. It was a mystery and the plot points intrigued me enough to want to know who the killer was…till the very end.Plus it gave me some food for thought on adoptions especially the international kind.

[lisarhine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't read very many Murder Mystery's, This one was good, i always like a book that has a variety of Characters in it, this one did,. The story starts off with a group of Adopted kids at a a 6 week Summer Camp, Isaac like most, was excited to finally be there, where he could be himself, shortly after the Camp gets started a Councilor dies, at first I'ts thought to be an allergy reaction, later on they are not so sure. I like that the kids are a big part of the Investigation, and the secrets the come out about the camp are shocking. I liked the fact that although there we're a lot of different Characters to read about, the Author did a great job at keeping the reader on track, and I loved the emotion that was talked about through different families, I work in a middle School Library, I really would like this book on our shelf. I Received this book, I agreed to write a review after reading, It was well worth it.

[corrie57 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the book.It was nice reading the story from different perspectives, the denouement was good and I was very glad I got to know Isaacs secret at last.Some things I did not notice, but my partner did: using the name 'Hal' for the computerkid and the meaning of the title.This seems to be a debut.Dear Jennifer: I want more!

[insightsgal · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s been a while since I’ve stayed up late to finish a good book, and this one had me hooked until I finished it at 1am! Set at a camp for international adoptees in the Pacific Northwest, it’s a really interesting murder mystery and an ending I did not see coming! This is a great one for your summer reading list,

[breakfastatholly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As an Oregonian (and indeed, someone who lives in one of the small towns mentioned in the book!), I think was primed to enjoy this book just for the setting and the (mostly accurate) local references. It was a really fun backdrop for the story and all the better for me because I could vividly imagine it since it's just out my front door. The mystery totally kept me guessing and turning pages - I devoured this book in just a couple of quick sittings because it was so enjoyable. I really fell in love with all of the characters and like that although the book was focusing on a diverse cast of characters, it didn't make a meal out of their so-called differences. Instead, it just matter-of-factly presented the characters for who they were. Although I found the ending to be enjoyable for it's twists and turns, it was wrapped up a bit too neatly and with some things that required a bit of suspension of disbelief (sending a kid in with a wire to talk to a potential murderer??). That said, I don't think that's much different than a lot of mystery/thriller novels with similarly tidy endings and the payoff for unraveling the mysteries was totally worth it. I would love to see these characters again in future novels!

[ysab3l · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finding the Vein is a young adult murder mystery set at a picturesque Oregon summer camp for international adoptees. The story starts with a fatal allergy attack, and everyone at the camp quickly becomes a suspect. The action is limited to the typical investigative thriller. There are no explosions or car chases, and justice is delivered murky and a bit lukewarm. However, the pacing is fast, and the characterization of the campers is dynamic and diverse. Ooligan Press, the publishing imprint, was created to highlight the natural and cultural diversity of the Pacific Northwest, and Finding the Vein is an excellent addition to its catalog.

[ashenowl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed Finding the Vein. The mystery was a good one and the twist at the end I didn't see coming at all. International adoption isn't a topic that you often read about and it's even less common to to be told from the adoptee's point of view. It added great diversity into the novel and I was engaged the entire time.

[clp2go · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Let me start with that I had mechanical troubles with this e-book and the actual physical part of reading it frustrated me - it shouldn't color my review but unfortunately probably will. This mystery taking place at a international adoptee summer camp showcased the initiative of a couple of campers to determine if the death of one of the counselors was suicide or murder. It was neat to see the teens tackling a project, solving the mystery, how they discovered the clues, and what they did with them, etc. I felt that character development was somewhat uneven with some of the characters being being so undeveloped that they almost weren't there (a couple of the campers in the cabin) and others developed as if they weren't quite real. A primary character, Hal, seemed to be interesting but all he did was work on the computer and there seemed to be so much more to him that it would have been nice to get to know him more. The main character, Issac, read with a sort of false note and seemed way too concerned with how he looked for a teenaged boy. There also seemed to be a lot of foreshadowing that didn't seem to really go anywhere - just hints at secrets and stuff that characters didn't want others to know or were afraid someone would find out, that were either never resolved or resolved in a low key almost off hand manner. OK, now for the good things about the book. The location was well described with just enough detail to be able to picture what was happening without being heavy and intrusive in the story - I felt I was there. The pacing was good and tension built to the conclusion and as the book raced towards the end you were pulled along with it in an "I can't put this down manner." The book brought to light some of the things international adoptees have to cope with and other concerns that are unique to that population as well as some of the less savory elements related. There were several other stories hinted at throughout that could be novels in their own right. Overall a good book and one I don't regret reading.

[candyh_64 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting mystery right up to its strange ending. It’s the story of foreign adopted children and the challenges in their lives. The book deals with a summer camp they attend where many secrets come to light. Thank you LibraryThing for allowing me to read this book.

[bbbbecky13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finding the Vein is a mystery that takes place at a summer camp for adopted teens. From the start, I was drawn into the setting. The author did a great job of using the setting to set the tone of the novel, and it added to the spookiness of the story. I also really enjoyed all of the characters. I appreciate the fact that the mystery was so well written that honestly, any of the characters could have been the guilty party.I think the author did an excellent job of weaving all of the characters’ stories together. However, I think she may have done too good a job. After finishing the book, the explanation of who committed the crime felt a bit muddled to me.I also felt that, as someone with no medical background whatsoever, the implications of the medical issues in the book were a bit over my head. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say that I had to look some things up. It wasn’t anything outrageous or super difficult, but I think it might be a bit overwhelming for someone who isn’t in the medical field or familiar with these health issues.I hope the author continues writing. I’d love another book about Isaac, and definitely one about Mikie!

[amethy-117049 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a an easy YA read that kept my attention. Having points of view from both a student at a camp where a mystery has occurred and a police detective kept things interesting because you get to see both sides of a case. One disappointment is it alluded to there being more to know about Sergeant Mikie but her character never seemed to get fully developed. It is worth a read but the story ends up being so complex that each thread of the mystery is just covered on a surface level.

[amandamreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one ticks all the boxes: murder mystery, diverse characters, quirky best friend (seriously, Hal is my new fave), and a fun twist. I love the representation (adoptees, Asians, LGBTQ+, differently abled) and the setting (I'm a sucker for summer camp stories). The author has done a great job of capturing the spirit of the PNW as well as creating round, interesting characters. The hints and clues are plunked in just the right places to keep you reading and guessing until the end. Many thanks to the publisher and LibraryThing for the ARC.

[miamismartgirl09 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a great easy (YA) read that had be gripped from the beginning. The mystery kept me turning and I never knew which path we were going down and the ending was a surprise. The characters were very real and believable as well. Excellent read.

[lilmiss01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book was an interesting read and kept my attention. I was able to follow the characters and the storyline. Although I recommend the book to read, I also don't understand how the title relates to the book.

[evelyn.b · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A YA mystery set in Heritage Camp, a summer camp for children who have been adopted from over seas. Set to release on April 20th, 2021 Things I liked: Topics on adoption, suicide, relationships, self identity, and more come up throughout the book. Characters are easy to like and working through discovering themselves. This is a creative setting for a book, I could see kids reading this while at camp and really feeling like they are experiencing what these characters are, sans the murder mystery of course. What mainly kept this book from being 5 stars for me was that the prose flowed oddly. There were moments while reading that I stumbled and wasn't sure who said what, and what the scene was that the author was trying to paint.