Reminiscent of Lois Duncan, avid readers of suspense will find a thrill in Alexandrea Weis’s slasher novel Have You Seen Me? [Vesuvian Books, August 17, 2021]. From unreliable characters to various twists and turns, Have You Seen Me? keeps readers turning the pages, questioning everything until the very end.
In Have You Seen Me?, Aubrey LaRoux has just accepted a teaching position at her former high school, Waverly Prep. Having been relentlessly bullied during her years at Waverly, Aubrey is conflicted about returning to campus—even as a member of faculty. Her apprehension turns to dread when she sees a missing person poster of student Lindsey Gillett. History is now not just Aubrey’s subject, but, worse, seems to be repeating itself: Two girls went missing from Waverly Prep in the 1990s and another—Lindsey’s sister—disappeared while Aubrey was in school there. When a small group of Aubrey’s students convince her to investigate the unsolved cases of the missing girls, the secrets she learns of Waverly’s past will put a target on their backs.
Readers will notice the diversity and complexity of characters, and how each has a particular quality that makes them crucial to the investigation. Aubrey’s students are unique and exhibit growth throughout the story. For example, student Bella is spunky and unafraid to express her individuality on a campus where every student is instructed to fall in line with the crowd. Bella and her friends’ elaborate plans to figure out who murdered Lindsey, and the secrets each student holds, keeps the reader wondering if any of them can be trusted.
In addition to the unreliability of the students’ secrecy, and a series of gruesome murders, the school’s headmistress, Sara Probst, provides a compelling antagonist. Sara and her family have been headmasters at Waverly Prep for decades, and from the beginning it is clear she only cares about one thing: reputation. Sara does not allow any of the students to express their individuality and even denounces the case of the missing girls. Also, the deep-seated conflict between Sara and Aubrey adds an air of mystery as readers keep turning the pages to learn the root of that animosity. In turn, this conflict inherently lets the readers learn more about Sara and Aubrey and where their loyalties lie.
Have You Seen Me? is a suspense-filled tale of friendship, love, loss, and the importance of speaking up when things don’t seem right. With well-rounded, interesting characters and a protagonist to root for, this YA slasher will leave your head spinning—that is, if you still have one.
Have You Seen Me? is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 17th 2021.
Will you be picking up Have You Seen Me? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
SOME SECRETS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE … FOREVER.
Lindsey Gillett is missing.
And she’s not the first girl at Waverly Prep to vanish without a trace.
To help cope with the tragedy, new history teacher Aubrey LeRoux organizes a small student investigation team. But when the members start turning up dead across campus, Aubrey suspects there’s more going on than anyone is willing to admit.
The murdered students all had something in common with Lindsey. They shared a secret. And what they uncovered could threaten the future of the historic school.
At Waverly Prep, someone wants to keep the past buried—along with anyone who gets in their way.
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