Catch Your Death is a scintillating, scheming marvel of a book. Between this and This Book Kills, Ravena Guron is quickly emerging as a shining star of YA mysteries. Do not miss out on this incredible book.
This is one of the best mysteries I have ever had the joy of reading. I was buddy reading this and audibly gasped, then went overboard texting my buddy. Everything is just kept at such brilliance: the pacing, plotting, tension, twists, atmosphere, characters, and setting. It is a layered and complex puzzle, but one that is so satisfying to see come together. Guron juggles a lot but keeps the pages flowing nicely, allowing you to slip into the beguiling trance this story offers. It is such a love letter to classic mysteries, with tropes and stock settings the cut off house in a snowstorm with a deadly dinner party full of people who hate each other. I adored how she played with these expectations, sometimes fulfilling them and sometimes challenging them in sharp, interesting ways. That classic set up is done to a tee, but she injects new life into it with ingenious shocks, surprises, and secrets. This is something thoroughly modern and different. There is so much more than first meets the eye and you will love unpicking this tangled web alongside Devi, Lizzie, and Jayne.
Speaking of these three, they are phenomenal protagonists. Each has their own distinctive narrative voice right from the off and I welcomed each into my heart instantly. Devi is headstrong, intelligent and fiercely driven. She made me cackle with her humour and willingness to play detective as soon as she could. Lizzie was slightly more reserved, but also kind and heartfelt. Her friendships and loyalty are core drives for her, particularly with her family. Jayne was even more mysterious to start with, deliberately trying to camouflage herself and fade into the background. Behind her steel wall though there is a kindness and warmth that is so generous and unrelenting. All three were three-dimensional and believable and I adored reading their arcs over the course of the book. They were all so warm and passionate, while also having keen eyes. My detective notebook was firmly in use, with all of the little clues and details. It was such a rich and well-layered plot to uncover, so I am sure Guron has more for me to discover upon a second read.
This is hands down one of the best Young Adult mysteries I have ever read. It is so immaculately plotted with a wonderful homage to the Golden Age of Crime that grows into so much more. The initial opening section is gripping, but also drip feeds you the slow burning background of information needed to piece this dastardly jigsaw piece together. Guron cannily switches from past sections to the current day police interviews, allowing narratives to merge together in unexpected and challenging ways. You are kept hooked, but also allow yourself to sit back and wonder at Guron’s brilliance.
I cannot exaggerate how phenomenal this book is. The twists are next level. They genuinely catch you off guard and completely flip your perspective on everything, as good twists should do. They marry together so well with the creeping atmosphere of dread and paranoia settling in. You know from the start the outcome of this fateful encounter, but our characters do not in their past narratives. In this sense, the reader is placed in a false state of omnipotence, only for Guron to completely rip that façade away.
Catch Your Death is YA mystery excellence at its finest. Cosy up with a blanket and hot chocolate and allow Guron to take you on a wild, twisty and wonderful journey.
Catch Your Death is available from Amazon, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Trapped in a mansion with a murderer and a family of liars – how would you survive? A mind-blowing thriller from the author of THIS BOOK KILLS, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus.
When three girls are stranded at the grand Bramble Estate in the middle of a snowstorm, they stumble into a murder plot. Someone has poisoned wealthy Emily Vanforte in the middle of a family dinner – which means Devi, Lizzie and Jayne are trapped in the house with a killer and a mystery to solve.
With knives under floorboards, vanishing guns and secret passages in the walls, no one is safe and everyone is a suspect. But in a house of liars and corruption, will the girls save themselves…or learn to fit in?
