Review for Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Deadly Cool
By Gemma Halliday
Published by HarperTeen
Personal Copy
303 pages    

"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."-Goodreads

Deadly Cool is a quick, fun, and mysterious read that boasts a very eye catching - beautiful!- cover. You'll devour it in one sitting and then want more!

Sometimes, I kick myself for not making half stars - otherwise I would have given Deadly Cool a 4.5 rating. Why not five? The only thing that I felt was missing was character building. We don't get to know too much on her BFF Sam (who I loved) and some other characters. BUT with that being said, I didn't realize all this until... well... I was done. Completely done. Even when I realized this, I couldn't help but think: this is one good book. Seriously, lack of character development aside - it totally rocks.

Hartley (how cool is that name?) is the narrator throughout the whole book and this was very enjoyable. She has such a witty, quirky, and sarcastic attitude that it was a blast reading through her POV. The way she responded to events, how she thought, and how she conversed with her friends/foes was a realistic teenage reaction. Hartley is very clever and resourceful. The way she plunges head first into things, set the stage for some hilarious outcomes. Her friends and families, they seemed a bit exaggerated but really? I loved it!  I know I said they didn't have *too* much development but they still had their unique personalities. Sam and Chase were beyond perfect for side characters.

Now, I realize that this is a murder mystery. Somehow, the author was able to make this a light read. The mystery behind it all had me flipping pages as fast as I could. The fact that I wasn't able to predict "who-done-it", gave the author brownie points. I love not being able to figure out the murderer/mystery before the MC! Maybe, I'm just not very attentive but nevertheless, they author pulled the wool over my eyes. The writing was smooth, very easy to follow and imagine in your head. The pacing was great and as I said before, Hartley's voice was what made this book.

Could this really happen in real life? No. Would a sixteen year old be able to do this? Probably not. Should you read this? Yes. I'd highly recommend this to mystery fans who like it on the lighter side, with a side dish of laughter and a dash of romance! I really enjoyed it and will be adding Social Suicide to my buying list!

 

Excerpt:

I was so engrossed in reading his binder of personal musngs that I almost didn't hear the sound outside the window.

Almost.

"Caw! Caw!"

I froze. No. Tell me Sam didn't just...

"Caw!"

 ***

Just below, on the outside of the gate, stood Sam, jumping up and down flapping her arms.

"Caw!"

I opened the window.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"Making a bird call to get your attention."

"That is the wost bird sound ever. 'Caw?' What bird actually says that?"

She shook her head, flapping even more violently. "He's here!" she said.