An instant New York Times and Indie bestseller!
From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.
The fire wasn't Marlowe Wexler's fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.
With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that's how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It's easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.
Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?
Maybe this job isn't such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that's been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.
All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn't bury Marlowe first.
* Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction 2024 * Horn Book Fanfare 2024 Booklist * Children's Book Council Favorites Award List 2025 * Edgar Award Nominee *
- Dual Timeline Mystery: Unravel a 1930s tragedy through historical flashbacks that reveal the Ralston family’s dark secrets, while Marlowe investigates a new disappearance in the present day.
- Sapphic Romance: Featuring a sharp-witted, pining protagonist whose disastrous first date with the girl of her dreams lands her in the middle of a murder investigation.
- Isolated Island Setting: Welcome to Ralston Island in the Thousand Islands—a place of stunning views, eerie history, and secrets that the river has kept for nearly a century.
- Rich Family Secrets: Discover the truth behind the Ralstons’ perfect facade, a family obsessed with eugenics, control, and a tragedy they never spoke of again.
- Teen Detective: When Marlowe’s boss vanishes, her summer job turns into a race against time. She must solve both the past and present mysteries before she becomes the next victim.