Kirkus Review
Murder seems to be following 16-year-old Penny wherever she goes. After her father pleads guilty to murder, Penny is uprooted from her home and sent to live with her aunt in Mudville, a small Ontario town on Lake Erie. Upon her arrival in Canada from the U.S., Penny quickly gets reacquainted with her cousin, Simon, and meets his friends, twins Tara and Brent. The mystery progresses quickly when Penny's big shaggy dog, Ollie, digs up a human skeleton. At first the teens decide it's best to keep the bones a secret and investigate on their own, but in Mudville, news spreads fast. Before Penny can blink, police are on the scene and a murder from a couple of decades ago is under investigation. But by digging up the past, they might just find that the murderer is still at large and dangerous. Campbell (The Goddaughter Does Vegas, 2019, etc.) has written a fast-paced, tightly plotted story using simple language to cover areas of high interest to teens such as moving, making friends, dating, and solving crime. This fun thriller is occasionally marred by the characters' stigmatizing descriptions of a disabled character that are not questioned or discussed in the text. Characters are presumed white.An accessible thriller for reluctant readers. (Thriller. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Imagine moving from New York City to Mudville, Ontario, Canada. That's what 16-year-old Penny and her mom do to escape the reporters hounding them since Penny's dad was sent to prison for murder. Penny and her dog, Ollie, meet Aunt Stella at the border, with Penny's mom planning to follow later. Penny is excited to see her cousin Simon and meet his friends, twins Tara and Brent, but no one is prepared for what's in store the first week. The very first day, Tara's dog, Wolfgang, finds a big bone in Aunt Stella's backyard, where Ollie is furiously digging in the corner. Clearly from a human skeleton, the bone's appearance also unearths speculation about whose bone it is and what happened to them. Obviously, the four teens resolve to crack the case. Campbell's intriguing, plot-driven mystery for high-low readers will hold teens' attention and keep them guessing. Penny's questions about her dad are integrated into the main story, as well, while new friendships help fill the void of his absence.--J. B. Petty Copyright 2019 Booklist
