NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU by Kathleen Hale


Kippy Bushman’s best friend, Ruth Fried, has just been brutally murdered. She went missing on her way to visit Kippy and was found the next day, strung up and stuffed with straw.

Friendship, Wisconsin has never seen a crime like this—it sets the town reeling and in desperate need of a conviction and closure. Ruth’s boyfriend is quickly arrested and faces prosecution for what the locals believe is an open and shut case, but Kippy isn’t so sure. Part of it is thanks to Ruth’s diary, which Ruth’s mother passed to Kippy to clean up for her later reading.

Problem is, there’s too much questionable material to clean up including barbs against Kippy herself and frequent mention of the local lawyer Ruth had been having an affair with. Since Kippy seems to be the only one with questions about the arrest, she decides it’s up to her to investigate.

With Ruth’s brother by her side, the teen begins her own inquiries, a move that soon gets Kippy the wrong kind of attention. This Fargo-esque teen debut is perfect for readers who enjoy dark comedy. It’s twisted and snarky but smartly plotted and lots of fun.

2/14 Becky Lejeune

NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU by Kathleen Hale. HarperTeen (January 7, 2014). ISBN 978-0062211194. 384p.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 3rd, 2014 at 8:15 PM and is filed under Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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