Cold

January 3, 2022
In the early pages of Tamaki’s (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me) atmospheric murder mystery, the body of 17-year-old white high schooler Todd Mayer—a gay, frequently bullied student—is found naked and frozen in a park. Struggling to piece together what happened, especially after uncovering Todd’s isolation and a homophobic bullying incident that targeted him, the detectives focus their investigation on the only teacher at Albright Academy who seems to show concern about Todd’s plight. Mr. McVeeter, gay and implied white, runs the social studies tutoring program in which Todd participated. Meanwhile, classmate Georgia, who’s “half Asian” and feels inexplicably connected to Todd because they are both queer, tries to make connections between the killing and something she saw. Narration alternates between the hazy third-person perspective of Todd’s ghost as he watches the investigation unfold, and Georgia’s chatty first-person telling. Tamaki does not shy away from depicting the effects of small-town homophobia through Todd’s isolation and McVeeter’s swift arrest, but glimmers of queer joy provide a balance. Though the book is at times awkwardly paced, fans of introspective mysteries such as Malinda Lo’s A Line in the Dark will be invested in the book’s resolution. Ages 12–up. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary.

January 1, 2022
Grades 8-11 Tamaki's fast-paced, psychological mystery follows a murder investigation, as narrated by two teens: Todd, the victim, who recently froze to death in the park after sustaining a head wound; and Georgia, a crime-show enthusiast troubled by Todd's death. As a ghost, Todd keeps tabs on the investigation, watching the police interrogate his classmates, his teachers, and his parents, while reflecting dispassionately on his lonely life as a bullied queer teen with few allies. Georgia, another bullied queer teen, is still in the thick of school and family drama, from her author mother's tendency to use Georgia's growing pains as writing fodder to her best friend Cassie's strange behavior around a former friend. The interplay between Todd's introspective observations and Georgia's lightly funny but vulnerable asides works well as they reconstruct Todd's last night alive. This is an immersive, suspenseful reading experience, though the final reveal, while distressingly sad, feels anticlimactic. Nevertheless, it should spark discussions about peer pressure, bystander syndrome, and what we owe to each other.

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February 1, 2022
A teen's death sparks an investigation. When the body of Todd Mayer, a local teen, is discovered buried in the snow in a park, the police investigate his old life--his family, classmates, teachers, and lack of friends (he was a target of vicious homophobia). Todd, the ghost of the dead teen, follows the investigation as he tries to recall how he died, catching glimpses of his past. Meanwhile, Georgia is feeling lost; she is also fed up with being seen as Molly, the friendless little girl from her author mother's children's books who is a thinly veiled version of Georgia herself. Georgia juggles her changing relationship with her brother, Mark; her crush on her new friend, rich, popular Carrie; and time spent digging into Todd's murder. When Georgia discovers something surprising about Mark, who attended the same private school as the victim, hidden information about Todd also comes to light. The alternating narration that switches between Todd's and Georgia's perspectives includes humor that balances discussions of bullying, mortality, secrets, and selfhood. The mystery elements are intriguing, but the characters and their relationships with friends and family would have benefited from more depth and exploration before the too-tidy ending. Georgia is biracial (she's described as "half Asian"); Todd and Carrie are White. A fast-moving story with a rushed ending. (Mystery. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-Todd is dead. The only out gay student at his all-boys prep school, he tried to fly under the radar as much as possible, and there are few leads when his body is discovered naked in a park. Georgia has problems of her own, including issues with body image and trust, as well as a profound sense of insecurity and not belonging. But there's something about Todd-a boy she never even knew-that she can't get out of her head. Told in the alternating perspectives of Georgia and Todd, this is a quick but heavy read. While Georgia's voice is authentic, with its humor, intelligence, and deeply felt emotion, Todd's perspective feels remote. One main character is white; the other is biracial (described as "half Asian"). Supporting characters, outside of a Black police detective and biracial brother of one of the main characters, are either white or their race is not specified. VERDICT A good fit for teen fans of series such as Sara Shepard's "The Amateurs" and Maureen Johnson's "Truly Devious" who are looking for more front-and-center LGBTQIA+ representation, but likely to leave some dissatisfied.-Chelsea Lytal

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2022
Teens Georgia and Todd would seem to have little in common, especially given that Todd is, well, dead. But when Todd's nude, frozen body is discovered in a local park, Georgia is intrigued by the mystery. She interrogates those around her until the answers begin pointing to suspects shockingly close to home. Meanwhile, Todd's ghost hovers nearby, watching and remembering. A brutal confrontation with the killer leads Georgia to an unsettling conclusion. But in solving the mystery of Todd's death and realizing how she and he are connected, Georgia, who's "felt lost for so long," can finally assert, "I know where I am." Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, rev. 7/19) skillfully weaves issues of power, vulnerability, and sexual orientation into the teen-ghost trope. The strong contrast between the two narrative strands -- self-conscious Georgia's raw, immediate first-person voice and loner Todd's more distant third-person perspective -- makes for a deeply engaging read. Georgia and Todd coalesce into fully formed characters through authentically rendered dialogue and compact yet substantial sentences that are impressive in their precision. A tightly constructed page-turner that poses big questions about character, morality, and truth. Jennifer Hubert Swan

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
Teens Georgia and Todd would seem to have little in common, especially given that Todd is, well, dead. But when Todd's nude, frozen body is discovered in a local park, Georgia is intrigued by the mystery. She interrogates those around her until the answers begin pointing to suspects shockingly close to home. Meanwhile, Todd's ghost hovers nearby, watching and remembering. A brutal confrontation with the killer leads Georgia to an unsettling conclusion. But in solving the mystery of Todd's death and realizing how she and he are connected, Georgia, who's "felt lost for so long," can finally assert, "I know where I am." Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, rev. 7/19) skillfully weaves issues of power, vulnerability, and sexual orientation into the teen-ghost trope. The strong contrast between the two narrative strands -- self-conscious Georgia's raw, immediate first-person voice and loner Todd's more distant third-person perspective -- makes for a deeply engaging read. Georgia and Todd coalesce into fully formed characters through authentically rendered dialogue and compact yet substantial sentences that are impressive in their precision. A tightly constructed page-turner that poses big questions about character, morality, and truth.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)