The Girl In The Park by Mariah Fredericks

When Wendy Geller's body is found in Central Park after the night of a rager, newspaper headlines scream,"Death in the Park: Party Girl Found Strangled." But shy Rain, once Wendy's best friend, knows there was more to Wendy than just "party girl." As she struggles to separate the friend she knew from the tangle of gossip and headlines, Rain becomes determined to discover the truth about the murder. Written in a voice at once immediate, riveting, and utterly convincing, Mariah Frederick's mystery brilliantly exposes the cracks in this exclusive New York City world and the teenagers that move within it.

Goodreads Summary


I was pleasantly surprised by this mystery.  The main character, Rain, is easy to relate to and the plot itself could happen in any town.  Rain has a cleft palate and avoids speaking because she believes that she embarrasses herself.  She isn't the type of person to speak out, but when her friend, Wendy, is found dead, she knows she must try to hunt down the killer.  Rain was a good friend.  She and Wendy did not always see eye to eye and were more acquaintances than friends in the end, but she knew Wendy very well and knew that what the police were suggesting happened was unlikely.

The reader will get to follow Rain throughout the story as she acts a bit like a Nancy Drew.  She recruits some friends and the story progresses as one might expect from a mystery.  The mystery remains tame through much of the story, but the reader will be pleased that there is a rapid upsurge in the middle that continues to the end. 

The ending of this book was perfect.  The reader may or may not see what's coming, the author definitely surprised me.  Overall, this book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

3 1/2 Stars




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