A teen investigative podcaster decides to dig into the truth behind a grisly murder spree that rocked his hometown five years ago, but soon discovers that this cold case is still hiding deadly secrets—in this chilling thriller perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.Five years ago, the infamous Trojan murders turned the small town of Moss Pointe, Louisiana into a living nightmare. Four teen boys—all star players on Moss Pointe High's football team—were murdered one after the other by a Trojan-mask wearing killer.
Eventually, the murderer was unmasked. But the community has never forgotten—and some folks in town still wonder whether the police got it right.
Eighteen-year-old Pryce Cummings is one of them. An aspiring journalist, Pryce is pretty sure he just stumbled upon evidence that throws the killer's guilt into question. It's the perfect story for his own podcast, and a reason to go back to the hometown he's avoided since coming to terms with his sexuality while at college.
But in Moss Pointe, digging into the past is anything but welcome. There's so much more to what happened there five years ago, and Pryce is ready to crack it all wide open . . . if he lives to tell the tale.
Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his BA in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and a member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the author of
The Black Queen, Wander in the Dark, and
I Don't Wish You Well.
★ "
A tense, thrilling mystery featuring two unforgettable queer sleuths." —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Emill balances a taut mystery with incisive, socially charged portrayals of small-town prejudice and corruption in this
immersive whodunit." —
Publishers Weekly
"
A well-constructed thriller for mature teens that will keep readers continuously guessing." —
School Library Journal
"This taut thriller is a compelling choice for most teen readers and is
Emill’s best work to date." —Booklist
“A
savvy, tense, and chilling examination of Southern culture, starring two unforgettable sleuths out to uncover terrible truths behind a murder.
Tautly told, brilliantly executed, and thrilling until the very end—the perfect book to stay up late to finish.” —Kathleen Glasgow,
New York Times bestselling author of
The Glass Girl and
Girl in Pieces
“Perfectly-paced...Emill has expertly crafted an
immersive, layered, and twisted story of murder, corruption, betrayal, and most importantly—righteous vengeance.” —Terry J. Benton-Walker, best-selling and award-winning author of
Blood Debts, Blood Justice, and
The White Guy Dies First“
A must-read for the true crime obsessed. The podcast mic is hot, the stakes are fatal, and the truth is buried under layers of lies.” –Kim Johnson, award-winning author of
This Is My America
