A murder mystery game turns deadly in this young adult whodunit by the author of Suddenly a Murder.
"Dark academia meets classic detective fiction in this clever, twisty page-turner." —Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is LyingEveryone in town knows about the game. For decades, J. Everett High has staged an annual murder mystery to put its criminology students to the test. And this year, crime junkie Dulce Castillo is dead set on winning. Soon, the game kicks off, and the student playing the victim, Xavier Torres, is found poisoned in the school’s greenhouse . . . except his death is not pretend.
It’s murder.
When the authorities open an investigation, all the evidence points to Sierra Fox, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend and Dulce’s ex-best friend. Claiming innocence and desperate to clear her name, Sierra begs Dulce to look past their bad blood and find the culprit.
After all, Dulce knows this school better than any investigator ever could, but she must use caution to solve this mystery. Because these historic halls are full of suspects with no shortage of motives. And in this game of cat and mouse, the other player kills.
On sale: July 29, 2025
Age: 12 and up
Grade: Grade 7 & Up
Page count: 352 Pages
ISBN: 9780593857892
Lauren Muñoz writes YA murder mysteries, including
Suddenly a Murder and
Very Dangerous Things. In addition to being a writer, Lauren is lawyer and a former teacher living in Southern California. She received her J.D. from Northwestern University in Chicago, where she frequently skipped class to commune with her sun lamp. When she's not reading, she can be found knitting, crocheting, and collecting recipes for things she'll never bake.
Praise for Very Dangerous Things:"Dark academia meets classic detective fiction in this
clever, twisty page-turner." —Karen M. McManus, #1
New York Times bestselling author of
One of Us Is Lying
“
Tight pacing, smart banter, and Clue-esque vibes round out this thrilling offering by Muñoz, who demonstrates adept genre savvy across a snappy murder mystery reminiscent of Nancy Springer.”
—Publishers Weekly“Muñoz’s blend of suspense and romance set at a criminology school is sure to hook readers, while her expertly plotted thrills
will have even the staunchest mystery aficionados guessing until the very end!” —Chelsea Ichaso, author of
The Summer She Went Missing “Muñoz has crafted
a brilliant mystery with well-drawn characters and an excellent backdrop. I couldn’t put it down!” —Carrie Doyle, author of
The Murder Game “
Twisty, clever and so much fun—
Very Dangerous Things is everything I love in a whodunnit!” — Kara Thomas, author of
The Cheerleaders
