Somehow I expected a story set in Sunnybrook and featuring cheerleaders to have some sort of Buffy vibe, but this was actually a very straightforward mystery. Read my full review of The Cheerleaders below!
The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
To be published by Delacorte on July 31, 2018
Synopsis from Goodreads: There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook. First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened.
Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die.
After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost. That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders.
But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.
My review of The Cheerleaders:
Sometimes I get an idea about a book into my head before I start reading it. The fact that this had to do with cheerleaders and was set in Sunnybrook (not Sunnydale, but close) made me think this would have a Buffy or Riverdale vibe, but there are no vampires or dark humor or mysterious curses against cheerleaders to be found in this story.
The Cheerleaders was actually a pretty straightforward mystery about Monica, a girl trying to get to the bottom of her sister’s suicide five years earlier, which she begins to think is connected to the deaths of four other Sunnybrook cheerleaders.
So Monica starts poking around her police officer stepfather’s office. She starts talking to her sister’s friends and frenemies. She spends less time with her own friends and makes some new ones, kids she never would have given a second glance before. She basically carries out the investigation that the police should have.
I thought Thomas’s other books (Darkest Corners and Little Monsters) did a slightly better job evoking small town menace. Sunnydale turned out to be a bland suburb in Westchester. What this story did really well was present a lot of possible suspects and keep me guessing. I had a feeling about where the story was going and I was (mostly) right, but I was never sure until the very end.
Definitely check this out if you’re a mystery fan like I am!
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I was excited about this one. I like a good mystery so I’ll probably still check it out. I wish that the small town setting was better though. Great review!
Yeah, I love her creepy small town settings and I thought this one seemed more like a generic suburb. But I thought the mystery was fun.
How about that ending? I agree that it was straight forward, I think I was expecting more twists.
Yeah, I read a lot of mysteries and this was pretty classic – circle around and around and talk to people. And yes, without revealing too much, I had a feeling of the ending but I thought my prediction wasn’t twisty enough.
I will definitely read this, but I have to admit if this had a Riverdale vibe I would buy it now lolol
Ha – I know you would. When does the new season start????
Oh wow, I didn’t even think about how Sunnydale is a mash-up of Buffy and Riverdale and OMG CAN SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE THAT BOOK!!??!?!?
I just finished this a few days ago and MEH. I expected to love it, but I didn’t even like it better than her previous 2 books. I wanted there to be a killer on the loose I think. It was just not INTENSE enough for my liking. I’m glad you enjoyed it!! It’s defintiely readable and I think a lot of people will like it (if they don’t have giant expectations like I did).
Yeah, it didn’t have as much suspense as it could have and I expected something different. But I did like it well enough!
I really enjoyed this book too. I did get the same thought as you about the buffy feel and was disappointed it wasn’t there. But I still found it to be a very well done book and was really surprised how it all worked out in the end. Not what I was expecting at all.
I did like it, I think I was just expecting something a little different. But I always enjoy her books.
I’ve been curious about this one, but could never commit. Mysteries/thrillers are always so hit or miss with me. However, your review and a few others I’ve read have said this one is actually pretty good. I’ll definitely check it out! 🙂
— Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?