This is Patterson doing what he does—fast-paced, twisty, and designed to keep you reading. The premise is solid: wealthy family, dead parents, kids as suspects, buried secrets. Tandy's unreliable narration and memory gaps create genuine intrigue.

But let's be real: this is dark. The Angel parents emotionally abused and experimented on their children. There's murder, suicide references, drugs, and a family dynamic that's toxic from every angle. It's not gratuitous, but it's heavy stuff that could be genuinely disturbing for younger or sensitive teens.

The bigger issue? Multiple reviews note it ends on cliffhangers (series starter) and leaves readers unsatisfied. The 4.1 Amazon rating is middling for YA. It's entertaining in the moment but doesn't stick with you.

If your teen loves mysteries and can handle mature content, this works. But there are better YA thrillers out there that don't leave you hanging quite so obviously for book two.