Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2014 Gr 7–10—Millie Ostermeyer writes for her school newspaper, hangs out with her friends, worries about her widowed father, and wonders about the new guy at school. She's a lot like her literary heroine, Nancy Drew. Millie and her mother would read the mysteries together, while the latter was dying of cancer, and now the books have a special meaning as the teen tries to deal with her grief. When the head football coach at her school is found dead, Millie's detective skills kick into high gear. The list of possible suspects is long, since Coach Killdare was not everyone's favorite person. Unfortunately, the number one suspect is Millie's father, Killdare's assistant coach—who often very publicly disagreed with the victim. As Millie investigates, she uncovers some surprising facts about all of the suspects, including her own dad. As Chase helps her look for clues, they soon become friends, taking tentative steps toward a romance. The mystery climaxes with the sudden revelation of the murderer, a character no one had even considered. The narrative emulates the "Nancy Drew" series (Penguin) formula: short chapters with cliff-hangers endings. This novel is more character driven, as the heroine works through her feelings about her mother's illness and death. For readers who want a solid mystery with a dollop of romance.—Diana Pierce, formerly at Leander High School, TX - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2014 When student reporter Millie finds the dead body of the football team’s coach, she is determined to beat rival reporter Vivienne to the story, especially since Viv keeps writing articles implicating Millie’s dad: the assistant coach, mayor, and now lead suspect. Coach Killdare wasn’t popular, though, and Millie’s suspects encompass everyone from the pushover principal to the furious former quarterback. One of these suspects, current QB and handsome enigma Chase, also seems to be investigating, despite Millie’s attempts to shake him off. Unconventional Millie is beleaguered by the impossible standards set by her idol, Nancy Drew, who did everything with class and manners. Examples: Nancy Drew wouldn’t tell off a police officer, question suspects while wearing a stained T-shirt, or eat pie with her hands while in the company of a cute boy. That Millie does—and with enthusiasm—is what makes her so delightful. Fantaskey’s funny murder mystery, with multiple red herrings and suspenseful cliff-hangers, is a breeze to read, but watching Millie steamroll those in her way as she solves the murder is the real treat. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2014 Coach “Hollerin’ Hank” Kildare has no shortage of enemies at Honeywell High, so when he turns up bludgeoned to death underneath the bleachers, the suspect list is long. Practical-minded (read: lazy and mostly self-involved) Millie Ostermeyer would normally stay out of a school matter, but the number one suspect appears to be the assistant head coach, who also happens to be her father. Drawing on her childhood memories of Nancy Drew, Millie begins her investigations to clear her dad’s name and soon finds herself entangled with Chase Albright, the rock-star quarterback with a bookworm personality whose past is shrouded in mystery. Chase was close to Coach and wants to help, so Millie and Chase hunt down leads, interrogate suspects, and put the pieces together, all while flirting, fighting, and flirting some more like the heroes of the old movies that they both adore. This resembles Hale’s No One Else Can Have You (BCCB 1/14) in its pleasing blend of humor, mystery, and romance with a heavy side of snark. Although at times Millie seems almost precious with adorkability, her narration reveals some of the neuroses behind the quirky façade, and she’s utterly believable as a weird kid who’d like to be less weird if she could only figure out how. Chase makes a swoonworthy romantic counterpart, and the revelation of his past mistakes give him a depth not often seen in the genre-readers will argue whether that past makes him more sympathetic or completely undateable. Fans looking for a less prim and proper Nancy Drew (and a few more lustful kisses) will find her here. KQG - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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