Review By: Jenna Ballard
Published: 2025
Genre(s): Mystery, Young Adult, Friendship, LGBT
Audience: Grades 7–12
Content Warnings: Language, references to sexual content
Goodreads Link: Very Dangerous Things
Summary:
A murder mystery game turns deadly in this YA 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 Lying.
Everyone 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. When the game kicks off, 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.
Review:
In this YA mystery, a fake murder at a criminology high school turns into a real one, and teen sleuth Dulce’s ex-best friend Sierra becomes the prime suspect. Dulce has to decide whether finding the truth matters more than holding onto her grudge about Sierra’s betrayal after her mother’s death.
Friendship drama takes up more space than expected, filled with tension, jealousy, and complicated relationships. While I personally found this aspect overdone, I can see middle school readers loving the emotional twists and social dynamics. The premise—a criminology high school murder game gone wrong—is clever and has strong Truly Devious energy, though I wish the setting and investigation were explored more deeply.
Overall, Very Dangerous Things is a solid pick for readers who enjoy mystery, friendship drama, and fast-paced storytelling. While not my personal favorite, it offers plenty of suspense, red herrings, and teen angst that will resonate with young readers.
