ALA Booklist (Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

High-school junior Alden has always fancied himself an amateur detective: "It's important work. You never know about people; what they show on the outside is often not what's on the inside. You've gotta watch for those brief moments when the hidden part slips out." After Alden's parents are killed during a mass shooting, investigating suspicious leads is all he can think about. Curiosity gets him in hot water when he follows popular senior athlete Greg to a secluded area behind the high school and witnesses what he thinks is Greg murdering his girlfriend, Amy. When Amy turns up at school unmistakably not murdered, Alden has to reshape his theories. Guided by his best friend (and daughter of the local police chief) Charlie, Alden walks a fine line between sticking to his convictions and making a false police report. Johnston's (The Truth?, 2016) latest is a slow-burn thriller that veers in surprising directions, with a final twist no one will see coming. Teasing chapter endings and engaging characters will propel readers forward.

Kirkus Reviews

Practicing his investigative techniques, aspiring detective Alden follows golden boy Greg to an abandoned ball park at the edge of town where he believes he witnesses a murder.In an update to the fable of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," Alden is the guy spotting crime and anonymously informing the police in order to assuage the guilt he feels around the death of his parents during a mass shooting at a fair. He is obsessed with the need to prevent the mayhem he feels exists around him. But is this crime real? Greg, a senior and popular athlete at their high school, is dating pretty, red-haired Amy—and now Alden thinks he has murdered her. Alden's best friend, Charlie, is the daughter of the chief of police and for a time becomes involved in trying to prove or disprove the crime that Alden believes was committed. A junior, Alden lives with an uncle who is trying to be a parent but lacks experience; this side plot adds to the overall picture of Alden's isolation. There are minimal physical descriptions beyond hair color, and main characters follow a white default. Little in the characterization or writing make this stand out, but Alden's motivation rings true, and his vulnerability is appealing.A twisty mystery. (Fiction. 12-16)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Sixteen-year-old Alden fancies himself an investigator in training, regularly following people and taking copious notes: -It-s hard to stop. People are strange. I learn a lot.- Alden is also haunted by his parents- murder the previous summer; they were senselessly shot at a carnival, and Alden is gripped by immense guilt. He-s handed the case of a lifetime when he follows seemingly too-perfect senior Greg Matthes after school and witnesses what appears to be Greg murdering his girlfriend, Amy Sloan. Rather than go to the police with very little evidence (as he-s done in the past) or confront Greg, he confides in his best friend, Charlie. When Amy isn-t at school the next day, Charlie is told that she-s at a three-day-church camp, but Amy-s parents are out of town, so they can-t confirm her whereabouts, and Greg is acting oddly. As the plot by Johnston (The Truth) twists and turns, readers will enjoy being in the company of a gentle, keen observer. Sensitive Alden-s struggle with trauma and his path to forgiving himself is moving and authentic. Ages 14-up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Gr 9 Up-amp}mdash; A first-person account of 16-year-old Alden's investigation of the mass murder he witnessed in an abandoned park that resulted in his parents' death. Driven by guilt, Alden investigates the crime. Alden's best friend (and unspoken crush), Charlie, plays the role of sidekick with the convenient police chief father who keeps them in the loop about the police investigation. The writing style and short chapters are consistent, effective, and easy for teens to digest. The suspense novel slows down at times. Speculative dialogue and doubts aren't addressed soon enough and fail to move the plot along. For long stretches, Alden looks for answers, finding nothing substantial. If readers can plod through the sluggish middle, they are rewarded eventually with a believable turning point. Alden's feelings for Charlie are confusing and made more so when he works hard to help victim/villain Amy, but the Alden-Amy relationship isn't developed enough for readers to buy into his feelings for her during the final showdown. Although Alden continuously justifies his creepy spying and rogue decision-making as future private investigator preparation, his many excuses make the behavior even more suspect. The twist at the end is believable, and the clues leading up to the climax are veiled enough to surprise most. VERDICT Even readers who relate to Alden or empathize for his loss might struggle to connect with his compulsion to follow people. An additional purchase.{amp}mdash; Seth Herchenbach, McHenry County College., Crystal Lake, IL