As good as dead

Sixteen-year-old Andie Bell was the golden girl of her small English town until she was found dead, and the case seemed closed when her boyfriend, Sal Singh, was blamed and died by suicide. Five years later, Andie's killer is still assumed to be at large, and Pip Fitz-Amobi, a teenager with a true-crime obsession, decides to investigate the case for her final year school project.

As Pip digs into the town's secrets, she uncovers a web of lies, unsettling connections and people who would prefer the past stay buried. Holly Jackson's novel moves at a brisk pace, with short chapters, interview transcripts and documents woven into the narrative to keep readers guessing.

This is a gripping pick for fans of mystery and psychological thrillers, especially young adult readers and older teens who enjoy crime fiction with a clever, investigative heroine.