Reviewed
by Christy
Bodie, a successful film professor and podcaster, has made a
living on examining the treatment of women, particularly famous women. Her
podcast delves deep into how Hollywood and society in general treated the likes
of Rita Hayworth and Judy Garland. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t great.) In between
seasons of her show and deep into research of her next topic, Bodie is invited
back to teach at her high school Granby - a fancy boarding school in New
Hampshire where rich parents send their kids. Bodie’s family was not rich. She wound up at Granby after a
series of unfortunate events and in large part due to wealthy benefactors. A
90s teen, Bodie saw herself as a grungy outcast though she did have a small
group of friends. In the spring of her senior year, Bodie’s popular roommate
Thalia was found dead in the school swimming pool. The death became a media
sensation and continued to be fodder for speculation 25 years later.
Bodie has mixed feelings about
returning to her old stomping grounds. She’s excited to see some old friends
who live and work on campus but she isn’t exactly looking forward to revisiting
her turbulent adolescent years. And of course, there’s the Thalia of it all.
They weren’t exactly friends (different
social groups and all) but they were friendly.
And anyway, someone you’ve shared a room with meeting their early demise is
bound to shake up anyone. Bodie has tried not to dwell on the murder too much
throughout the years since graduation but she’s recently fallen down the rabbit
hole of YouTube and Reddit and internet sleuthing. It certainly doesn’t help
when one of her students decides to do her class project on the Thalia murder.
I thought this novel presented a
really good mystery with some thought-provoking social commentary. Bodie has a
critical eye for the true crime genre and those who ravenously consume it as if
it’s a personal puzzle just for them. Then the author deftly switches back to
the central Thalia mystery that pulled me in so quickly and easily that I
thought, “Oh, maybe I’m part of the problem.” There is also some discussion of
the Me Too movement and the sexual harassment and assault women face, which is
an easy connection to make when discussing crimes against women. I don’t think
these are groundbreaking observations or anything but still worthy of reflection.
I also appreciated
that as we got to know some of the popular girls, we learn that they didn’t
have an easy go of high school either. It was just a little reminder that we
can never assume someone’s experience.
This was a quick read that didn’t
have any easy answers wrapped up in a bow. If I had to give any criticism, it
would be that sometimes the novel feels a little crowded. There is a subplot
with Bodie’s estranged husband that does tie into the overall conversation of
the Me Too movement but it’s mostly about Bodie’s reaction. Granted, it adds
some depth to her character as she struggles to even know how to feel but I’m
not entirely sure this storyline is needed. At the very least, there is
probably a more streamlined way to develop Bodie as a person.
Overall, I would definitely
recommend this novel - an engaging mystery with some substance.
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