Suitabook

The Private School Murders

James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

Reading: If the murder premise feels intense, agree on a check-in point early on. You could pause after the school-linked case emerges and decide together whether to continue.
Themes: Taking charge of an investigation: Tandy pursues answers when she believes the police are looking in the wrong places and are not listening to her. The plot gives Tandy an active role in seeking answers, but does not establish whether her methods or conclusions are endorsed.
Family history and identity: Tandy investigates her family’s past and is described as trying to rise above the Angel family legacy. Family history is presented as important to Tandy’s story, but its meaning and the book’s judgement of the family legacy remain unclear.
Worth knowing: Murder is central: wealthy young women are being killed, and a student from Tandy’s school is among the victims. Tandy also faces suspense about whether she may be targeted.