Author: Melissia de la Cruz
Natalia (12) / 4/5
This was an interesting murder mystery written by Melissia de la Cruz. De la Cruz is known for writing captivating mystery novels and this one was no different. In The Headmaster’s List, four teens - Spencer, Ethan, Christopher and Tabby- who attend a prestigious private school in Los Angeles, get in a car crash which ends in one dead and the remaining three badly injured.
After the car accident Spencer can’t seem to remember the events that led up to the crash and the crash itself. Throughout the novel we follow Spencer on this journey of trying to remember the night of the accident. Rumors begin to spread about her ex boyfriend Ethan being responsible for the car crash that claimed their friend’s life. Ethan is arrested in connection with the accident but Spencer does not think he had anything to do with it and believes there is more to that fatal night. Spencer tries to get close to Ethan to get some information but Ethan keeps his distance from her. This forces Spencer to look elsewhere for answers so she ends up getting close to Ethan’s best friend, Jackson. Together they work on solving the mystery of the car accident and to hopefully clear Ethan from any wrongdoing.
Armstrong prep is an elite private school where every students’ dream is to get on the Headmaster’s List. The list is for students who maintain a high grade point average which guarantees a position at a top college after graduation. What adds to the mystery is that all four students in the car were on the list. As a person of colour Spencer had to work really hard to get onto the list while others made the list just by simply being rich.
This novel was filled with so many twists and turns which left me at the edge of my seat. While I thought it was a bit of a slow start it kept me on my toes. Every time I thought I figured out a puzzle I was thrown for another loop. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a decent mystery.