Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!
Today’s pick is one that I read last fall and absolutely adored, so it feels like a shame that it’s not talked about more! If you like charming mysteries and decade-old secrets, this one is for you!
Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize by Margo Rabb
Lucy Clark was dropped off at her grandmother’s house by her globetrotting parents as a baby, and when her grandmother died, she was placed at a horrible boarding school. But when a group of bullies pushes Lucy to the brink and she lashes out, she’s suspended and sent to New York City to live with her cousin and take care of her cousin’s elderly landlady. Lucy expects someone feeble and quiet, but is surprised to find that Edith is glamorous, independent, and certain that someone is trying to kill her. Lucy is taken aback, but the more she learns about Edith’s life, the more she becomes convinced that Edith is telling the truth…and Lucy is the only one who will listen, and therefore the only one who can help.
I was totally delighted by this gentle mystery that isn’t violent or extreme in any way, but still features some terrific suspense and tension. I felt deeply for Lucy, who is deeply lonely and only has her best friend. Her parents are extremely controlling and yet emotionally (and physically) distant, unwilling to listen to Lucy or understand who she is. (Content warning for some disordered eating encouragement from Lucy’s parents.) New York City is a breath of fresh air for Lucy, who’s never before had such freedom, and not been treated as kindly by anyone as she is by Edith since her grandmother died. The friendships in this book are great, and I love that Lucy strikes up true connections with seniors who treat her generously, alongside depictions of friendships her own age. Another bonus is that Lucy is Jewish, and she connects with her best friend over their shared desire to feel connected to their faith and roots, both of which they feel are lacking in their lives. It’s nice to read a book about Jewish teens that isn’t about antisemitism or the Holocaust.
The mystery is also very fun and Agatha Christie-esque, complete with capers, close calls, puzzles and riddles, and at least one daring reveal followed by a dramatic chase. Overall, this is a charming winner of a book, and I loved how it unfolded.
Happy reading!
Tirzah
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