Read This Book…

In this dual POV novel, Georgia is a teenager whose mundane world has just been shaken by the news of a local teen’s murder. Todd Mayer was found in a nearby park, dead and stripped naked in the middle of winter. Georgia’s memory is jogged when she sees his picture in the news: he was in the last place she expected him to be, not long before he died. Meanwhile, Todd is a ghost, observing the aftermath of his death: the police investigation, the questioning of his fellow students, his mother’s devastated reaction to his loss, and even his favorite teacher’s response to his death. Part murder mystery and part coming of age, Georgia and Todd’s perspectives try and get at what really happened the night he died.

This is a novel that will definitely appeal to fans of The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, which I’ve recommended in this newsletter before. There is a sharp juxtaposition between Georgia’s chapters, where she’s mostly preoccupied with all the ways that her mom is ruining her life while also dealing with a confusing newer friendship, and then Todd’s chapters, which feel a little distant and mostly follow the very adult world of the investigation into his murder while also adding some essential insight to his final months. The story is a tragic one, made even sadder by Georgia’s revelations and discoveries about how the people close to her knew Todd but lied about it, but it’s also an important story that underscores the ways that teens can move from childhood to adulthood suddenly and without warning. The Todd chapters are haunting, and the Georgia chapters are an interesting probe into accountability and taking a stand for what’s right. Cold has a great atmospheric wintry setting with some noir vibes, and the plot moves quickly. This might be a shorter book, but it packs a punch!