A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

Genre:
Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, BiPoC author, Young Adult, High School, Dark, Academia, Racism

Publication Date:
January 31, 2023

Rating:
4.9 out of 5

Blurb:

A blockbuster, dark academia mystery about three teens of color who must investigate their principal’s murder to clear their own names―this page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson .

"Thrilling, captivating, and blade-sharp." ―Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"A brilliant pulls-no-punches mystery." ―Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

The prestigious Urban Promise Prep school might look pristine on the outside, but deadly secrets lurk within. When the principal ends up murdered on school premises and the cops come sniffing around, a trio of students―J.B., Ramón, and Trey―emerge as the prime suspects. They had the means, they had the motive―and they may have had the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. Or is the true culprit hiding among them?

Find out who killed Principal Moore in Nick Brooks's murder mystery, Promise Boys ― The Hate U Give meets One of Us Is Lying.

Review:

Hiding behind its pristine walls and sparkling reputation, Urban Promise Prep is considered the cornerstone of taking the underprivileged from their neighborhoods and getting them college-bound ready. Funded by an affluent donor and run by Principal Kenneth Moore, the elite school is seen as more of a prison than a place that prepares students for the future. Demerits and discipline tactics keep students in order and out of trouble. But when Kenneth Moore is murdered, three students stand out as accused - Trey Jackson, Ramon Zambrano, and J.B. Williamson. All three boys are troubled and bullies among their peers and the three who had the most beef against the principal prior to his death.

Made up of newspaper clippings, police interviews, and first-handed accounts, this story connects every chapter to create a timeline of events that led up to the murder. You find that not everything about the school is perfect. The inside of the school was more of a prison to the students with demerit and discipline tactics keeping each student in line. A missing piece of the uniform, and a step out of order all cause a student to be sent to detention. Each boy had a reason to kill off their principal.

When I picked up this book, I was iffy about reading it. I had seen both sides of the aisle talk about this book and I think that is what made this book - it made people talk, made people think, and brought up subjects that normally were avoided in conversations. This is the type of book people should sit down to read and talk about. There should be conversations on racism and communities. I can see why this book had a lot of great responses and I am hoping to read more of this author's work in the future.