Title: In the Blood
Author: April Henry
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4★)
Synopsis
Tessa has always wondered about her biological family. Adopted as a newborn, she decides to take a DNA test on her 18th birthday in hopes of finally getting some answers.
But what starts as a search for her roots quickly turns into something much darker when the police reveal that her biological father may be connected to a serial killer case that has remained unsolved for years.
As Tessa, her best friend El, and her lab partner Victor begin digging deeper into her family history, they uncover secrets, dead ends, and dangers they never expected.
My Thoughts
This book had such an interesting premise, and it definitely delivered as a fast, engaging read.
Tessa, who was adopted as a baby, decides to take a DNA test on her 18th birthday to learn more about her biological family… and somehow ends up connected to a serial killer case that’s been open for years. And exactly when the killer strikes again.
Yep… that escalated quickly.
I really enjoyed the investigation aspect of the story, especially watching Tessa, El and Victor dig into her background and try to piece everything together. Of course, being teenagers, they also get themselves into trouble along the way, which honestly felt pretty realistic.
The cult angle added another layer to the story and made things even more interesting.
One thing I did struggle with a bit was the detective. She’s supposed to be very smart and accomplished, but some of her decisions felt questionable, especially sharing details of an active investigation with a group of teens. That part didn’t fully work for me.
I also really liked how AI was used toward the end of the book. If it makes even one teen question what they see online, then it definitely did its job.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a very bingeable YA thriller that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
I can easily see my 16–18 year old self reading this in one sitting and talking about it nonstop, and honestly, I kind of did the same now. I immediately went to tell my husband all about it 😄
If you enjoy fast-paced YA mysteries with a mix of investigation, family secrets and a creepy serial killer, this one is definitely worth picking up.
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
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