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A review by bibliobrandie
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis
5.0
Lydia Chase is an overachiever who has a pretty boring podcast about living in rural Ohio. She wants to spice it up so that the ivy league colleges she's interested in will listen and offer her a scholarship. When an unfortunate mixup with her guidance counselor puts her graduation in jeopardy, she gets permission to use the podcast to help reach her graduation requirement. The other person in jeopardy of not graduating is Bristal Jamison. She is nothing like Lydia, but she's determined to be the first high school graduate in her family. The two team up to revamp Lydia's podcast and research a series of 1994 events known as the "long stretch of bad days," when a tornado, a flood, and the town's only murder occurred within a three-day period.
This is such a satisfying murder mystery/cold case mystery that kept me guessing until the end. There were some really satisfying red herrings, great character development, and a perfectly paced plot. The dark, sarcastic sense of humor had me laughing out loud at times. The podcast could have felt awkward, I don't always love podcasts in books, but this one was solidly crafted. I liked the focus on socioeconomic issues and the assumptions we make about people. Just a really sold YA mystery!
This is such a satisfying murder mystery/cold case mystery that kept me guessing until the end. There were some really satisfying red herrings, great character development, and a perfectly paced plot. The dark, sarcastic sense of humor had me laughing out loud at times. The podcast could have felt awkward, I don't always love podcasts in books, but this one was solidly crafted. I liked the focus on socioeconomic issues and the assumptions we make about people. Just a really sold YA mystery!