Book Review: The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Genre: YA Mystery
Publication: May 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Acquisition: read a free eARC via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Stay on the roads. Don’t enter the woods. Never go out at night.

Those are the rules in Rowan’s Glen, a remote farming community in the Missouri Ozarks where Ivy Templeton’s family has lived for centuries. It’s an old-fashioned way of life, full of superstition and traditions, and sixteen-year-old Ivy loves it. The other kids at school may think the Glen kids are weird, but Ivy doesn’t care—she has her cousin Heather as her best friend. The two girls share everything with each other—or so Ivy thinks. When Heather goes missing after a May Day celebration, Ivy discovers that both her best friend and her beloved hometown are as full of secrets as the woods that surround them.

(from Goodreads)

3 / 5 Stars

Flew through this one. Not at all what I was expecting but good nonetheless.

Had it in my head that it wasn't set in present time - but it is - but I did question why a few times.

The community is remote and lives an old fashioned type of life with seemingly little to no contact with the 'outside' world. It worked for the most part but I had lots of questions - like why they didn't have a doctor and why some things, like modern 'cool' sneakers were ok but other things like indoor plumbing wasn't.

In any case, the story is more about the characters then it is about the setting so I just kinda went with it.

The May Queen Murders is at its heart, a murder mystery. Lots of speculation - boogie man in the woods type of superstitions so of course I could tell the truth was going to be something totally different.

I was right. And it was pretty good. Until it wasn't.

There is a climax to the story and lots of details are revealed and I was like, oh, ok, that kinda makes sense.
Then more details and I'm like, yeah, that fits better..sorta.
And then more details and I'm like WTH.

Lots of connecting pieces that only seemed to connect after the fact. I still have no idea of the motives behind like 50% of the action that takes place.

All in all, I enjoyed The May Queen Murders and even with the setting not actually being all that important (imo) I really liked it.

The silly issues I had are just that, silly, and some people might not have any issues at all.

Glad to have read and would recommend.