Mystified.

 

 

★★★★

 4.5 ★

Someone drowned teen beauty queen, Juliette Annabella Parker.

 
Prior to her death, 15-year-old Jules reigned as the nation’s darling of beauty pageantry. On her parents’ waterfront estate in rural-rich Hickory Thicket, however, she was beset by dark family secrets—those which kept her isolated. Of course, Jules had harbored a few secrets of her own, including her forbidden friendship with the new teen next door, 17-year-old Truitt Windsor. 

Jules’s drowned corpse should’ve ended their budding relationship. Except, Truitt sees ghosts and isn’t afraid. Now he’s eager to help Jules solve her murder; only, she can’t be sure of his innocence. In fact, everyone on the estate is suspect, even her parents.
Finding her killer is Jules’s obsession. Not knowing could haunt her for eternity. But her time on Earth is quickly fading…

 🌼

 
Haunting. 

My friend told me about this author. When I started reading Mystified , I wished I knew about her sooner. Mystified is the type of story I like mystery combined with some paranormal. Since middle school, I've loved mysteries and the supernatural, especially ones with ghosts. Since then, I have read many mysteries and a few ghost stories. This book was unlike anything else I'd read before, and I loved how part of it was told through the eyes of Juliette's spirit. Almost every page kept me on the edge of my seat, curious about what would happen next. A few times, I stayed up late reading because I couldn't stop myself. I wondered if Jules's spirit could move on once she understood what had happened to her. This is a story you won't be able to put down easily. 

I adored the relationship between Jules and Truitt. The two of them had connection right from the beginning. Jules needed a friend like him. If it were not for Jules' mother. I can't believe no one noticed or commented on Jules' mother's treatment of her; how could anyone think it was normal? I can't recall the last time I despised a character as much as Constance did. It was tough to like her; I wonder if she loved Jules. The only positive aspect of Jules' death was that she was finally able to escape her mother. I did feel that a couple of things dragged on, although that didn’t last long. Overall, I couldn't get enough of the book, and a part of me didn't want the story to end. I had the pleasure of meeting Julia Ash at a recent book signing, and I hope to see her again in the future. I am excited to see what she has in store for us next.