"Henry has become a leading light in YA mystery." - Booklist
"April Henry’s crime dramas are consistently smart and satisfying.” - Kirkus
"Sure to delight fans of mystery, suspense, and a little horror."- School Library Journal
"Legendary mystery author Henry is back at it again" - Barnes & Noble blog
"Another one to add to the collection of Henry's fast-paced thrillers." - YALSA
"April Henry’s crime dramas are consistently smart and satisfying.” - Kirkus
"Sure to delight fans of mystery, suspense, and a little horror."- School Library Journal
"Legendary mystery author Henry is back at it again" - Barnes & Noble blog
"Another one to add to the collection of Henry's fast-paced thrillers." - YALSA
Welcome to my little corner of the Internet. I'm a New York Times bestselling author who loves Brazilian jujitsu, salty snacks, and all things scary.
TOMEcon and school visits in Georgia
School Library Journal raves about Girl Forgotten
Seventeen-year-old Piper Gray’s interest is piqued when she helps a boy corral his wayward dog while she is visiting Skyline Cemetery. Piper is new to the town of Firview and is adjusting to moving in with her dad, stepmom, and two young stepbrothers. The boy she helps turns out to be a senior at North High—just like Piper. She discovers his name is Jonas, and there is something mysterious from his past that has caused his limp. He seems a little standoffish until Piper is paired with him to create a podcast-themed senior passion project. Piper is fascinated with Layla Trello, a 17-year-old who disappeared from a Halloween party 17 years ago in their small Oregon town. Layla’s murdered body turned up two weeks later, but no one has ever been charged with the crime. As Jonas guides her in successful podcasting skills, he relaxes around Piper. Their friendship blossoms, and they peel back the layers of grief they have endured. The plot is an engaging mingling of twists and turns that will keep readers absorbed until the end. Not only will the fast pace keep readers invested but the characters are multidimensional and fascinating. VERDICT This podcast-themed fusion of mystery and suspense that will arouse readers’ curiosity to the nail-biting end.
—School Library Journal
—School Library Journal
Booklist loves Girl Forgotten
In Henry's latest engrossing mystery, Piper Gray is a true-crime enthusiast with a hunger for investigating unresolved mysteries. After learning of the unsolved case of Layla Trello from more than 17 years earlier, she starts a podcast and digs into the story. The podcast is the distraction she needs, especially after her mother's recent death, which led to her moving to where Layla's murder took place. Her new project leads to a sudden rise in popularity at school, which makes her suspicious of trusting anyone, and the suspense ratchets up when she starts receiving eerie death threats meant to stop her work. Readers will be kept guessing throughout, but they will stay grounded through Piper—especially her struggles and her passion for gory stories—as her podcast grows in popularity and people are reintroduced to the cold case. The pages fly by until a final reveal that will leave readers questioning everything they thought they knew about the story.
—Booklist
—Booklist
A week of school visits in the Houston area
YALSA chooses Two Truths and a Lie as a Quick Pick Top 10!
Two Truths and a Lie has not just been chosen by the youth librarians of YALSA as a Quick Pick (books that appeal even to reluctant readers) but as one of the top ten!
Publishers Weekly raves about Girl Forgotten
Henry (Two Truths and a Lie) questions the ethics of true crime as entertainment in this tightly twisted thriller.
Seventeen-year-old transfer student Piper Gray, a murder podcast enthusiast, attains notoriety at North High when she starts her own podcast about the unsolved murder of teenage Layla Trello, who was found dead in the nearby woods 17 years ago. Determined to crack the cold case, Piper enlists classmate Jonas Shortridge to help investigate. As the inquiry gains traction and suspects reemerge, Piper receives an anonymous demand—“Stop this podcast about Layla Trello. You don’t want to end up like her”—prompting Piper and Jonas to believe the murderer is listening. Henry’s socially aware prose, interspersed with podcast transcripts and newspaper clippings, deftly depicts Piper’s altruistic commitment to justice for Layla alongside her critique of the perfect-victim myth (“Her disappearance and death attracted the kind of attention you probably wouldn’t get if you were poor, disabled, older, homeless, or not white”). Sections read, at times, like a “how-to” guide for podcasting, but red herrings, dramatic cliff-hangers, and a growing body count keep the plot suspenseful. Major characters cue as white.
Seventeen-year-old transfer student Piper Gray, a murder podcast enthusiast, attains notoriety at North High when she starts her own podcast about the unsolved murder of teenage Layla Trello, who was found dead in the nearby woods 17 years ago. Determined to crack the cold case, Piper enlists classmate Jonas Shortridge to help investigate. As the inquiry gains traction and suspects reemerge, Piper receives an anonymous demand—“Stop this podcast about Layla Trello. You don’t want to end up like her”—prompting Piper and Jonas to believe the murderer is listening. Henry’s socially aware prose, interspersed with podcast transcripts and newspaper clippings, deftly depicts Piper’s altruistic commitment to justice for Layla alongside her critique of the perfect-victim myth (“Her disappearance and death attracted the kind of attention you probably wouldn’t get if you were poor, disabled, older, homeless, or not white”). Sections read, at times, like a “how-to” guide for podcasting, but red herrings, dramatic cliff-hangers, and a growing body count keep the plot suspenseful. Major characters cue as white.
Amazing review for Eyes of the Forest in the New Zealand Herald!
What a fun surprise to wake up and find this review from the New Zealand Herald in my Google Alerts. New Zealand is a magical place, and the only country I have visited that I would consider moving to.
"The pace moves at a gallop, the tone light even during the most menacing scenes. Bridget is herself a consciously-written trope - the feisty flame-haired heroine - and the author sets everything up neatly, with no unnecessary padding. Eyes of the Forest - the name of both this novel and Bob’s novel within the book - conveys the power of story and how much the world invests in it, and the way in which a writer who has had success unleashed upon him becomes vulnerable to the expectations of his readers.
"This was a wildly entertaining novel, aimed at a young adult audience of those about 13 years old and up, and actual adults who love a good yarn."
—New Zealand Herald
"The pace moves at a gallop, the tone light even during the most menacing scenes. Bridget is herself a consciously-written trope - the feisty flame-haired heroine - and the author sets everything up neatly, with no unnecessary padding. Eyes of the Forest - the name of both this novel and Bob’s novel within the book - conveys the power of story and how much the world invests in it, and the way in which a writer who has had success unleashed upon him becomes vulnerable to the expectations of his readers.
"This was a wildly entertaining novel, aimed at a young adult audience of those about 13 years old and up, and actual adults who love a good yarn."
—New Zealand Herald
Girl, Forgotten coming March 28, 2023
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Seventeen years ago, Layla Trello was murdered and her killer was never found. Enter true-crime fan Piper Gray, who is determined to reopen Layla’s case and get some answers. With the help of Jonas—who has a secret of his own—Piper starts a podcast investigating Layla’s murder. But as she digs deeper into the mysteries of the past, Piper starts receiving anonymous threats telling her to back off the investigation, or else. The killer is still out there, and Piper must uncover their identity before they silence her forever.
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Could you start a short story in less than five minutes?
I just did school visits in South Dakota. A student, Elle, took the writing workshop. Students were given five minutes and a list of words to incorporate and their choice of prompts. Here's what she wrote (TBH, I'm jealous!):
Angel was walking down the road, the sky a blur of darkness as the sunsets in the distance. He ignored the way the world whispered for him to turn around, to walk with steady feet into the inky black that consumed the world behind him. He won’t look. Just keep walking. Stay under the steet lamps. The voice turned honey sweet, begging to be believed as it desperately tried to coax him backwards. Just keep walking. One foot forward. Don’t listen. His eyes dart around as the voice gets louder, get angrier. He can feel the darkness get closer. He remembers when the darkness was first discovered. How the news wondered what it was, this dark so black you disappeared into it. He remembers how it consumed his family, how his parents had halted and listened to the voice and all its gentle coaxing.
Angel was walking down the road, the sky a blur of darkness as the sunsets in the distance. He ignored the way the world whispered for him to turn around, to walk with steady feet into the inky black that consumed the world behind him. He won’t look. Just keep walking. Stay under the steet lamps. The voice turned honey sweet, begging to be believed as it desperately tried to coax him backwards. Just keep walking. One foot forward. Don’t listen. His eyes dart around as the voice gets louder, get angrier. He can feel the darkness get closer. He remembers when the darkness was first discovered. How the news wondered what it was, this dark so black you disappeared into it. He remembers how it consumed his family, how his parents had halted and listened to the voice and all its gentle coaxing.
High praise, indeed!
“April Henry is a prolific author who, in my opinion, consistently writes engaging and authentically teen YA books that remind me of those 90s and 2000s paperback series, and this is the highest compliment I can give her as an author. Just as adults still love to read Harlequin romances, I believe that a lot is being lost in teen fiction and in our libraries by moving away from those quick, fun – and easy to carry because they are paperback – series that you can consistently count on for some great escapist reading that horrifies, delights, and engages. April Henry excels at this…A thing that I appreciate with April Henry is how authentically teen her protagonists feel and sound on a consistent basis. I have never walked away from an April Henry book thinking those characters were adults that they just labelled as 17 to market them as YA. And did I mention they are fun and engaging reads?!”
- SchoolLibrary Journal.com’s Teen Librarian Toolbox
- SchoolLibrary Journal.com’s Teen Librarian Toolbox
First school visits of the 2022-23 school year in Jackson, Missouri
Play with Fire wins Oregon Spirit Book Award
Reviews for Two Truths and a Lie
"A group of high school students are doomed on a trip for a theater competition. They drive straight into a blizzard and must find refuge in a hotel in the middle of nowhere. When they check-in, they meet a robotics team that is also stranded while traveling for their own competition. The hotel is creepy, cold, and full of winding hallways, making it difficult to navigate. It also holds dark secrets, including the murder of a businessman and his mistress years before. The murder weapon was never found, and the murder never solved. The teens play games, including Two Truths and a Lie, to pass the time. When one person writes their two truths and a lie as “I like to watch people die,” and then two classmates turn up dead, the evening becomes sinister. Told with nods to Agatha Christie and in eerie detail, this thriller is sure to delight fans of mystery, suspense, and a little horror. Who is the killer and why are they targeting the teens? VERDICT A grisly, fast-paced, suspenseful tale of a murder and mystery that is great for fans of noir thrillers who do not mind a little gore. Recommended for teen readers."
—School Library Journal
"On their way to a competition, an unexpected blizzard forces Nell and her theater group to take shelter in a creepy, run-down hotel. There they meet other groups sheltering as well, including a rival team heading for the same competition. The first night in the hotel, Nell and the two groups play a game, Two Truths and a Lie, to pass the time, but things get dark when one slip of paper admits to multiple killings. Things get even darker once it’s found that the hotel was the scene of an unsolved double murder. Everyone is a suspect in the ominous confession, and the next morning, one of Nell’s theater friends is found dead. Trapped without power or access to help, Nell and her friends must protect themselves and survive. Henry returns with another thriller that will keep readers on the edges of their seats with mystery and romance, plus various theater references that give the novel a unique feel. Multiple twists and turns will keep readers guessing until the very end. An engrossing read."
— Savannah Patterson, Booklist
"While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills."—Kirkus
—School Library Journal
"On their way to a competition, an unexpected blizzard forces Nell and her theater group to take shelter in a creepy, run-down hotel. There they meet other groups sheltering as well, including a rival team heading for the same competition. The first night in the hotel, Nell and the two groups play a game, Two Truths and a Lie, to pass the time, but things get dark when one slip of paper admits to multiple killings. Things get even darker once it’s found that the hotel was the scene of an unsolved double murder. Everyone is a suspect in the ominous confession, and the next morning, one of Nell’s theater friends is found dead. Trapped without power or access to help, Nell and her friends must protect themselves and survive. Henry returns with another thriller that will keep readers on the edges of their seats with mystery and romance, plus various theater references that give the novel a unique feel. Multiple twists and turns will keep readers guessing until the very end. An engrossing read."
— Savannah Patterson, Booklist
"While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills."—Kirkus
Two Truths and a Lie chosen by Amazon as an Editor's pick, by Junior Library Guild as a Gold Standard selection, by YALSA as Quick Pick nominee
Amazon only chooses a handful of books in a given category to be an editor's pick. In a first for me, they've chosen Two Truths and a Lie as a best young adult pick.
And the Junior Library Guild has chosen Two Truths and a Lie as a Gold Standard Selection. Teen Vogue listed it as one of "15 Best New Thriller & Mystery Books for Summer 2022." And YALSA nominated it for a 2023 Quick Pick. |
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A sponsored gi! I'm like a cool athlete
I am excited to be working with Elite Sports and Born Tough to try out their products!
lite Sports sent me a red gi - so fun to have a different color and I really like the way they fit. They are good, inexpensive gis, and not too heavy, making them perfect for warmer months.
lite Sports sent me a red gi - so fun to have a different color and I really like the way they fit. They are good, inexpensive gis, and not too heavy, making them perfect for warmer months.
Defeating zip ties
I have a million things to do, so of course I started playing around with zip ties. This is one way to defeat them. I had them super loose because I was at home alone and had a conference call in an hour. Tighter zip ties or a shorter piece of metal (like a broken-off barrette) would require great wrist dexterity.
Want to buy a signed book?
Want to buy a signed book with a personal dedication for yourself or someone else? Just contact my local bookstore: AnnieBlooms.com. They'll contact me and I'll come down to sign (in a socially-distanced choreographed way).
I love to do school visits
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School visits are a great way to get students interested in reading and writing.
I love to visit schools and share with students the joys of reading, writing, and research. I also talk about the vital importance of tenacity. To learn more, check out my school visit page. I am excited to announce that I am now booking all my speaking engagements through TheBookingBiz.com. And the good folks at my publisher have put together a teacher's guide for my books (which can be used with Common Core state standards). You can get it here. |
Taking my Brazilian jiujitsu on the road
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I love to do Brazilian jujitsu (think wrestling plus chokes plus joint locks) and try to roll at a local school whenever I do school visits. Every school has its own special way of doing things - and with luck I can pick up a trick or two to try at my regular schools in Portland.
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The things I do for research!
Best Note Ever from a Middle School Teacher
Just wanted to let you know for a 3rd year in a row you are making my life easy – and creating a bunch of new readers. I am still lucky enough to teach an advanced reading class along with my Intensive class and across the board your books are the motivators. Here is one of the book projects done by one of my 7th graders! I can’t keep enough copies of your books on my shelf. |
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