"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
"You can't go wrong with an April Henry book." - Teen Librarian Toolbox
"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
"You can't go wrong with an April Henry book." - Teen Librarian Toolbox
One-stop shopping for signed, personalized books
If you would like one of my books signed, and personalized, my neighborhood bookstore Annie Blooms now has a dedicated page: https://www.annieblooms.com/april-henry-signed-books.
School visits in Utah as well as Story Con
The first reviews for In the Blood are in
My book is about Tessa, a high school senior. When she turns 18, her best friend El gives her an Ancestry test. Ever since they were kids, El and Tessa have wondered about Tessa's biological parents. And after Tessa gets her results, Victor, her biology lab partner offers to help her and El uncover the truth.
Tessa eventually figures out who her mom is, but her dad is a complete mystery. When she uploads her DNA on GEDMatch, law enforcement is alerted. While they don't know her biological father's name, they know what everyone calls him: The Portland Phantom. He's a serial killer who has strangled seven young women in the past sixteen years.
"Intrigue surrounds likable Tessa, who’s complex and well developed. The story’s multiple perspectives keep readers engaged as the tension builds. ... Henry captures both the hope and idealism surrounding reunification. Seeing how Tessa and her family members engage with her adoption highlights the beauty and challenges of creating identity and family in an honest and emotional way. A sensitive and insightful adoption story that sits uneasily alongside a shocking thriller."
—Kirkus
"A suspenseful thriller told in three perspectives. Tessa, freshly 18, is gifted an AncestryDNA testing kit for her birthday by her best friend and fellow senior classmate, El. ... Tessa, El, and Victor, a Latine boy in Tessa’s biology class, are great representations of a loyal friend group. Beside Tessa’s, the second point of view is Keisha’s; a Black detective and police officer assigned to the Portland Phantom’s case, she is shown to be driven and self-motivated. The last point of view is Quentin’s, the Portland Phantom, who is presumed white. Quentin, an unsettling character, is a police officer who groomed a student as a school resource officer and targets young women to kill. Though it is not gory and his murders are all closed door, the inside of his mind could be unsettling to students who have not been exposed to crime books—though it could also be a good introduction."
—School Library Journal
Tessa eventually figures out who her mom is, but her dad is a complete mystery. When she uploads her DNA on GEDMatch, law enforcement is alerted. While they don't know her biological father's name, they know what everyone calls him: The Portland Phantom. He's a serial killer who has strangled seven young women in the past sixteen years.
"Intrigue surrounds likable Tessa, who’s complex and well developed. The story’s multiple perspectives keep readers engaged as the tension builds. ... Henry captures both the hope and idealism surrounding reunification. Seeing how Tessa and her family members engage with her adoption highlights the beauty and challenges of creating identity and family in an honest and emotional way. A sensitive and insightful adoption story that sits uneasily alongside a shocking thriller."
—Kirkus
"A suspenseful thriller told in three perspectives. Tessa, freshly 18, is gifted an AncestryDNA testing kit for her birthday by her best friend and fellow senior classmate, El. ... Tessa, El, and Victor, a Latine boy in Tessa’s biology class, are great representations of a loyal friend group. Beside Tessa’s, the second point of view is Keisha’s; a Black detective and police officer assigned to the Portland Phantom’s case, she is shown to be driven and self-motivated. The last point of view is Quentin’s, the Portland Phantom, who is presumed white. Quentin, an unsettling character, is a police officer who groomed a student as a school resource officer and targets young women to kill. Though it is not gory and his murders are all closed door, the inside of his mind could be unsettling to students who have not been exposed to crime books—though it could also be a good introduction."
—School Library Journal
Stay Dead honored!
Stay Dead has been named to the 2026-2027 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award list, the 2026-2027 Iowa Teen Award list, and Missouri's 2026-2027 Gateway Award list. It has also been named to Maine's North Star list, Texas' Taysha's list, and the California Department of Education Recommended list, and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. And it's a Young Teen Lit Top 10!
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School visits in Deer Park, Texas
What happens when you get too committed to research
School visits in the Sugar Land, Texas area
School visits in the Boston and Baltimore areas
I have the best job in the world
Ideas for promoting a school visit to students
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TV interview in Washington State
I love to do school visits
I have already visited two dozen schools this school year, and would love to add your school to the list! School visits are a great way to get students interested in reading and writing. For the 2022-23 school year, I visited 39 schools and spoke to thousands of students (and dozens of teachers and librarians).
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 book all my speaking engagements through TheBookingBiz.com.
I also love to go to teen book cons, literacy conferences, and to programs at libraries and for librarians.
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 book all my speaking engagements through TheBookingBiz.com.
I also love to go to teen book cons, literacy conferences, and to programs at libraries and for librarians.
How to feel like a rock star
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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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