Girl Forgotten
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.
Awards and Honors
Edgar Award (like the Oscar for mystery writers)
JLG Gold Standard Selection
2023-2024 Tome Student Literacy Society It List
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list
Delaware Diamonds Award Finalist
Maine's North Star Award Finalist
Oregon Spirit Book Award winner
Reviews
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.
--Publishers Weekly
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
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
I recently read April Henry’s GIRL FORGOTTEN and found that it is an excellent addition into the podcast in YA list. In this story, a senior is tasked with a year long senior project and she decided to start a podcast to investigate the unsolved murder of a girl from her school 10 years earlier. In addition to being a really engaging murder mystery, Henry has the main character, her teachers, her parents (both lawyers) and the listeners wrestle with the ethical implications of doing a true crime podcast. Some of the murdered girls surviving family welcome the podcast, as they are still seeking answers. Others resent it for digging up old wounds. There are also very real legal questions brought up as the main character alleges that local community members may be responsible for the death and there are threats of lawsuits. Every step of the way Henry asks readers to think thoughtfully about the implications of the podcast and how it uses a young girl’s murder and the community trauma for an outsiders gain.
Beyond those deep conversations, GIRL FORGOTTEN is a really engaging murder mystery. It tackles small town life, drugs, sex, friendship and more as it peels back the layers. I was actually a bit surprised as to who the final culprit was. And the final scenes with the reveal that take place during a live broadcast kept me on the edge of my seat. It did not disappoint on any level.
All in all, I found GIRL FORGOTTEN to be an engaging mystery that also wrestles with thoughtful questions about something that teens are enjoying, true crime podcasts, that they may not have given much thought to. Henry manages to capitalize on the true crime podcast trend while making us question whether or not she, and by extension we, have the right to do so. It’s pretty ingenious. I highly recommend this book.
—School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox
Girl Forgotten is a solid Young Adult mystery that will serve as a great entry point for readers looking to explore the thriller genre. Piper’s journey not only through solving the case but also through navigating her own personal pain and turmoil are handled with intelligence and empathy. The mechanics of creating a podcast are also demystified for those of us readers unfamiliar with the process, as the ethics of true crime as entertainment are sensitively considered. This is a fast read that packs a lot into its pages, and is a perfect gateway book for readers starting their journey in contemporary mysteries and thrillers.
--Criminal Elements
Inspiration
Years ago, I read a news article about a woman who became intrigued by the grave of a Jane Doe who was buried next to her family member. She helped push for an investigation that ended up giving the dead woman her name back, although the mystery of who murdered her was never solved.
Another part of the book came from the experience of my daughter's friend, who through a sad family circumstance ended up in the care of her father whom she had never lived with before.
And like everyone else, I became fascinated by true crime podcasts by listening to Serial. During the course of writing the book, I got interested in the sometimes jumbled ethics of these podcasts.
It was also fun to give some of my favorite writing prompts to Ms. Wharton. And her last name was actually my great, great, great grandmother's last name.
Awards and Honors
Edgar Award (like the Oscar for mystery writers)
JLG Gold Standard Selection
2023-2024 Tome Student Literacy Society It List
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list
Delaware Diamonds Award Finalist
Maine's North Star Award Finalist
Oregon Spirit Book Award winner
Reviews
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.
--Publishers Weekly
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
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
I recently read April Henry’s GIRL FORGOTTEN and found that it is an excellent addition into the podcast in YA list. In this story, a senior is tasked with a year long senior project and she decided to start a podcast to investigate the unsolved murder of a girl from her school 10 years earlier. In addition to being a really engaging murder mystery, Henry has the main character, her teachers, her parents (both lawyers) and the listeners wrestle with the ethical implications of doing a true crime podcast. Some of the murdered girls surviving family welcome the podcast, as they are still seeking answers. Others resent it for digging up old wounds. There are also very real legal questions brought up as the main character alleges that local community members may be responsible for the death and there are threats of lawsuits. Every step of the way Henry asks readers to think thoughtfully about the implications of the podcast and how it uses a young girl’s murder and the community trauma for an outsiders gain.
Beyond those deep conversations, GIRL FORGOTTEN is a really engaging murder mystery. It tackles small town life, drugs, sex, friendship and more as it peels back the layers. I was actually a bit surprised as to who the final culprit was. And the final scenes with the reveal that take place during a live broadcast kept me on the edge of my seat. It did not disappoint on any level.
All in all, I found GIRL FORGOTTEN to be an engaging mystery that also wrestles with thoughtful questions about something that teens are enjoying, true crime podcasts, that they may not have given much thought to. Henry manages to capitalize on the true crime podcast trend while making us question whether or not she, and by extension we, have the right to do so. It’s pretty ingenious. I highly recommend this book.
—School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox
Girl Forgotten is a solid Young Adult mystery that will serve as a great entry point for readers looking to explore the thriller genre. Piper’s journey not only through solving the case but also through navigating her own personal pain and turmoil are handled with intelligence and empathy. The mechanics of creating a podcast are also demystified for those of us readers unfamiliar with the process, as the ethics of true crime as entertainment are sensitively considered. This is a fast read that packs a lot into its pages, and is a perfect gateway book for readers starting their journey in contemporary mysteries and thrillers.
--Criminal Elements
Inspiration
Years ago, I read a news article about a woman who became intrigued by the grave of a Jane Doe who was buried next to her family member. She helped push for an investigation that ended up giving the dead woman her name back, although the mystery of who murdered her was never solved.
Another part of the book came from the experience of my daughter's friend, who through a sad family circumstance ended up in the care of her father whom she had never lived with before.
And like everyone else, I became fascinated by true crime podcasts by listening to Serial. During the course of writing the book, I got interested in the sometimes jumbled ethics of these podcasts.
It was also fun to give some of my favorite writing prompts to Ms. Wharton. And her last name was actually my great, great, great grandmother's last name.