Piercehaven: Welcome to the Island

This is my first mystery suspense novel by one of my new favorite authors. And it did not disappoint! Merrill crafts a credible high school experience from a secondary teacher's perspective. The teenagers are well drawn, their actions neither exaggerated nor contrived, but very accurate to the everyday teen.

The story itself delivers something fresh as well--a teacher, Emily, begins a new job on a remote island in Maine where everyone--I mean, everyone--is obsessed with basketball. The high school students have been playing their entire lives and anyone who speaks out against that or any number of other unusual obsessions with the school's methodologies will face being ostracized. Emily quickly realizes that the students and staff are tightly bonded and expectations for her to hop on board with various traditions are high.

An enjoyable soft mystery with long-held relationships and ideals that are challenged as Emily and Piercehaven test the boundaries of their comfort zones.