November 25, 2019
When film editor Marissa Dahl, the misfit narrator of this smart, cinematically steeped page-turner from Little (Dear Daughter), agrees to replace the most recent crew member canned by megalomaniacal auteur Tony Rees from the hush-hush true crime mystery he’s shooting on a tiny island off the Delaware coast, she has no idea what she’s in for. But once she arrives on location at the stately hotel where, in 1994, 19-year-old aspiring actor Caitlyn Kelly was found dead on the beach in a case that was never solved, it doesn’t take long for even someone on the autism spectrum like herself to spot alarming danger signals. Then again, it’s tough to miss the explosion of a bank of lights on that set that showers the leading lady with shards of broken glass—in what the editor learns is just the latest in a string of ostensible freak accidents that have plagued the production. The twisty plot becomes overly convoluted, but Little scores with the achingly vulnerable Marissa, whose specific set of skills enables her to see the big picture before anyone else. Psychological thriller fans will be well satisfied. Agent: Kate Garrick, Karpfinger Agency.
December 1, 2019
Film editor and cinephile Marissa accepts a job working with a legendary director and quickly discovers it's no ordinary gig. Whisked away to the film shoot on a remote island, she's not allowed to read the script, her phone is confiscated, and no one will tell her why the previous editor was fired. The film is based on an unsolved murder that occurred decades earlier on the island, and strange incidents on set seem to hint that the murderer may be interfering with the shoot. When Marissa finds herself in the middle of a new murder investigation, she uses her observational skills to put together the pieces of both crimes. VERDICT Little (Dear Daughter) once again delivers a dark, witty thriller. Movie fans will be delighted with the behind-the-scenes setting and the numerous cinematic references. While there are some twists, this character-driven whodunit is mainly propelled by Marissa, an intelligent, charming protagonist whose neurodiversity is well portrayed. Recommended for mystery fans drawn to amateur sleuths and quirky, realistic protagonists.--Anitra Gates, Erie Cty. P.L., PA
Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
December 15, 2019
Murder and mayhem plague a film set on a secluded island off the coast of Delaware in Little's (Dear Daughter, 2015, etc.) sophomore thriller. When film editor Marissa Dahl takes a job on a new film directed by the talented but temperamental Tony Rees, she's not given a script and must sign a mile-long nondisclosure agreement. It's not ideal, but she needs the work. Escorted by an attractive ex-Navy SEAL named Isaiah, Marissa arrives on Kickout Island to find a bustling set, headquartered at a beautiful hotel, that is cloaked in secrecy and beset with dysfunction. Once Marissa gets down to work, she realizes that picking up the slack from the previous editor, who was fired for unknown reasons, won't be smooth sailing and that the movie is based on the real-life unsolved murder of aspiring actress Caitlyn Kelly 25 years ago on that very island. Most folks assume that an eccentric ferry captain named Billy Lyle, a friend of Caitlyn's, was the killer, but there was never enough evidence to convict. A few people, however, think he may be innocent. Marissa sets out to discover what really happened to Caitlyn with the help of Isaiah and two intrepid, tech-savvy 13-year-olds--Grace Portillo and Suzy Koh, whose parents work for the hotel. What she finds is a dead body and a whole lot of trouble. Readers fascinated with the behind-the-scenes machinations of a movie set will be enthralled, plus there's a frisson of romantic tension between Isaiah and Marissa, and the island setting lends some spooky atmosphere. Snippets from Grace and Suzy's true-crime podcast, Dead Ringer, are also sprinkled throughout. Though a killer on the loose adds a fair bit of urgency in the second half, the main focus is on Little's singular narrator. Marissa relates to the world primarily through film and considers herself anything but typical: "It's possible I've spent so much time watching movies that the language of film has infiltrated some primal, necessary part of my brain. I catch myself processing my own emotions in scenes, in shots, in dialogue." A quirky and distinctive heroine headlines this fun and fast-paced thriller loaded with cinematic flourishes.
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December 1, 2019
Film editor Marissa is talented and hardworking, but her social awkwardness makes it hard for her to find a new job once she and her best friend, a lauded movie director, part ways. Growing desperate, she takes a gig on a movie set with a high-strung director and revolving-door staff at a mysterious location. Marissa, who doesn't bother much with the outside world, much less Hollywood gossip, doesn't know anything about the film before landing on a remote island off the coast of Delaware. It's gradually revealed (but not explicitly stated) that Marisa may be more than just quirky; she may be on the spectrum. Her anxiety level and her attention to detail could be the key to cracking not only a stunning recent crime, but also the decades-old murder that's haunted the residents of the island and is the basis for the film. The plot is thin and there are too many side characters to keep track of, but readers who stick with figuring out Marissa's personality may find her to be an interesting new kind of amateur sleuth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)