Ace of Spades
Chiamaka and Devon are seniors in the exclusive Niveus High school, and they are both striving to be the best that they can be and get the college places they’re working so hard for. When someone starts posting their most intimate secrets online, they know that not only are their dreams going up in smoke, but their entire futures are jeopardised. Who or what is Aces, the mysterious persona behind these sinister messages, how can they know so much, and why have they targeted Chiamaka and Devon?
This is a well-written, intricate and pacy high school thriller with lots of tension and suspense. While the two main characters are trying to get a handle on what is happening, the reader is also wondering what’s real and what’s imagined. It presents a very sharp depiction of the mental anguish and insecurities that social media can create for young people.
The layers of shocks and twists often throw up more questions than answers, while the final revelation is quite unexpected. Themes of LGBTQ+ relationships, family, friendships, power, and control are threaded throughout the narrative. However, it is the all-pervasive, yet hidden racism that finally dominates. The author gives us a truly clear picture of how our protagonists seem to be helpless to fight against it.
A very engaging mystery that will appeal to fans of One of Us is Lying, but its strongest theme of fighting against bigotry will stay with the reader after finishing.
