Spin 12+

About this book

Sixteen-year-old Paris Secord's (aka DJ ParSec) career — and life — has come to an untimely end, and the local music scene is reeling.

No one is feeling the pain more than her shunned pre-fame best friend, Kya, and Paris's chief groupie, Fuse. But suspicion trumps grief, and since each suspects the other of Paris's murder, they're locked in a high-stakes game of public accusations and sabotage.

Everyone in the ParSec Nation (DJ ParSec's local media base) — including the killer — is content to watch it play out, until Kya and Fuse discover a secret: Paris was on the verge of major deal that would've catapulted her to superstar status on a national level, leaving her old life (and old friends) behind. With the new info comes new motives. New suspects. And a fandom that shows its deadly side. As Kya and Fuse come closer to the twisted truth, the killer's no longer amused. But murdering Paris was simple enough, so getting rid of her nobody-friends shouldn't be an issue...

Reviews

Praise for Lamar Giles

"My twin, Lamar, is a phenomenal innovative storyteller. His thrillers have laid the groundwork for us all. A true king!" --Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Timesbestselling author of Grown and The Weight of Blood

"Lamar Giles's work always has something to say, and it's well worth your while to listen." --Barry Lyga, New York Times bestselling author of I Hunt Killers

"When I think of Lamar Giles's work, I think of the books that make kids love reading. Whether it's through a fantasy adventure or a nuanced YA novel, he offers readers smart characters who face impossible circumstances that will keep them guessing until the end. A Lamar Giles book never disappoints." --Meg Medina, New York Times bestselling author of Burn Baby Burn

Praise for The Getaway

YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young AdultsYALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"Timely, thrilling, and gripping from start to finish. An absolute page-turner." --Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"The Getaway grabbed me from page one and didn't let go. I was immediately fascinated and disturbed by the fictional Karloff Country. You too will be lured in and then horrified by the truth behind those perfect customer service smiles..." --Malinda Lo, New York Times best selling author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club

★"With hints of Cory Doctorow, Jordan Peele, and Richard Matheson, this book stands on its own as a dystopian adventure, but the deeper metaphors around servitude, privilege, class, and solidarity mean that there's a lot to think about as the characters reckon with their proximity to and complicity in violence both local and far-flung. Hold tight: You'll want to stay on this nightmarish roller coaster till the end." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★"This arresting and engaging dystopian thriller interrogates the horrors of racism, classism, unregulated capitalism and eco-fascism." --Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Giles's harrowing dystopian novel combines an exploration of capitalistic greed and systemic racism and oppression with gripping psychological horror, resulting in a read that is guaranteed to terrify." --Publishers Weekly "With elements of adventure, science fiction, horror, and even a bit of romance in a broken world, Giles keeps readers wondering who can and cannot be trusted throughout this page-turning novel." --Horn Book

Praise for Spin

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"The first test of a whodunit is how heart-stopping and strange a thing has actually been dun. In Spin, Lamar Giles nails the murder...What's even more impressive is the subtle stuff you almost don't notice because Giles wears his intellect so lightly: the masterly knowledge of hip-hop and R&B; the command of technology's uses and abuses; the discerning ear for the way high schoolers talk.... A two-time nominee for an Edgar award, Giles is a terrific plotter...Spin champions the resourcefulness of teenagers and pities the grown-ups--villainous or just clueless--who underestimate them." --New York Times Book Review

* "Not to be missed." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

* "Spin delivers everything you could want in a book: lush, complex characters; a spine-chilling plot; a vividly drawn world; and, best of all, hip-hop." --Booklist (starred review)

★ "This novel transcends its genre." --School Library Journal (starred review)

★"This fast-paced tale seizes attention from the first thrown punch to the final curtain call...." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Lamar Giles has spun together a fast-paced, music-forward whodunit..." --School Library Connection

Praise for Overturned

A YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

★"An utterly compelling whodunit." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Giles, a founding member of We Need Diverse Books and two-time Edgar Award finalist, is in top form, weaving together the threads of his whodunit-and-why and resonantly depicting his characters' home and school lives. As a poker genius Nikki may be a singular sort of teenager, but she's grounded in desires and motivations that make her story as moving as it is thrilling." -- New York Times Book Review

"Another Giles winner." -- BCCB

"A fast-paced, endlessly intriguing mystery." -- Booklist

"Giles excels at pulpy crime drama, including a romance with a wealthy casino heir, scattering a trail of clues and bluffs to keep readers guessing." -- Publishers Weekly