Literature & Fiction
![Kathleen Glasgow - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B01BKSVME8.jpg)
![Liz Lawson - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B07V6JGRM6.jpg)
The Agathas (An Agathas Mystery)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Who killed Brooke Donovan? It's the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks they know what happened. But they're wrong. Two unlikely friends come together to solve the case in this fast-paced, fun, modern Agatha Christie inspired thriller.
"Part Agatha Christie, part Veronica Mars, and completely entertaining." -Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Of Us Is Lying
A PEOPLE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF SUMMER
Last summer, Alice Ogilvie's basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve's girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice's ex–best friend. And it doesn't look like Brooke will be coming back. . .
Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.
In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need-the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.
"Part Agatha Christie, part Veronica Mars, and completely entertaining." -Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Of Us Is Lying
A PEOPLE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF SUMMER
Last summer, Alice Ogilvie's basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve's girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice's ex–best friend. And it doesn't look like Brooke will be coming back. . .
Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.
In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need-the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.
Editorial Reviews
"Full of twists, mysteries, and so much heart, The Agathas will keep you up late guessing who-exactly-dunit. Perfect for readers who like their thrillers with an extra dose of fun!" -Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
"With all the twists and turns of a classic Agatha Christie novel, told through a delightful and engaging contemporary lens, The Agathas is impossible not to devour. Perfect for mystery lovers everywhere." -Rachael Lippincott, coauthor of All This Time and the #1 New York Times bestseller Five Feet Apart
"A propulsive mystery starring two unlikely friends who give Nancy Drew a run for her money. With a totally satisfying and surprising ending, The Agathas is so, so much fun." -Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They'll Never Catch Us and They Wish They Were Us
"A twisty missing-girl mystery with two sharp-witted teen detectives you'll instantly root for. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson, Karen M. McManus, and Kara Thomas!" -Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos and Very Bad People
"This whip-smart novel had me hooked from page one, with wisecracking teen detectives, Agatha Christie references galore, and a killer mystery. I freakin' loved this book, and in my opinion, Alice Ogilvie and Iris Adams can definitely sit with Nancy Drew and Veronica Mars at lunch." -Kate Williams, author of the Babysitters Coven series and Never Coming Home
"Part Agatha Christie, part Veronica Mars, and completely entertaining." -Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Of ...
"With all the twists and turns of a classic Agatha Christie novel, told through a delightful and engaging contemporary lens, The Agathas is impossible not to devour. Perfect for mystery lovers everywhere." -Rachael Lippincott, coauthor of All This Time and the #1 New York Times bestseller Five Feet Apart
"A propulsive mystery starring two unlikely friends who give Nancy Drew a run for her money. With a totally satisfying and surprising ending, The Agathas is so, so much fun." -Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They'll Never Catch Us and They Wish They Were Us
"A twisty missing-girl mystery with two sharp-witted teen detectives you'll instantly root for. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson, Karen M. McManus, and Kara Thomas!" -Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos and Very Bad People
"This whip-smart novel had me hooked from page one, with wisecracking teen detectives, Agatha Christie references galore, and a killer mystery. I freakin' loved this book, and in my opinion, Alice Ogilvie and Iris Adams can definitely sit with Nancy Drew and Veronica Mars at lunch." -Kate Williams, author of the Babysitters Coven series and Never Coming Home
"Part Agatha Christie, part Veronica Mars, and completely entertaining." -Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Of ...
Readers Top Reviews
KateDavidFor The
Nicely written YA - enjoyed by mother & daughter.
LJBentleyKateDavi
I’m just going to say this, I flippin’ loved The Agathas. The Agathas is a slick YA murder mystery fiction which has elements of classic murder mystery with a delicious dollop of Scooby Doo. The story focuses on unlikely duo Alice Ogilve – one of Castle Cove’s beautiful people – who has a mystery of her own that she is keeping buried and the quirky Iris Adams – underdog, beautiful wierdo and someone who is desperate to leave Castle Cove as quickly as she can. They are thrown together and form an unlikely alliance to help solve the mystery of who killed Brooke Donovan. Corruption, greed and love are all at the heart of this story and Glasgow and Lawson’s perfect tone drags you up and down the garden path throwing in red herrings galore. At once you both believe that you can and will solve the mystery whilst equally slapping your head in absolute shock horror when you get it wrong. I will shove The Agathas into everyone’s hands. The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson is available now.
Eva GibsonLJBentl
I’m a huge fan of mysteries, as well as both Katheen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, so I’ve been excited for this title since it was announced. I’m happy to report that it does not disappoint! THE AGATHAS is an intriguing mystery set in small-town coastal California The story is told from two alternating first person points of view: Iris (written by Glasgow), a hard-working, financially struggling teen desperate to escape a complicated and dangerous home life; and rich girl Alice (written by Lawson), who’s coping (badly) with the relationship between her former best friend, Brooke, and ex-boyfriend, Steve, as well as the social fallout of her own recent mysterious disappearance. When Iris is hired as a tutor by Alice’s chronically absent parents, neither are thrilled with the other’s company. But when Brooke disappears on Halloween after a public fight with Steve, Iris and Alice are determined to find out what really happened that night, clear Steve’s name, and seek justice for Brooke. Inspired by Alice’s fondness for Agatha Christie mysteries, the two girls launch an investigation that digs deep into the roots of the town, uncovering secrets and corruption they’d never imagined. I absolutely loved reading THE AGATHAS! The writing styles and narrative voices are on par with my high expectations for both authors, and the plot is fun, complex, and intricately executed. Iris and Agnes are wonderfully developed and authentic, and deal with their traumas, demons, and problems in realistic ways. The secondary characters are solidly drawn individuals, with unique personalities and distinct voices; none of them are throwaways, and nearly everyone on the page has secret of their own or a link to tragedy. I highly recommend this book to fellow mystery lovers (and Glasgow/Lawson fans), teens and adults alike.
Eva GibsonLJBe
I enjoyed the pace of the book and the story of 2 teens investigating a murder. A nice update on prior teen mystery or crime solvers
mdannVA Eva Gib
I’m an adult who also likes YA. This was a great read - not too dark but not too light either. It reminded me of Veronica Mars (which I loved). Usually I can figure out who did it in the first half of a book but this one kept me guessing until the end, lots of fun twists. This would make a great Spring Break read for anybody. I’ve already preordered the second book in the series which comes out in May. I wish their were more fun mystery books like this one.
Short Excerpt Teaser
CHAPTER THREE
Alice
October 31
8:50 p.m.
"Why shouldn't I hate her? She did the worst thing to me that anyone can do to anyone else."
-Agatha Christie, The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
WHEN IRIS SHOWED UP in my room, I recognized her immediately, and, I hate to admit, I felt kind of bad that I had never bothered to learn her name. I mean, sure, if I spent my time learning the names of all the people at school, I wouldn't have time to do much of anything else, but . . . I guess I could have made a little more of an effort.
She wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Her hair was kind of cool- she had that messy bedhead thing going on that most people can't pull off, but she makes work. And weirdly, her outfit wasn't actually out of style-she had the right parts-the flannel, the Chucks, but like was missing that extra thing to tie it all together. I could help her, maybe. I appreciated that she didn't rub her smartness in my face, unlike so many of the other smart kids at Castle Cove. I know I'm not stupid; it's just that school has never interested me much.
Now, with her gone, it's quiet in my room. Too quiet. All I can think about is the fact that it's Halloween night, and all my old friends are at the annual party at Levy Castle while I'm sitting here alone.
I'm sure Brooke is there, glammed out and wandering the halls of the Castle with Steve, reminding him that her family used to own it and her grandmother used to live there back in the day. Their heads bent together, laughing, holding hands, like they don't have a care in the world. Like the only reason that they even know each other isn't because of me. Like I don't even exist.
That image plays in my head, over and over. I grab my iPad and turn on something mindless on Netflix, but even that doesn't help shut my brain up. All I can think about is that party and Steve and Brooke and what happened this summer and how unfair it all is. . . .
I can't take it anymore. They're all there, having fun, while I sit here alone. I deserve to be there as much as any of them. Brooke stole my boyfriend, and somehow I'm the bad guy?
I jump out of bed, throw my closet door open, and pull on clothes.
Once dressed, I sneak downstairs. Brenda's in her room, so I manage to get outside and to my car-another guilt gift from my parents-without fielding any questions. In the distance, the surf slams into the cliffs below our house, the fall wind rolling the waves angrily. I'd say that there's something in the air tonight, something creepy, but I'm not the type of person to believe in that sort of thing.
I turn up my music as high as it'll go, drowning out anymore racing thoughts, and take off down the driveway out to Highway 1.
The road is busy tonight. It wraps along the cliffs, between the ocean and the hills, and there are only a few houses to the west of the highway. Downtown Castle Cove is on the east side of things, cut into the bottom of the hills.
I pass Park's driveway; her house is on the cliff side of the street like mine but surrounded by high gates. Her dad is an international businessman, whatever that means, and is super paranoid about everything. Kennedy and Donovan live a few minutes in the other direction from where I'm heading; their houses are up in the neighborhoods in the hills on the east side of the highway. If I kept driving, I'd hit the town center, where the high school is and all the restaurants where Top Chef losers come to set up shop. The winners open their places down the coast in LA, obviously.
But, before I hit downtown, I reach my destination-the Castle. It's on the west side of the road, set on ten acres, the biggest parcel of land on the cliff side of the highway. It was built by Brooke's great-grandfather about eighty years ago as a residence for their family.
It sits on the ocean side of Highway 1, with a veranda that has a gigantic outdoor pool and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. The public is only allowed in certain rooms of the Castle, but because of the various parties over the years I've seen it all-and it's literally insane. Like, tall, stained-glass windows, an ornate indoor pool with mermaid fountains that spit water, and more bedrooms than I can count.
Back in the day, Brooke's great-grandfather used to hold court there, throwing these elaborate weekend-long parties and inviting all the entertainment industry people up from LA. Tons of movie stars used to hang out there, and at least one of them died under mysterious...
Alice
October 31
8:50 p.m.
"Why shouldn't I hate her? She did the worst thing to me that anyone can do to anyone else."
-Agatha Christie, The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
WHEN IRIS SHOWED UP in my room, I recognized her immediately, and, I hate to admit, I felt kind of bad that I had never bothered to learn her name. I mean, sure, if I spent my time learning the names of all the people at school, I wouldn't have time to do much of anything else, but . . . I guess I could have made a little more of an effort.
She wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Her hair was kind of cool- she had that messy bedhead thing going on that most people can't pull off, but she makes work. And weirdly, her outfit wasn't actually out of style-she had the right parts-the flannel, the Chucks, but like was missing that extra thing to tie it all together. I could help her, maybe. I appreciated that she didn't rub her smartness in my face, unlike so many of the other smart kids at Castle Cove. I know I'm not stupid; it's just that school has never interested me much.
Now, with her gone, it's quiet in my room. Too quiet. All I can think about is the fact that it's Halloween night, and all my old friends are at the annual party at Levy Castle while I'm sitting here alone.
I'm sure Brooke is there, glammed out and wandering the halls of the Castle with Steve, reminding him that her family used to own it and her grandmother used to live there back in the day. Their heads bent together, laughing, holding hands, like they don't have a care in the world. Like the only reason that they even know each other isn't because of me. Like I don't even exist.
That image plays in my head, over and over. I grab my iPad and turn on something mindless on Netflix, but even that doesn't help shut my brain up. All I can think about is that party and Steve and Brooke and what happened this summer and how unfair it all is. . . .
I can't take it anymore. They're all there, having fun, while I sit here alone. I deserve to be there as much as any of them. Brooke stole my boyfriend, and somehow I'm the bad guy?
I jump out of bed, throw my closet door open, and pull on clothes.
Once dressed, I sneak downstairs. Brenda's in her room, so I manage to get outside and to my car-another guilt gift from my parents-without fielding any questions. In the distance, the surf slams into the cliffs below our house, the fall wind rolling the waves angrily. I'd say that there's something in the air tonight, something creepy, but I'm not the type of person to believe in that sort of thing.
I turn up my music as high as it'll go, drowning out anymore racing thoughts, and take off down the driveway out to Highway 1.
The road is busy tonight. It wraps along the cliffs, between the ocean and the hills, and there are only a few houses to the west of the highway. Downtown Castle Cove is on the east side of things, cut into the bottom of the hills.
I pass Park's driveway; her house is on the cliff side of the street like mine but surrounded by high gates. Her dad is an international businessman, whatever that means, and is super paranoid about everything. Kennedy and Donovan live a few minutes in the other direction from where I'm heading; their houses are up in the neighborhoods in the hills on the east side of the highway. If I kept driving, I'd hit the town center, where the high school is and all the restaurants where Top Chef losers come to set up shop. The winners open their places down the coast in LA, obviously.
But, before I hit downtown, I reach my destination-the Castle. It's on the west side of the road, set on ten acres, the biggest parcel of land on the cliff side of the highway. It was built by Brooke's great-grandfather about eighty years ago as a residence for their family.
It sits on the ocean side of Highway 1, with a veranda that has a gigantic outdoor pool and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. The public is only allowed in certain rooms of the Castle, but because of the various parties over the years I've seen it all-and it's literally insane. Like, tall, stained-glass windows, an ornate indoor pool with mermaid fountains that spit water, and more bedrooms than I can count.
Back in the day, Brooke's great-grandfather used to hold court there, throwing these elaborate weekend-long parties and inviting all the entertainment industry people up from LA. Tons of movie stars used to hang out there, and at least one of them died under mysterious...
