Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series meets the cult classic film Fargo in this gripping, dark comedy by debut author Kathleen Hale. A quiet town like Friendship, Wisconsin, keeps most of its secrets buried . . . but when local teen Ruth Fried is found murdered in a cornfield, her best friend, Kippy Bushman, decides she must uncover the truth and catch the killer. Since the police aren't much help, Kippy looks to her newly discovered idol, journalist Diane Sawyer, for tips on how to conduct her investigation. But Kippy soon discovers, if you want to dig up the truth, your hands have to get a little dirty, don'tcha know. In this riveting young adult novel, Kathleen Hale creates a quirky murder mystery that is intricately plotted and sure to keep readers guessing, laughing, and cringing until the surprising final pages. "Can a murder mystery be funny? You betcha!" raved Kirkus Reviews in a starred review. But when your best friend is the victim, how far will you go for justice? Quirky Teen Detective: Kippy Bushman isn’t a cop, but with a police force more interested in lost pets than killers, she’ll have to be. Her only guide? The investigative journalism of Diane Sawyer. - Dark Humor: Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply unsettling, this is a story where the clues are as bizarre as the town’s residents, and every secret uncovered is darker than the last. - Secrets and Lies: When Kippy finds her best friend’s diary, she discovers Ruth wasn’t the girl she thought she was. The journal is filled with secrets that could get Kippy killed. - An Unforgettable Voice: Perfect for fans of Fargo and Veronica Mars , with a sharp, unforgettable narrator whose Midwestern charm hides a core of steel. You betcha. “Hale nimbly manages a satisfying blend of chills, suspense, and laughs in this dark comedy.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “A super-duper mystery...snort-inducingly funny, from start to finish.” - Booklist “Can a murder mystery be funny? You betcha!” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Will make readers both cringe and chuckle…sweetly amusing…the last few pages are nail-biters” - Publishers Weekly “Hale’s story is pure fiction. It’s also extremely funny. As the protagonist, Kippy Bushman, attempts to unravel the mystery of who killed her best friend―seemingly from an instruction manual that’s half TV procedurals, half Nancy Drew, and all Diane Sawyer-worship―the reader is introduced to a cast of bizarre characters that turn what could be a grisly mystery into a darkly hilarious madcap romp.” - Newsweek “Hale’s story is pure fiction. It’s also extremely funny. As the protagonist, Kippy Bushman, attempts to unravel the mystery of who killed her best friend, the reader is introduced to a cast of bizarre characters that turn what could be a grisly mystery into a darkly hilarious madcap romp.” - Newsweek Friendship, Wisconsin, used to be as friendly as its name suggests, but all that changes when high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is murdered. Unfortunately, Friendship's police are more adept at finding lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth's best friend, Kippy, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth's secret diary, sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer. Kathleen Hale was born and raised in Wisconsin. She graduated from Harvard in 2010. This is her first novel.