He's come to do a job.
A job that involves a body.
A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the fo... read full description
A job that involves a body.
A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the fo... read full description
reviews
Dec 13, 2011
Christina
rated it: 
Great mystery, likeable main character, and funny one-liners, as well as plot twists and red herrings abound in this spoof of hardboiled detective novels/film noir. 17 tear old Dalton is a private detective, and he's been hired by a student at Salt River High to find out who killed her brother and hung him from the goalposts on the football field. Dalton is beyond joining any of the cliques at the school, but he's totally in tune to them, giving each its own clever nickname (there's even a chart
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Jul 18, 2011
Katie
rated it:
You Killed Wesley Payne is the first book I’ve read by Sean Beaudoin (and it definitely won’t be the last), so I can’t say whether he is new to the noir game or not. What I do know though is that he’s a natural at it. In short this is the story of 17-year-old Dalton Rev’s work as a private investigator at Salt River High to uncover who killed Wesley Payne. He’s been hired by Wesley’s sister to infiltrate the complex clique system at the school and uncover the secrets that everyone seems to be hi
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Jun 30, 2011
Talyn
rated it:
Okay.. I'm a sucker for a book that has little "extras" in the book. And by extras I mean a chart detailing where all the cliques and groups fit in the school, the "sub-groups" and whatnot. Also, I loved how the author used slang or references that kind of seemed out of place, but then at the back put in a dictionary for confused readers to peruse (peruse means to read thoroughly, not skim) until they understand better. And another added bonus was the breakdown of the cliques
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Mar 31, 2011
Cornmaven
rated it: 
This is a really sophisticated YA book. Beaudoin has crafted an homage to Mickey Spillane-like detective novels, a brutal look at the clique world of HS, an exposition of how teenagers actually live in two different worlds (that of HS and the 'normal' world of home), and an identity lesson all in one book.
The writing is extremely clever, as Beaudoin not only created the characters that interact, but a fictional detective and HIS creator as well, and then was able to maintain everythi More...
The writing is extremely clever, as Beaudoin not only created the characters that interact, but a fictional detective and HIS creator as well, and then was able to maintain everythi More...
Feb 08, 2011
Rachael
rated it:
Welcome to Salt River High, a school campus verging on a warzone where the cliques with the most power are the ones who have scammed, stole, or bullied their way to the most money. It’s a scene of organized chaos, and it’s a wonder that there haven’t been more casualties. Not that there hasn’t been a death. That’s why Dalton Rev is here. He has a job to do, involving a dead body, wrapped in duct tape, and hanging from the goalposts of the football field. Dalton will have to use his private detec
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Jan 28, 2011
Joe
rated it:
It has been many years since I visited the waters of Young Adult fiction. On the recommendation of a friend, I dipped my toe back in with Sean Beaudoin's "You Killed Wesley Payne," and Good Lord, am I glad I did.
YKWP walks the fine line of being smart without a tedious disaffected and jaded overtone. It is funny in a realistic and intelligent way, and the plot moves both quickly and unpredictably, which makes it a bullet train of a read. The characters fall into over-the- More...
YKWP walks the fine line of being smart without a tedious disaffected and jaded overtone. It is funny in a realistic and intelligent way, and the plot moves both quickly and unpredictably, which makes it a bullet train of a read. The characters fall into over-the- More...
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Nov 29, 2010
Yan
rated it: 
You Killed Wesley Payne was just too much for me. While in the midst of being surrounded by Beaudoin’s originality and creativity I was lost more than once, and bored a good third of the book. After finishing the book I was a little ticked off. There’s a thin line between a great plot twist and some random bloshite* and Beaudoin tip toes his way back and forth on that line.
You Killed Wesley offers readers some extras: a clique chart and index, a glossary because readers will really nee More...
You Killed Wesley offers readers some extras: a clique chart and index, a glossary because readers will really nee More...
Dec 01, 2011
Claudia
rated it:
One of my students coined the term 'snork book' to describe the books I read and laugh out loud all the way through. This is definitely a 'snork book!' I warned everyone I would be giggling all the way through.
This MAY be too clever for its own good. The allusions fly around the reader's head, and you are expected to keep up; Beaudoin expects his readers to be smart and well-read. I love his trust. In one paragraph, he flew from the Cold War to pop culture to Roman history...almost w More...
This MAY be too clever for its own good. The allusions fly around the reader's head, and you are expected to keep up; Beaudoin expects his readers to be smart and well-read. I love his trust. In one paragraph, he flew from the Cold War to pop culture to Roman history...almost w More...
Jan 29, 2011
Kelly
rated it:
Dalton Rev has just transferred to a new high school. (He transfers a lot, actually, because he’s a teenage private eye and he goes where the jobs are.) At this school, he needs to find out who killed Wesley Payne. (Obviously SOMEONE did; he was found duct-taped to the goalpost. Upside down.)
This is one of the most fun, entertaining, intelligent books I’ve read in ages. The dialogue reads like a cross between Heathers and Gilmore Girls—very snappy, VERY filled with pop culture r More...
This is one of the most fun, entertaining, intelligent books I’ve read in ages. The dialogue reads like a cross between Heathers and Gilmore Girls—very snappy, VERY filled with pop culture r More...
Feb 06, 2011
Irena (This Miss Loves to Read)
rated it:
It is honest to say that I have never read a book like You Killed Wesley Payne because it is the first pulp noir mystery I have ever read. A part of me was afraid that I wouldn't like it because it was all unfamiliar territory for me – luckily, I ended up liking the novel a lot.
It all begins with Wesley Payne's murder. Dalton Rev, a seventeen-year-old Dick (private detective – and perhaps, sometimes, but just sometimes when he is too professional around a girl, a bit of a dick, too), t More...
It all begins with Wesley Payne's murder. Dalton Rev, a seventeen-year-old Dick (private detective – and perhaps, sometimes, but just sometimes when he is too professional around a girl, a bit of a dick, too), t More...
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Jul 31, 2011
Kara
rated it: 
*SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER* *SPOILER*
I really liked the plot of this story, I just don't think that the author handled it rightly. It was pretty fun for a about 50 pages. The cliqu'es part was really hard to understand. He definitely could have done better explaining that. I felt like the kid was chasing his tail the whole book until you found out that since he has so many people working for him it was all hunky dory. I honestly didn't see a point to the book. I had to think a l More...
I really liked the plot of this story, I just don't think that the author handled it rightly. It was pretty fun for a about 50 pages. The cliqu'es part was really hard to understand. He definitely could have done better explaining that. I felt like the kid was chasing his tail the whole book until you found out that since he has so many people working for him it was all hunky dory. I honestly didn't see a point to the book. I had to think a l More...
Jan 26, 2011
Ashley
rated it: 
Do you enjoy reading about hard boiled detectives or watching noir films? If so, you will definitely get a kick out of 'You Killed Wesley Payne'. This detective/mystery novel features a teenage sleuth who aims to be like his favourite fictional detective. The novel features many things typical to crime fiction, and it provides a good story while also satirizing the genre.
This isn't my typical type of read, and I never would have picked it up if I wasn't reviewing it, but I'm glad I did More...
This isn't my typical type of read, and I never would have picked it up if I wasn't reviewing it, but I'm glad I did More...
Feb 09, 2011
Lillie
rated it:
See my full review at: Read My Mind
My Review:
The first few pages of YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE is a key for all the cliques that exist in this novel. Usually it's the type of thing that I kinda skim over. I like to go pretty much blind into a book, and I very rarely read anything that gives an "explanation" of the world that I am about to jump into. But, something caught my eye, and seriously, by the time I had finished, I was cringing and laughing and remembering how high More...
My Review:
The first few pages of YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE is a key for all the cliques that exist in this novel. Usually it's the type of thing that I kinda skim over. I like to go pretty much blind into a book, and I very rarely read anything that gives an "explanation" of the world that I am about to jump into. But, something caught my eye, and seriously, by the time I had finished, I was cringing and laughing and remembering how high More...
Jan 17, 2011
Beverly
rated it:
Product Description
He's come to do a job.
A job that involves a body.
A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the football field.
You Killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp-noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest case of his life. The question isn't whether Dalton's going to get paid. He always ge More...
He's come to do a job.
A job that involves a body.
A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the football field.
You Killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp-noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest case of his life. The question isn't whether Dalton's going to get paid. He always ge More...
Aug 26, 2010
Kim
rated it:
I didn't really know what to expect reading this book. A crime novel with teenagers? What have I gotten myself into? Well fear not because this book was fabulous. The only reason why I didn't give it full marks is because I am not familiar with crime noir books, but it was still a good story with interesting characters. This book was absolutely hilarious. The lingo in the book can be a bit confusing, but there is a glossary at the back that explains what words/phrases mean. Another bit of awesom
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Feb 16, 2011
Diana
rated it:
Hard boiled noir featuring a teen detective. By the end I didn't like any of the characters even though I had stuck with it to see how the mystery would unfold. I did like the dialog.
OK. So last night I woke up thinking about this book and realized the reason I didn't like the characters was because they made me feel the same way I feel about John Irving's and Ann Tyler's characters. Just because I don't like them doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the books. Goodness knows that lots More...
OK. So last night I woke up thinking about this book and realized the reason I didn't like the characters was because they made me feel the same way I feel about John Irving's and Ann Tyler's characters. Just because I don't like them doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the books. Goodness knows that lots More...
Oct 13, 2011
Greg
rated it:
This book was crazy! The plot is so twisted and odd that it's really fun to read. You have such a jaded high school that has gun-wielding students, money-accepting staff, and Dalton Rev, a 'private dick' out on the hunt to find out who killed...Weasley Payne. There are so many cliques in the story that at times it may be a little hard to follow the story, which the only thing that kept me from giving this book all five stars. But for a high school fiction, this book does a great job covering all
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Jun 12, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
In a young adult market drenched with pandering regurgitations, Sean Beaudoin's pulp noir satire stands out like Ken Jennings on Jersey Shore. Everyone at Salt River High is on the take, from the lowliest crowdaround to the Fac Cult T. Into this quagmire of cliques and sub-cliques each with a different scam, enters our unlikely hero, and teen private eye Dalton Rev. To solve the murder about which no one is talking, Dalton must risk life and limb and maintain a steady banter of witty dialogue
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Mar 01, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
This is a humor, mystery, YA, and a bit of film noir thrown in for good measure. I will admit that when I first started reading the book the language took me a minute to get used to hearing in my head. It is a mixture of the film noir type of heavy language with a bit of made up YA slang. However, once you get past the heavy language, the mystery unfolds. It is a fun mystery even though it involves the death of someone so young. You don't get too involved with Wesley Payne until the end so you c
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Mar 23, 2011
Zinnia
rated it:
What do I think of You Killed Wesley Payne? Well, this is the type of book either you Love it, or you Couldn't care less. Thankfully, I was in the Love it category.
To read this book, you have to have a really open mind. I'm not talking supernatural open mind, but weird open mind.
The world of Dalton Rev is a crazy one, crazier than our world already is, and in a really twisted way, it makes sense. I never doubted that the things that were happening were happening. They just were.
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To read this book, you have to have a really open mind. I'm not talking supernatural open mind, but weird open mind.
The world of Dalton Rev is a crazy one, crazier than our world already is, and in a really twisted way, it makes sense. I never doubted that the things that were happening were happening. They just were.
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Mar 06, 2011
Bethany
rated it:
I sooo, sooo dig this book. I love old school, pulp, detective novels and movies, and this book is definitely a modern take on that style and genre. The main character, Dalton, fancies himself a detective, and takes a case where he has to solve the mystery of who killed Wesley Payne, a student at Salt River High, which is basically the scariest sounding high school I've ever heard of--everyone is part of a clique that not only has a specific angle, but also a racket, and is comprised of smooth-t
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Feb 01, 2011
Aaron
rated it:
What I like about Sean Beaudoin's writing is that he'll write so very many smart things in very subtle ways. If you're not paying attention, you'll miss half the fun. Of course, you can read this book straight through for the story, which is an hilarious take on high school noir, but you get twice what you paid for if you are capable of thought. You'll want to use your natural thought-making talent to notice Beaudoin's creative use of language, or the depth at which Beaudoin buries literary happ
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Feb 04, 2011
Brittany
rated it:
Dalton Rev is a dick–a private investigator hired to figure out who killed Wesley Payne. This investigation is a bit more intense than the ones in his past. Usually he finds missing cats or items, this time he has to solve a murder. What's more is that he must do it with crooked cops, a faulty faculty and some kool kids who are way too into labeling themselves. The cliques also have fashioned a sort of gang war between The Balls and Pinker Casket (the top dogs). This may be Dalton's most dangero
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May 22, 2011
Jenna (the book element)
rated it:
To give clueless readers like myself, who might delve into You Killed Wesley Payne, an idea of how to approach Beaudoin's style, think of a cross between The Maltese Falcon and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It's noir with a distinctly "comic book" feel to it. Beaudoin has this uncanny ability to write scenes that capture snapshots of action much as you would find in a comic book. Sometimes it feels like you're bouncing from one event to the next with hardly any resolution, but it all
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Jun 16, 2011
Laura
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 18, 2011
Adriana
rated it:
I can't completely say that I hated this book because it does have some merits, but I'm just not the right reader for it. It's basically about Dalton, a high school kid who is also a private eye that is hired to find out who killed Wesley Payne by his sister, Macy Payne. The setting is high school and about a dozen or more cliques and sub cliques. The author has set up a whole little world with his own lingo and even brand names, and honestly this complex set up overtook the plot and messed w
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Feb 22, 2011
Michele
rated it:
This YA detective novel is heavy on the noir and heavy on the darkly comic and is therefore not going to be every mystery lover's cup of tea. For my taste, author Sean Beaudoin went a little too heavy on the funny stuff in the first 50 or 60 pages, so much so that the story itself seemed to take a while to get started. This may also be due to the large number of characters in this novel, so large that there's a chart to keep all of the high school cliques straight--and to add to the humor. Once
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Apr 25, 2011
Rachael
rated it:
I loved this book SO much more than I thought I would. I've had a review copy (picked up at ALA Annual) since the summer and kept putting off reading it because it sounded so unlike anything I would enjoy. HA.
Funny, snarky, ridiculous, action-packed, and just a wee bit touching, this story kept me totally hooked from page one. I love the clique introduction and knew from the moment I started reading those descriptions that I was going to hands down love this book. There's a little More...
Funny, snarky, ridiculous, action-packed, and just a wee bit touching, this story kept me totally hooked from page one. I love the clique introduction and knew from the moment I started reading those descriptions that I was going to hands down love this book. There's a little More...
Aug 22, 2010
Bayareabookaholic
rated it:
another dystopian high school novel- Dalton Rev, seventeen year old private dick investigates the murder (really people don't duct tape themselves into silver mummies and hang themselves by their feet to commit suicide- whatever the police say!) of Wesley Payne. Set in a high school where cliques and gunfire and random acts of violence drum common decency from all involved.
Snappy repartee, and Dalton's self mocking inner dialog invoking lessons from his Private Dick Handbook keep the pace More...
Snappy repartee, and Dalton's self mocking inner dialog invoking lessons from his Private Dick Handbook keep the pace More...
Oct 05, 2011
Matthew
rated it:
A thoroughly enjoyable and quickly-paced YA noir that's as hardboiled as an overcooked egg. Though remiscent in certain ways to the film Brick and the television series Veronica Mars, this book stakes out territory all of it's own: a high school that's closer to the rough, brutal mining camp of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest than anything else. Imagine high school cliques as crime sindicates. The dialog is suitably clever, the villains brutally evil, and femmes as duly fatale as one would expect
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