Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 a...
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Feb 06, 2012
Pam
rated it: 
A nice twist on the WWII theme as this historical fiction book deals with the homefront and what it was like to be a teen girl at the beginning of the war. A father who loses a leg in Pearl Harbor after being stationed away from the family for 5 years comes home and tries to cope with civilian life and parenting a teenage girl he barely knows as a single parent because his wife has committed suicide. The daughter, Iris, is dealing with the death of her dear mother, arrival of her father, moving
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Dec 30, 2011
Taylor
rated it: 
This book was decent, but I've gotta say, the cons definitely outweighed the pros. Here were some of the issues I had with this book: (SPOILER ALERT)
Tom was set up to be interesting and unique, but after one or two inconclusive conversations with Iris (protagonist) he disappears. You never really get to know him yet he was a major theme throughout the book. That was a definite downside.
The characters were a bit underdeveloped. Everyone who interacted closely and almost da More...
Tom was set up to be interesting and unique, but after one or two inconclusive conversations with Iris (protagonist) he disappears. You never really get to know him yet he was a major theme throughout the book. That was a definite downside.
The characters were a bit underdeveloped. Everyone who interacted closely and almost da More...
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Dec 12, 2011
Alison (AlisonCanRead)
rated it:
The Girl Is Murder is a great book for lovers of historical fiction or lovers of mysteries. The basic plot lines: girl playing detective to discover the whereabouts of a missing classmate; being the new girl at a poor public school; making and keeping friends; coming to terms with mother's suicide; dealing with decreased financial circumstances; developing relationship with previously absent father. While the story is set in 1942, the plot lines aren't unique to that time period - they could hav
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Nov 29, 2011
Kelly
rated it:
2.5 stars.
I liked Iris enough as a character, and while I thought the mystery played out fine, it was everything else that didn't quite work for me.
First, I thought the repetition of the fact it was 1942 became old quick. There's showing me a setting and a time period, which is done well, but then it also falls a bit too hard into telling with the repetition of television show names, radio show names, product brands, etc. Those things are pretty meaningless to me as a rea More...
I liked Iris enough as a character, and while I thought the mystery played out fine, it was everything else that didn't quite work for me.
First, I thought the repetition of the fact it was 1942 became old quick. There's showing me a setting and a time period, which is done well, but then it also falls a bit too hard into telling with the repetition of television show names, radio show names, product brands, etc. Those things are pretty meaningless to me as a rea More...
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Aug 06, 2011
AnnaBnana
rated it:
Iris is desperate to help her father with his private dectective business. Since his injury in the war, she sees her services as indespensible to him, but since he's been gone half her life, all he can see her as is a little girl.
There were elements of this book I liked very much. I love mid-century mysteries and I liked Iris. She was a plucky girl going for what she wants, making mistakes along the way, but learning as she goes. I was hoping to like this installment of noir histori More...
There were elements of this book I liked very much. I love mid-century mysteries and I liked Iris. She was a plucky girl going for what she wants, making mistakes along the way, but learning as she goes. I was hoping to like this installment of noir histori More...
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Aug 02, 2011
Sarah
rated it: 
It’s 1942, and Fifteen-year old Iris struggling; her mother’s recent suicide and her father’s return from the War after losing a leg in Pearl Harbor were just the beginning of the changes in her life. With Pop’s detective agency struggling, they were forced to move to the Lower East Side, and Iris is attending public school for the first time. She knows Pop could use her help with his cases, especially when she realizes that one of them involves a missing boy from her new school. A few little
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Jul 07, 2011
Rachael
rated it: 
It’s 1942, and everything has changed so quickly for Iris Anderson. Her mother is gone, and her father has just returned from the war with a missing leg. They’ve moved to a new neighborhood for financial reasons, and Iris is finding it difficult to adjust to life on the Lower East Side. The only constant in her life has been Pop’s job as a private investigator, but even that is challenged as Pop finds it harder to keep up with the more physical demands of his job. All Iris wants to do is help ou
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Feb 02, 2012
Kendra
rated it:
This was a quick-read mystery that I enjoyed as much for the period details as I did the mystery (which was a tiny bit lackluster, in my opinion.) The story is set in 1942 NYC, and main character Iris is struggling to adjust to many changes: the suicide death of her mother, her father's injury, sustained at Pearl Harbor, and her new home and public school in a far different neighborhood than the Upper East Side she was used to. Readers will be immersed in what it was like to be a teen in the 194
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Aug 23, 2011
Okay this book is a 3.5 read, because of that you may think I would've rated it 3 stars instead of 4 but i need to make something clear. My definition of 3 stars is a purely average read. This book wasn't an average read, it was very enjoyable. Which is a shame because it isn't even a bestseller and this book is better than a lot that are. Now for my review.
Iris's dad is a navy veteran who is crippled and in the detective agency. After her mom's recent suicide, her old life has falle More...
Iris's dad is a navy veteran who is crippled and in the detective agency. After her mom's recent suicide, her old life has falle More...
Jan 02, 2012
Anna
rated it:
Iris Anderson is still in shock from her Mother's sudden suicide less than six months ago. Now she's living with her Pop in run-down neighborhood, going to public school. She's been taken away from the Upper East Side, her private school and all the friends she's ever had. Not to mention that Pop is barely scraping by as a private detective because he only has one leg after the disaster at Pearl Harbor, and he refuses to ask for help. Iris is miserable in public school and starts creeping ar
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Aug 21, 2011
Annie
rated it:
If I wasn't such a romance buff I would have given this book 5 stars, unfortunately there was too much mystery plot and not enough 'romance' in it for me. I thought I should start my review with this fact, to make it clear that this is a personal review - not an 'objective' 'truthful' 'perfectionist' review.
Iris is a kick ass heroine, easy to relate to and earnest in her conviction that sometimes deception is the very best policy around. Oops.
This novel was a lot of fun More...
Iris is a kick ass heroine, easy to relate to and earnest in her conviction that sometimes deception is the very best policy around. Oops.
This novel was a lot of fun More...
Oct 24, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
Well, what can I say? It was a decent historical mystery. The solution to the mystery, however, was a bit of a letdown. Scratch that; it was a complete letdown. I read this book right after reading What I Saw and How I Lied and the two are astonishingly similar. Even the covers look alike! However, What I Saw and How I Lied was the superior novel. This book has the right idea. The characters are cleverly written and the dialogue, though stilted at times, is realistic to the time period. The prob
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Aug 25, 2011
Lennet
rated it:
EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so Iris the main character wants to join her father in the family buisness of investigation but her fathers all like "OH! no! what will people say if i have a 15 year old working with me" so Iris is mad because she knows that her Dad needs help see her mom committed suicide and her dad is a war veteran and well he kinda lost part of his leg in battle.
When Iris' dad gets home he finds that his wife is dead and he's all of a sudden broke! So Iris is forced t More...
so Iris the main character wants to join her father in the family buisness of investigation but her fathers all like "OH! no! what will people say if i have a 15 year old working with me" so Iris is mad because she knows that her Dad needs help see her mom committed suicide and her dad is a war veteran and well he kinda lost part of his leg in battle.
When Iris' dad gets home he finds that his wife is dead and he's all of a sudden broke! So Iris is forced t More...
Sep 19, 2011
Jen
rated it:
I wanted to like this book more than I did, I’m sorry to say. I feel like the last few historical YA books have been sadly lacking in the historical department, and The Girl is Murder is no exception. While the slang and the clothes and the setting are all very 1940s, the story itself could be told of any teenager anywhere – Iris’s attempts to help support her father, their small family’s slide from middle-class to poor, her rebellious determination to do what she wants and her resentment of a
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Aug 29, 2011
Kate
rated it:
For anyone who hadn't seen Veronica Mars, the idea behind this plot would have seemed original and intriguing. I however, have seen Veronica Mars... and loved the show. This book almost seemed plagiarized in it's extreme similarity... the fall from grace of the plucky heroine, her tough private detective dad determined to make ends meet, the old crew of rich friends, the new crew of ne'r do wells, the idea to help dad with cases, the absent mother... Only the names and era have been changed. Whi
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Sep 06, 2011
Erin
rated it:
I liked this story, but there was something missing. The historical details were fascinating, Iris' relationships were intriguing and complex, the mystery held my attention, but it didn't all come together for me.
One of the things that bothered me was Iris' constant need to lie to everyone. Sometimes she was conscious of this and other times she just seemed kind of dumb. The ending just kind of petered out, too which left me a little disappointed at the end.
But the issues More...
One of the things that bothered me was Iris' constant need to lie to everyone. Sometimes she was conscious of this and other times she just seemed kind of dumb. The ending just kind of petered out, too which left me a little disappointed at the end.
But the issues More...
Oct 24, 2011
Diana
rated it:
It's 1942 and Iris and her dad have moved down in status and position after he lost his leg at Pearl Harbor and Iris's German born mother committed suicide. Now there is no money and Iris is going to a tough public school while her dad tries to build a business as a private investigator. Fans of the 1940s will enjoy the slang and vivid view of what life looked like then. I didn't find the characters or the story compelling but once again, I'll add the Bistro Book Club mantra -- "no two peop
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Nov 20, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
I give this book a 3.5 stars. I wanted to start reading some of the mystery books in my children's collection, so I started with this one. It is set in the 1940's and the author does a great job of bringing the reader back to that time period. The main character Iris definitely makes some crappy decisions, but she's in high school and she is dealing with her mother's suicide so can you blame here? Overall, I enjoyed this book (especially the historical fiction part) and I finally figured out
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Feb 10, 2012
Karen
rated it:
Oh, kids. I have a weakness, and that weakness is teenage girl detectives. Ever since my dad brought home my first Nancy Drew book when I was a little girl I have been hooked on the girl detective. I was a faithful watcher of Veronica Mars, even when she broke up with Logan and went to college and hooked up with that dude who was cute but about as interesting as a sink full of cold dishwater.
And! Not only does The Girl is Murder have a girl detective, it’s set in the 1940s. POW. I lo More...
And! Not only does The Girl is Murder have a girl detective, it’s set in the 1940s. POW. I lo More...
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Jan 17, 2012
Andrea
rated it:
This book was a good read for tween and teens up to 17 tops. Its chicklit, for sure. It centers around a young girl in 1942 NYC, whose father, a career military guy, (and as such often absent) is wounded at Pearl Harbor and sent home. The week before he arrives his (German immigrant) wife commits suicide. The family money has run out and the family must move to the lower east side and she must attend public school. She and her father are having a difficult time interpersonally. Her father is
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Dec 05, 2011
Morgan
rated it:
Disappointing! The story had tons of potential: mother committed suicide, detective father trying to track down a missing person, racial conflicts in the 40s, girls acting almost like prostitutes to get free meals and more from enlisted men; but it didn't deliver. It skimmed over so many issues and didn't delve into any of them. It didn't even solve why her mother committed suicide. On the plus side good detail about the time period, characterization was realistic and good, it was the plot that
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Dec 07, 2011
Julie
rated it:
I’ve renewed by love for mystery/suspense and finding it in a young adult book was refreshing. While I do like romance, this was a nice break from the overwhelming romance that I’ve been reading lately. The added benefit of historical fiction was right up my alley as a former history/language arts teacher.
I like the writing style and flow of this book. It was easy for me to fall into the character’s world. Iris is a typical teenager that thinks she is more adult than she really is ( More...
I like the writing style and flow of this book. It was easy for me to fall into the character’s world. Iris is a typical teenager that thinks she is more adult than she really is ( More...
Jan 18, 2012
carissa
rated it:
Recommended Ages: grades 8 and up
"Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars.
It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting More...
"Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars.
It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting More...
Oct 27, 2011
Breanne
rated it:
"It's the fall of 1942 in New York City, and Iris is dying to help out at her father's detective agency, especially when she discovers that one of her Pop's cases involves a boy at her new public school. But when Pop adamantly refuses her help, Iris quickly realizes that it's much easier to lie than to ask permission. Suddenly, this once-obedient former private-school girl is sneaking out of the house, misleading her friends and family, and dancing at the Savoy till the early-morning hour
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Aug 20, 2011
Precious
rated it:
Originally posted at Fragments of Life.
Things weren’t going so well for Iris. After losing her mother and her life and getting the father who was a stranger to her, she had to go to a public school and be the new girl. Iris was a very curious girl. Intuitive, determined and stubborn, she took after her mother. I liked her and I found it easy to relate to her. She was not perfect. She lied too many times, disobeyed her father and kept things from everyone. But she was able to unearth th More...
Things weren’t going so well for Iris. After losing her mother and her life and getting the father who was a stranger to her, she had to go to a public school and be the new girl. Iris was a very curious girl. Intuitive, determined and stubborn, she took after her mother. I liked her and I found it easy to relate to her. She was not perfect. She lied too many times, disobeyed her father and kept things from everyone. But she was able to unearth th More...
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Dec 20, 2011
Christie
rated it:
As a fan of both historical fiction and Nancy Drew, I knew The Girl Is Murder was a must read. Iris Anderson is a wonderful main character that does an amazing job of giving us a glimpse into life of a 15-year-old girl living in 1942. She is dealing with the aftermath of her mother's suicide and her long absent father's return from Pearl Harbor (minus one leg). With money tight, Iris finds herself leaving her fancy private school and life on the Upper East Side behind for a life as a public scho
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Feb 12, 2012
Bookworm1858
rated it:
I love the cover for this, as it immediately conjures up a historical mystery for me. This one is set in 1942 New York City, with a young girl and her injured private detective father (lost his leg at Pearl Harbor). Beyond references to the war and topical events like the zoot suits beatings, the most obvious reference to the time period was the slang. There was a lot of slang, which was a little jarring with how much is peppered through the novel but still easy enough to understand.
O More...
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Jan 23, 2012
Jennifer
rated it:
Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood but I did not love this book. I thought it was OK in parts, but fairly slow. I also felt that the language was a little off putting, in it’s trying to be so historically accurate that it did not seem to flow, kind of way. I liked the relationship with the dad and daughter and the discussion about the war and the influences it had on people at home best. These parts are what made the book work.
Nov 20, 2011
Dolores
rated it:
YA mysteries are not exactly thick upon the ground, and this is a good one. A historical mystery that has noir overtones, but immerses the reader in the period. I loved all the slang that the characters used and thought that the descriptions of the clothes and setting were so vivid that they really brought the book to life for me. Characters were well developed and the voice was authentic. I hope we'll be seeing more of Iris...
Sep 01, 2011
JoLee
rated it:
Kathryn Miller Haines sets her young adult mystery in New York City in the 1940s. Iris's world has recently been turned upside down. Her military career father has been injured in Pearl Harbor; her mother is recently deceased. Her father moves her to the Lower East Side where she will have to go to Public School, and he has opened his own detective agency. Money is tight and Iris decides to help her father with his business without his approval or knowledge.
The Girl is Murder reminded More...
The Girl is Murder reminded More...
