The Joker's Revenge

by Nancy Beaule

✨ Award-Winning Young Adult Mystery & Romance ✨

**Winner of the 2025 Regal Summit Award** (YA)
**Finalist for the 2025 Storytrade Book Awards** (YA)
**Bronze medal from 2025 Readers' Choice Awards** (Teen)
**Gold medal from 2025 Global Ebook Awards** (YA)

1972, Maine.

Darci Miller has always tried to be the perfect daughter to her widowed father but his overprotective nature is suffocating. Determined to break free, she accepts a summer job at the very camp where her late mother once worked, hoping to uncover the truth about the woman she deeply misses.

What begins as an exciting adventure quickly unravels into a web of secrets. A prankster lurks in the shadows, cruel tricks escalating into dangerous games. The camp’s head chef is hiding an invention that could revolutionize food forever and someone is willing to do whatever it takes to steal it.

As Darci searches for answers, startling revelations about her mother’s past surface. At the same time, she finds herself falling for her charming boss, igniting jealousy from the camp owner’s spoiled daughter. Torn between unraveling her family’s history and protecting the people she loves, Darci must face betrayal, hidden truths, and the haunting question: What if uncovering the truth costs her everything?

A gripping blend of mystery, romance, and nostalgia, The Joker’s Revenge transports readers to a summer filled with secrets, first love, and the chilling realization that some ghosts never truly fade.

Genres: Mystery

285 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2025

About the author

Nancy Beaule first captured young readers with her beloved six-volume picture book series, Chompy & the Munchy Bunch. Now, with The Joker’s Revenge, she dives into young adult fiction, an enthralling mix of mystery and romance inspired by her own teenage summers at camp in Maine.

Her debut YA novel has earned the 2025 Regal Summit Award, the Finalist award from Storytrade Book Awards, the Bronze medal from Readers’ Choice Awards, the Gold medal from Global Ebook Awards, and the Runner-up medal at the New England Book Festival, cementing her as a powerful new voice in the genre.

Beyond writing, Nancy is an inventor (creator of the Pie Saver), entrepreneur, and nature enthusiast. She lives in Maine by a scenic pond, where she draws inspiration for her next stories while enjoying time with her husband and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Michlene Crespilho · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is engaging, plenty of reminiscent throwbacks, suspenseful and fun. Grab a blanket and curl up with a great book- this one!

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 for plot, writing style and message given by each character

Plot: Revolves around an old mystery that began in the 1950's, and is being solved in the 1970's by an adolescent in pursuit to get a peace of her mind. While trying to get this closure, she meets people who somehow complete this unexpected puzzle. She chases the truth with the support of the ones who love her and unravels the truth for everyone.

Genre: Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Young Adult Romance

Highlights:
+Third person narrative
+Character Development of FMC and MMC
+Simple to relate

It is a wholesome reading experience for a mystery and suspense enthusiast. I honestly chose this book on a whim because of its title. The plot is beautiful if we dissect it for mystery, and especially the way all the things come along to indicate the guilty.
With reference to character development, I liked in among all the characters and how the story is woven with an optimistic mindset. I think the author wanted to instill the message of supporting each other, standing up for justice, and believing in yourself.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Personal favourite: When each loose end of the story was touched upon and given a proper ending. I really appreciate that the mystery never took a back seat, as many times with different genres colliding in the same story, the initial thought is sometimes lost. It was a nice and refreshing experience. Just beautiful ✨

[Elizabeth]

I so enjoyed this novel. It had everything I was looking for suspense some wonderful romance, it had me questioning and guessing at every turn.
Pick it up. It's a delightful read with no loose ends and just what you might need to put a small break in between long twisting series that stretch your brain.
I received this as an ARC.

[Tiffany Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. This book was absolutely MAGNIFICENT!! It had a slow burn at first and then quickly picked up. The ending was everything I needed!! I would love to read more books from this author! I can't wait to recommend this book to my other friends! Absolutely thrilling and jaw dropping!

[Safina Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Darci’s eleventh birthday, something terrifying and tragic happens to her. She ends up losing her mother.

Darci loves to think she is a detective, I always loved a book that dealt with a curious kid and this book, has two things I love, the theme of jokers cards and a curious kid.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily

When Darci gets a job at a camp during high school summer, she will do anything to find out what happened to her mother when she was her age at that camp, poor Darci has been having a dream about her mom in camp and left with a lot of unanswered questions, she is about to do what she shouldn’t do.

This novel made me intrigue and there was a sentence stuck me “sometimes the truth is scarier than the dream.

I would rate this book 7/10, I did enjoy it a lot, and I had thought the 1970s setting was a great way of making the book more enjoyable.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Summary:

It took one day to change Darci Miller’s life forever. Years later, she’s moving forward while holding ties to the past, taking up a role at the old camp her mom used to work at. It should have been a nice summer that dug into her family roots, right? Wrong.

The problems start with pranks and warning cards, but it doesn’t take long for the “prankster” to escalate. Darci is determined to get to the middle of this before somebody gets really hurt, but that’s going to be easier said than done.

My Review:

The Joker's Revenge is a unique combination of themes and elements, and I love it when an author experiments like this. It’s one part mystery, with a bit of crime, romance, and historical elements to shake things up.

At the core of The Joker's Revenge is Darci, a young woman who’s already gone through a lot, starting with the shocking loss of her mom. She’s now on a quest to reconnect with her late mom, and in the process, she’s going to get stuck right in the middle of a whole lot of danger, opening wide a mystery that is decades old.

In other words, the layered mystery surprised me. Every time I thought I had a grasp on the moving figures and motives, something changed that threw all my theories out the window. It made for quite a compelling read, leaving me guessing right up to the end.

I think the thing that I enjoyed the most is that, despite the stakes getting extremely high by the end, everyone stayed surprisingly positive and determined. Don’t get me wrong, the characters had their ups and downs (they wouldn’t be relatable otherwise), but the story itself felt more hopeful than depressing. It was a breath of fresh air for this mystery/thriller reader!

The Joker's Revenge is a fantastic and worthwhile read for anybody looking for a mystery with many themes and moving parts. I had fun diving into it, and I’m sure you would too.

Highlights:
YA Mystery
Multiple POVs
1950/70s Setting

Trigger Warnings:
Parental Death
Sexual Assault (Off Page, mentioned)

Thanks to BDM Publishing and #Reedsy for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

You Can Also Find Me On:
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[Kristine Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take one installment of Fear Street by R.L. Stine, sprinkle in a little Jason-vibe from Friday the 13th (after removing any graphic bits), mix in a bunch of ‘60s and ‘70s nostalgia, then let the plot simmer for 285 pages. This delightful recipe gives us THE JOKER'S REVENGE, and it’s one heckuva twisty, turny, and titillating summer reading escape.

I’ve read some of author Nancy Beaule’s children’s picture books (CHOMPY AND THE MUNCHY BUNCH Series) and enjoyed them. So when I saw Beaule had written THE JOKER'S REVENGE, a foray into the young adult zone, I was happy to check it out.

“its chipped and faded clapboards pleading for a coat of white paint.” --from the description of the little farmhouse

From the beginning, Beaule creates evocative scenes and uses some wonderful figurative language to bring the settings to life. Readers will enjoy feeling like they are viewing all the action firsthand, and the chills that run up the spines of the characters are palpable. Adding to the realism, Beaule puts readers inside the heads of many of the characters, giving us limited access to their thoughts and feelings. There's a big invention that’s the center of a sub-plot, and while improbable, it’s a fun one to imagine existing, so readers won't mind suspending their disbelief a bit.

For adults-of-a-certain-age, the ‘60s and ‘70s nostalgia dropped into THE JOKER'S REVENGE is fabulous. Flashing back to the days of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, pedal-pushers, dialing a telephone, and Cheryl Ladd being THE Hollywood natural beauty all brought a smile to my face. There are lots of pop culture references that mostly helped this reader get a sense of time, but I wonder how many references are lost on the teen readers, The Joker’s Revenge intended audience. The plus side is that most teens won’t catch the anachronisms, and it’s possible some of the retro mentions could pique their curiosity for further research into the pre-digital world.

Admittedly, I’m struggling with the age range of the intended audience of THE JOKER'S REVENGE being thirteen and up. I’d recommend it more for high schoolers and older since there is some heavy content and so many potential triggers (including death & grief, smoking & drinking, drinking on the job, illegal drug use, mental illness, domestic abuse, rape, sex (off-page), and unplanned pregnancy). Have all those things always existed and do they exist now? Sure. But it doesn’t mean I want my middle-schooler reading about it all in one sitting, if at all.

From an editing perspective, I’d like to see the novel have more time with an editor tightening the plot, removing repetitious segments, and smoothing transitions with the frequent, sometimes jarring changes in points-of-view. Additional proofreading is also needed to clean up numerous typos and errors. Updating these elements would take the book to the next level.

The bones of THE JOKER'S REVENGE are solid, so most readers will find themselves immersed between the pages, ignoring or not noticing any editing issues. The primary mystery never takes a back seat, which is impressive given the plethora of sub-plots and wide cast of characters. It’s likely readers will figure out the main culprit fairly early on, but the perp’s motive? That was a huge surprise and there are some big, delicious twists leading to the resolution, where all loose ends are neatly tied together.

In THE JOKER'S REVENGE, author Nancy Beaule shows she knows the formula for writing a mystery with plenty of appeal and quirky aspects to make it memorable. I look forward to her next novel.
(4.5 stars for content / 3.5 stars for execution)

This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Joker's Revenge by Nancy Beaule is a fun mystery with a spooky summer camp setting. Darci is a strong girl trying to find the truth about her mom while dealing with creepy pranks and secrets. The story has drama, romance, and suspense. It was a little too long, but I still liked it. The mystery kept me guessing, and the characters were interesting.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Reviewer King · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vibes of this book was definitely new to me. I mostly read fantasy and regency so coming across this eerie book was puzzling at first because I didn't know what to expect. I'm GLAD to say that I really enjoyed it! It was REFRESHING, atmospheric, and I finished it within a few hours. The mystery/spooky element added to the story for sure. I liked the added romance element too! Highly recommend.

[Brooke Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara’s private book club pick did not disappoint! This story had me hooked right from Darci’s 11th birthday scene. The way the author balances Darci’s grief with her curiosity and strength is beautiful. I also enjoyed how Sandy brings lighthearted energy to contrast the darker elements. And DeAngelo! His warmth (and muffins) added a comfort I didn’t expect in a suspense novel. The creeping mystery of the joker cards kept me guessing and uneasy in the best way.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting and easy-to-read story. It is about a character called the Joker who wants to get revenge. The story is full of surprises and keeps you interested. The language is simple, making it good for young readers or anyone who wants a fun, quick read. I enjoyed how the story shows the importance of thinking before acting. Overall, it's a entertaining book with a good message.

[Rory Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Joker’s Revenge is a captivating blend of mystery, romance, and 1970s nostalgia. Darci’s emotional journey balancing independence, first love, and the search for truth about her mother gives the story genuine heart. With escalating pranks, hidden inventions, and layered secrets, this award winning YA novel delivers suspense and tenderness in equal measure.

[LaRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and hard to put down! Great for those who like thriller/mystery vibes and surprises! Lots of people in the mix with this book and really kept me guessing. Really pleased at how nicely things wrapped up at the end.

[Lyra Kensington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through Clara’s private book club, I found this story, and it was worth every page. Darci’s nightmares linking to her mother’s past hooked me, while Sandy added lightness. Ryker is fascinating half protector, half enigma. DeAngelo’s warmth and humor balanced the darker moments beautifully.

[Steven Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and well written book, that delves into the experience of the main character, Darci, from her trip to a summer camp in Maine in the 1970's. It neatly intertwines themes of romance, comedy and mystery to produce a pacy storyline and some shocks and surprises.

[Smutty Demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exciting book with a nice plot. easy to read because of the nice way of writing. definitely recommended

[Cllington Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the dynamics between Darci and her father; it gave the mystery emotional weight. At times, the details slowed the pace, but they also built a rich setting. Solid read.

[Clara Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this lovely book in Clara’s private book club. The contrast between campfire fun and sinister danger was brilliantly done. Jessie and Kayla’s canoe mishap still sticks with me.