Review: In The Hall With The Knife by Diana Peterfreund

In The Hall With The Knife by Diana Peterfreund

Published by Amulet on October 2019
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
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3.5 Stars

When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, an elite prep school nestled in the woods of Maine, a motley crew of students—including Beth “Peacock” Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry—are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it’s very clear his death was no accident. With this group of students who are all hiding something, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Fans of the CLUE board game and cult classic film will delight in Diana Peterfreund’s modern reimagining of the brand, its characters, and the dark, magnificent old mansion with secrets hidden within its walls.

Clue was such a huge part of my childhood. I loved playing the game with my parents and sister. I played it with friends. I always wanted to be Miss Scarlet.And the film! Oh, who could forget Mrs. White and the flames on the side of her face? Christopher Lloyd as Professor Plum. Tim Curry? Need I say more?

So I was eager to get my hands on this YA book. I really loved the authors’s book For Darkness Shows the Stars (a retelling of the Jane Austen book Persuassion). 

I loved certain aspects. I loved the setting and the flood, the students being trapped on campus with a murderer on the loose. I like the different points of views from each character and the story went by very fast. Every character had distinct personalities (just like the game and film!). Some changes were went better than others (Vaughn and Peacock). There were some adults rolled into the mix, including the victim and a couple of girls who were not in the original game. They bulked up the cast nicely, adding an element of suspicion.

That said, some of the characters felt a little flat for me. (Scarlett and Plum)  And the ending wasn’t satisfying. I wanted a more complete AHA! moment which I didn’t get, and the cliffhanger is maybe too much. I wasn’t satisfied at the end. I know it’s a trilogy but really, it felt more like I got suckered into the story just as things were getting somewhere… only to be told too bad, road closed.

Overall I think it’s a good start but I needed a little bit more. I may or may not continue on with the trilogy, but I think anyone who loves Clue will enjoy this book.