Always a Bad Idea

 

TITLE: Let's Split Up

AUTHOR: Bill Wood

PUBLISHER: Scholastic

PUBLISHING DATE: September 2, 2025

PAGES: 339   

SOURCE: ARC 

FROM GOODREADS: When hot "it-couple" Brad and Shelley are brutally murdered in a manor on the edge of town, a group of teen friends investigate. 

Set in Sanera, a small community in California where rumor spreads as fast as the fire on the day of the killings, the theory is the old ghoul who haunts the house after his own murder has finally taken revenge. As Cam, Jonesy, Amber and new-girl Buffy investigate, the rumor feels closer to the truth than they ever dared think possible, and as they enter the mansion themselves, the idea of splitting up to find evidence will prove to be either the best ... or worst decision of all...

MY THOUGHTS: I have enjoyed many YA horror books so when I saw this one, which is compared to Scream and Scooby-Doo, I really wanted to give it a chance.  While I can see this book appealing to a YA audience and recognize I technically am not the targeted reading group, this one really didn't click much with me.  I also think it reads more like a MG book with older characters than an actual YA one.

Two popular teens are gruesomely murdered in an abandoned mansion on Sanera, California, long reported to be haunted.  The police begin investigating, if you actually call it that, and frustrated by their lack of progress, a friend group of four seniors at the local high school decide they can do better. Over the next few weeks, bodies continue to either pile up or go missing.  Urged on by the new girl Buffy, they set a trap for the "ghost" in order to prove the killer is very much made of flesh and blood.

This book is really a throwback to 90's horror movies. It definitely has a Scooby Doo feel and there is even a cute dog.  However, I found the characters a bit annoying and stereotypical.  Jonesy is basically Jughead from Riverdale but less likeable, Amber is your over-achieving teen, Buffy is the gung-ho leap before you think things out character and Cam is the comedic jock.  I will say that there is a parental presence in this book which I do feel is often neglected in YA books, but the parents didn't make smart decisions either. And at the end of the book, the parents make some really questionable decisions but without giving too much away, all I can say is "What the heck?"

Finally, I felt the writing style a bit jarring.  I usually love books written in multiple POVs but in this one, the characters could be in the middle of something and one chapter from one POV would end, and a new chapter would pick back up where the last chapter left off. It really interrupted my flow. 

I think this book would be a wonderful recommendation for a youth wanting to dip their toes into the horror genre.  There is no real gore, and the scares are definitely age appropriate.  I see there is a sequel coming out, but I think I will give it pass.  

MY RATING: 2 PAWS