I’m so excited to be a part of the book tour for Girl Forgotten that is hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours. I was really excited to also be able to interview the author for this book!
INTERVIEW
How would you describe Girl Forgotten in one sentence?
When a girl starts a true-crime podcast about the unsolved murder of a teenage girl, she finds out the case is not cold at all.
Can you introduce us to the main character(s) of Girl Forgotten?
After something bad happens to her mom, Piper is forced to move in with her dad, a man she barely knows, and his new family. She feels like an outsider, but then her true-crime podcast brings her a measure of fame.
Layla was a senior in high school when she disappeared from a party 17 years ago. Her body was found in the forest 12 days later. When Piper gets curious about her grave, she starts her podcast.
Danny, Layla’s boyfriend, had his life was derailed by her death.
Jonas, who has a sports podcast, is assigned to be Piper’s mentor. He disapproves of her topic. He also has a secret of his own.
Do you know from the beginning how your books will end or do you let your characters decide their journey?
When I write a thriller, I might not know how it ends (other than that the main character will live). When I write mysteries, I do know who the killer is from the beginning, even though I might not know the how or even the why.
Do you have a favorite scene, moment, or quote from the book?
There’s a big showdown scene where Piper is nearly drowned after someone pushes her face down in a stream and straddles her back. I worked with some of my Brazilian jiu jitsu partners to figure out what she could do.
What is something readers will find in Girl Forgotten that they may not realize based on the
synopsis?
There’s a mini-lesson in one chapter on how to find cool things in a thrift store.
What’s something you hope readers will take away from Girl Forgotten?
As with all my books, I hope readers coming away thinking if they are smart and brave, they can accomplish great things.
What are three books you would recommend if someone enjoyed Girl Forgotten?
- A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis.
- What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall.
- Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber.
ABOUT THE BOOK
TITLE: Girl Forgotten
AUTHOR: April Henry
GENRE: Young Adult Thriller
RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2023
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Synopsis:
Piper Gray starts a true-crime podcast investigating a seventeen-year-old cold case in this thrilling YA murder mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.
Seventeen years ago, Layla Trello was murdered and her killer was never found. Enter true-crime fan Piper Gray, who is determined to reopen Layla’s case and get some answers. With the help of Jonas—who has a secret of his own—Piper starts a podcast investigating Layla’s murder. But as she digs deeper into the mysteries of the past, Piper begins receiving anonymous threats telling her to back off the investigation, or else. The killer is still out there, and Piper must uncover their identity before they silence her forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times-bestselling author April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. There was one detour on April’s path to destruction: when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children’s author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he showed it to his editor, who asked if she could publish it in Puffin Post, an international children’s magazine. By the time April was in her 30s, she had started writing about hit men, kidnappers, and drug dealers. She has published 27 mysteries and thrillers for teens and adults, with more to come. She is known for meticulously researching her novels to get the details right.
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