In The Trap

Hazel & Maeve: The Campus Mysteries

Young Adult - Mystery
291 Pages
Reviewed on 03/04/2023
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Cloie Belle Daffon for Readers' Favorite

In The Trap by Jessica Cranberry is the first book in the Hazel & Maeve: The Campus Mysteries series. We made a plan, we stick to the plan. This is Hazel Fischer’s family motto and a Fischer rarely deviates. What is the plan this time? To go to college. This has been the plan since Hazel was born. What will going to college accomplish? It will allow her to follow the Fischer family’s longstanding career of teaching. Does she want to be a teacher? Not really, but this is what her family does. Fischers are teachers and a Fischer stands at the head of a classroom. Still, it seems like her college life is determined to steer her away from the plan which is both a good thing and a very bad thing. Good because she has formed a special bond with her roommate Maeve Drakos that could lead to something more. Very bad because Hazel somehow finds herself implicated in a murder that happens at the university’s green space. Will Maeve and Hazel find the real murderer before it is too late? Read it to find out!

Jessica Cranberry took me on an intriguing and exciting journey with this first in the series. With enthralling suspense, I was navigated through the complications of being possible suspects in a crime someone else committed. Hazel is an introverted college student who seems to be going through the motions of life. In contrast, her roommate Maeve is fun, bold, and confident. They sometimes clash and this dynamic made the story even better. The electricity between the two protagonists is undeniable and I had fun reading about their interactions. They are like two puzzle pieces that bring something new out of each other. The plotline was clever and creative and the engrossing first-person narrative made the whole reading experience so much more immersive, I could hardly put the book down from the excitement. The fast-paced, persuasive dialogue and the brilliantly written characters had me hooked from start to finish. This story is an absolute diamond find and I cannot wait for more of Cranberry’s work.