Jennifer Shanahan's Reviews > Bardo by the Sea

I absolutely loved this book! It was hilarious! Izzy and her twin brother Axl live with their mom in a run-down part of Florida. Axl is a gifted high school quarterback and is recruited by an expensive private high school up the coast. They manage to convince their donor, Dalton Wolfe--an extremely rich businessman who basically owns and runs Bardo, the town the school is in, to give Izzy a full scholarship too. Izzy is not so sure about the move to Bardo but soon they are living in one of the Wolfe's homes on the beach and starting school at the elite Bardo Academy. She soon meets a few students including her new boyfriend Blaine (whose parents went to Bardo), Axl's girlfriend Sophie (granddaughter of their benefactor and also daughter of Junior Wolfe, class of 1983), and finally, Elton Jones-Davies (who has Aspergers Syndrome). Izzy soon pairs up Elton to write an article for the school newspaper about the great football team championship win of 1983, and also to investigate the suspicious murder of the star quarterback from said team which was solved as a drug deal gone wrong. Izzy and Elton are the best pair because he is so straight and serious, does not joke or hug, remembers every single fact he has ever read, and follows all the rules, contrasting to Izzy, who is SO opposite of him, being sarcastic, funny and suspicious of everyone while breaking as many rules as she can. They start investing the murder of QB Ricky Lee who was also recruited on a scholarship. The book alternates between Izzy/Elton now and Ricky in 1983 before he is murdered. Izzy and Elton interview so many different people while chasing their story--characters who make the book so hilarious with their personalities and problems--as they are questioned about the 1983 game and murder. Most of the adults in town are former Bardo students who were in the class of 1983. Uncovering many buried secrets, Izzy and (sidekick Elton) continues the investigation in spite of death threats, possibly losing her scholarship, getting hooked on painkillers, almost getting arrested, and continuous warnings to stop, which she ignores. They do not give up and the outcome of the book is quite a surprise to all. The characters are all so memorable and funny and have fabulous personalities. Izzy is unrelenting in her search for the true murderer. I highly recommend this book!! I haven't read a book recently that I have enjoyed as much as this one! Chad Alan Gibbs has written three hilarious books in a row and is one of my absolute favorite authors who has yet to disappoint me! Do not miss this one!! Thanks to NG for the ARC.