What Have They Done to Liza McLean? (Amy Doak, Penguin)

Set in an elite private school with dark secrets, What Have They Done to Liza McLean? is a fast-paced murder mystery by Amy Doak (Eleanor Jones Is Not a Murderer). Packed with twists and a diverse cast of characters, Doak’s latest is an addictive read for readers aged 12–15. Meg McLean is new to the prestigious Douglas College and the upper-class lifestyle that comes with it. She is juggling the pressures of fitting in and managing her rebellious younger sister, Liza, while also hiding a traumatic past. But when Liza suddenly transforms into a model student with an almost robotic personality, Meg finds herself unravelling a dangerous mystery. She quickly learns that Douglas College and those within it may have more dark secrets than appearances first suggest. Meg is a likeable protagonist, navigating the secrets of her new school alongside the complexities of teenage life, such as falling for Benedict, the wealthiest student there. Through surprising friendships, Meg finds a supportive and loyal group who accept her for who she is and help her realise that her past doesn’t define her. At the heart of What Have They Done to Liza McLean? is an exploration of power, class and control. Doak has created a fresh and exciting premise filled with murderous agendas, dangerous botany and generations of buried truths and handles these themes in a PG-appropriate way.

Books+Publishing reviewer: M H Alessandrino is a Perth-based writer and a freelance reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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