Sneaking Out Series: Chased #1 by: Chuck Vance
Published by:Dunemere Books
Genres:Young Adult, Mystery
Format: Mobi (Kindle file)
Source: Author (via YA Books Central)
Pages:404
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Could you sleep next to a murderer?
Luke Chase—yes, that Luke Chase, a modern hero ripped from the headlines—didn’t mean to get caught up in Mrs. Heckler’s murder. He just wanted to hook up with the hot new British girl at St. Benedict’s, and if that meant sneaking out to the woods after hours, then so be it. But little did he know someone would end up dead right next to their rendezvous spot, and his best friend and roommate Oscar Weymouth would go down for it. With suspects aplenty and a past that’s anything but innocent, Luke Chase reluctantly calls on his famous survival skills to find the true killer.
For fans of “A Study in Charlotte” and boarding school lit, “Sneaking Out” (book one in the “Chased” series) immerses readers in the privileged prep school world, with a mystery that exposes the dark side of life on a residential high school campus.
‘Sneaking Out’ is the first installment in the ‘Chase’ series. The setting is an élite New England boarding school. Oliver and Luke are roommates at said school. They sneak out one night to meet up with girls. During this meet-up they witness a murder. They can’t confess up to what they know without being expelled for sneaking out (hence the title).
The setting of a boarding school in New England really intrigued me. It is interesting to take a peek inside their rules and routines. I hadn’t realized that boarding schools were so strict. The students have to have quiet time and are expected to do things like dress up for formal dinners. The whole atmosphere of the school seemed really rigid and creepy.
The murder mystery storyline is interesting. Although I guessed the identity of the murderer early on, I still second guessed myself all the way through. I really didn’t connect with Luke’s back story. It just seemed farfetched and distracted from the storyline. I realize his back story experiences helped him solve the mystery but I could have done without this part of the story all together. I also found it hard to believe that teenagers would be able to investigate a murder under the nose of police and school administration.
The cast of characters were ok for me. I didn’t connect with Luke or Pippa and I detested Oliver. All the teachers and administrators seemed to have similar personalities and blended together in my mind.
‘Sneaking Out’ presented and interesting mystery that kept me entertained. The storyline set-up nicely for book two. The next story is Pippa’s mystery. The events surrounding this story seemed really interesting to me and I plan to check it out when it is released.
I am really excited to see this post. I am fan of this book. Luke’s backstory had me sort of all in, and Vance let the mystery unfold in such a way that kept me flipping the pages. I am looking forward to the next book.