Social Suicide (Deadly Cool) [Paperback]

Gemma Halliday (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 24, 2012 | Series: Deadly Cool

Twittercide: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the Herbert Hoover High Homepage would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper's brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went . . . a little south. What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the homecoming queen–hopeful dead in her pool. Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH's resident body finder, I'm stuck trying to prove that Sydney's death wasn't suicide.

I'm starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Halliday balances the comedy and suspense notes well, keeping her characters intriguing and her narrative bright. Suspensful fun.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“A well-paced whodunit and teen romance, balanced with cheeky humor.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

About the Author

When Gemma Halliday was sixteen she wanted to be either a rock star or Marilyn Monroe. Instead, she ended up working as a film extra, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary-tattoo artist, and a 900-number psychic before settling on the career of author. Since then, her books have been published in several countries, optioned for television, and have won lots of cool, shiny trophies, including a National Readers' Choice Award and three RITA nominations. Gemma now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, where she loves watching reality TV shows, eating takeout pizza, and shoe shopping. She is also the author of Deadly Cool.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (April 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062003321
• ISBN-13: 978-0062003324
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #530,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In her previous life, Gemma worked in such diverse jobs as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic. Luckily, she sold her first book, Spying in High Heels, in 2005, ending her string of eclectic employment.

Since then, Gemma has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. She now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area, where she is hard at work on her next book.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#47 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#56 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#47 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#56 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ah the Sarcasm! August 16, 2012

By Nyx

Format:Kindle Edition

Awesome read! More sarcasm, and looooved the misunderstandings between Chase and Hart, their reactions were too funny, and the conversations between Sam and Hart, I could definitely see them playing out, typical teenage girl reactions lol.

"Tell me the exact words he used," Sam ordered, leaning forward on her stick. "He said, 'Want to go to the football game with me?'" Same threw her hands up. "That's it. He asked you out. On a date." I shook my head. "I really don't think he meant it like that." "Are you sure?" Same narrowed her eyes at me. "Yes. No. I . . . I don't know! He said and then he winked at me." "Whoa!" Sam dropped her stick, putting both hands up. You didn't mention a wink. You never said anything about a wink!" "Why? What's the wink mean? I asked, starting to get a little nervous. "Ohmigod, Hartley. He totally fluffin' asked you out."

More creative censorship "You fluff-eating son of a monkey with a rash up his-"

Less deaths this time around but there was still action and I wasn't so sure about who the killer was till it was confirmed at the end.

"Great. Saved by cheerleaders. I would never live this down."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you loved Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy as a kid, you're bound to like this book. April 24, 2012

By Sash & Em: A Tale of Two Bookies

Format:Paperback

If you loved Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy as a kid, you're bound to like this book. Hartley Featherstone is back in the center of attention when she discovers yet another of her classmates dead. This time, it's Homecoming Queen nominee Sydney Sanders. So how will Hartley prove that this wasn't suicide and who is murderer?

Oh, this series is just SO MUCH FUN. It's light hearted murder mystery with tons of humor and playfulness wrapped in it. It really is so much fun trying to guess who the killer is. Interesting for me is that I just finished I Hunt Killers and while they are both "murder mysteries", Social Suicide`s playfulness seems to win me over in spite of itself.

And while there isn't much romance in this book, I'm perfectly okay with that! (Surprising, I know!)

I absolutely adore this series and want more!

5.0 out of 5 stars Is there going to be a third book? January 22, 2013

By Danielle Gallon-Person

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

That was so great I love the ending of the book it had twist in the end but the same ending like Deadly Cool.

4.0 out of 5 stars Social suicide December 30, 2012

By Tiara Lynn DeZarn

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I liked this book very much you would have never guessed how it ended it kept you guessing and wondering. I didn't want to put it down.

4.0 out of 5 stars So. Much. Fun. December 27, 2012

By Booksmartie

Format:Paperback

After reading Deadly Cool - the first book in the series - I was convinced I would never be able to read about anything but Hartley and her great, funny, dangerous (well...kind of) mystery stories. I was so into her world and her character and her voice - it was amazing! So amazing that I had to preorder Social Suicide immediately, couldn't wait to start it and didn't want it to end.

Honestly, Deadly Cool and Social Suicide are amazing novels that make me laugh and forget reality. The perfect mix of fluent sarcasm and everyday situations that everyone knows so well result in a book that teaches you to "just deal with it" and that everyone else goes through the same things you do (like meat(ish) loaf and a paranoid mom).

I feel like I'm repeating myself, but what I love most about Social Suicide is Hartley's attitude towards life. Being more of a pessimist myself, I'm always inspired how she can freak over minor things just as teenagers do but always stays positive in a way. It's hard to describe. Like, she has that ability of staying happy, laughing about things that get thrown in her way instead of being grumpy about it.

Apart from that, I couldn't figure out the mystery in this one which really is a good thing. They took so many different directions in an effort to find out how Sydney died that I was too confused to work on it with my own brain. Again, this is not a negative aspect! I hate when you can tell what happened to the victim after the first few pages or so. The ending itself came so unexpected! I would never have guessed that! Also, we do see some development with Hartley and Chase but it's not too over the top and although this is a sequel - there is no love triangle! Yay! Sam was as amazing as ever - the best friend you could wish for!...

The only thing I missed was how Hartley did not - not one single time - get the secret can of ice cream out of the fridge. I was so disappointed by that!

Overall, I would say I had a little bit of sequel-trouble with this one, but I expected that to happen. My expectations towards most sequels are usually way over-the-top so that I always get a bit disappointed with seconds in series. Which should not mean that Social Suicide was a disappointment. I missed the snarky language from Book One a little bit (it wasn't as consistent-but-not-obvious) and sometimes I felt like the events were a bit rushed and fewer places to go and things to find out would've made it too, but most things I loved about Deadly Cool were still the same.
There's only one thing I really don't like about Social Suicide: the fact that it's already over.
Everyone: get it, read it, see new sense in life.
To the author: I want more! Please, please,please! And fast! Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars Another great Hartley Featherston book October 26, 2012

By D. Ann

Format:Paperback

I was really excited to see the return of Hartley Featherstone, high school detective, after the fantastic first novel, Deadly Cool. Social Suicide picks up a few weeks after Deadly Cool ends; Hartley found the killer, has a new complicated relationship with Chase, and now works for the school paper. What starts out as a routine interview of a cheating scandal ends up becoming a murder - no Twittercide - investigation.

Hartley was way more likeable in this book, compliments to the development of her character. Instead of just whining about everything her mom does, we get to see their relationship in a different light. Besides the usual teenage angst of not being allowed out, we get to see Hartley struggle with her mom venturing back into the dating world. As much as we suspend our disbelief that a high schooler could solve murder investigations while not being pulled out of school when her life is threated twice, Halliday still models Hartley's everyday interactions off of normal teen interactions.

Social Suicide is a little more relaxed than Deadly Cool. I didn't feel the same urgency/danger when Hartley was following the case as I did in the first book. Maybe it's because there were two deaths in the first one and I truly didn't believe there would be a second death in Social Suicide. I don't know but I didn't feel the same desperation to keep Hartley off the killer's tracks.

However, I was so surprised when when the killer was revealed. Whereas I kind of knew who the killer was in Deadly Cool, this time I was blindsided. Like Hartley, I had no clue who could have killed Sydney. It really is the person you least expect.
Overall, it's a good book for 21st century teenage murder mysteries.... I'll be on the lookout for the sequel to see what Hartley gets herself into next.

**I received this book for free from GoodReads First Reads** Read more ›