Featured Review: White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig is the YA mystery whodunit book you want to read! If you like a murdery story with complex characters then you’ll love White Rabbit. Since Christy & I listened to the audiobook the first few days it was released we figured we had to discuss it together. Yes, my friends there is now an audiobook, narrated by the master himself, Michael Crouch, so yeah I suggest checking it out!

 

White Rabbit

by Caleb Roehrig
Narrator: Michael Crouch
on April 24, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery
Bookshop
Goodreads

Rufus Holt is having the worst night of his life. It begins with the reappearance of his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian—the guy who stomped his heart out like a spent cigarette. Just as Rufus is getting ready to move on, Sebastian turns up out of the blue, saying they need to "talk." Things couldn’t get much worse, right?

But then Rufus gets a call from his sister April, begging for help. And then he and Sebastian find her, drenched in blood and holding a knife, beside the dead body of her boyfriend, Fox Whitney.

April swears she didn’t kill Fox—but Rufus knows her too well to believe she’s telling him the whole truth. April has something he needs, though, and her price is his help. Now, with no one to trust but the boy he wants to hate yet can’t stop loving, Rufus has one night to prove his sister’s innocence…or die trying.

 

Kelly & Christy Talk WHITE RABBIT

1. If you could describe White Rabbit in 6 words, what would you say?

K: Perfect blend of slasher flick & romance.

C: Wait, what the fuck is happening?

 

2. What can fans of thrillers find uniquely in Caleb’s stories?

K: Very much character driven. Plus they are diverse and full of coming of age themes, so we get queer kids in high school solving murders all the while dealing with some romantic feelings.

C: I absolutely love the characters Caleb creates. They feel so real, and Rufus is a total cinnamon roll. So if you want mystery and strong characters, there’s two books you need on your shelf now (and one coming next year).

 

3. What about the story stands out to you?

K: That you pretty much hate every single character in this book and yet you can’t put it down. There was so much loathing and vitriol for not only Rufus, but from Rufus too. No one liked themselves or each other and that can be hard to read unless they are all turning up dead.

C: I never knew anyone hated what boat shoes represent as much as me but then Caleb just made me feel SO SEEN. Ok, besides that, how many thrillers do you know have a cast full of LGBT characters? Not enough and that’s why you should be reading this.

 

4. What are your favorite murder-thriller tropes?

K: I always like the twist. When I read a mystery I’m always looking for the clues and then there’s always a twist to look forward to (and ruin your theories).

C: I love the whole working backwards to uncover what happened and also unreliable narrators, which are both used in White Rabbit. I never knew what the real story was and who was being truthful. So much suspense.