Today we are very excited to share a special interview with author April Henry (Girl Forgotten), conducted by YABC Staff Reviewer, Jan Farnworth!
Read on to learn more about April, her book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: April Henry
April Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and fourteen novels for teens, including Two Truths and a Lie; Girl, Stolen; and The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award and won the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery. She lives in Oregon. April invites you to visit her at aprilhenry.com.
About the Book: Girl Forgotten
Piper Gray starts a true-crime podcast investigating a seventeen-year-old cold case in this thrilling YA murder mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.
Seventeen years ago, Layla Trello was murdered and her killer was never found. Enter true-crime fan Piper Gray, who is determined to reopen Layla’s case and get some answers. With the help of Jonas—who has a secret of his own—Piper starts a podcast investigating Layla’s murder. But as she digs deeper into the mysteries of the past, Piper begins receiving anonymous threats telling her to back off the investigation, or else. The killer is still out there, and Piper must uncover their identity before they silence her forever.
~Author Chat~
Jan: Do you ever use real life crimes for inspiration?
A lot of times I will see a story on the news and think that it could be the starting point for a book. A book is usually bigger and more complicated than real life. And it’s often more satisfying, with justice triumphing.
Jan: What are the challenges to writing a thriller for a young adult audience versus an adult audience?
I’ve written a dozen books for adults and 16 for teens. Over time, I’ve realized that readers are good at filling in the blank when it comes to characters swearing or details about violence. If I say, “She bit his hand and he swore,” or end the chapter with, “And then he raised the knife,” readers will use their imagination in a way that works for them. A sixth grader might imagine something completely different than a senior. And often things that are left to our imagination are scarier than things that are spelled out. The monsters in Stranger Things were more frightening when I couldn’t see them.
Jan: Do you yourself like crime podcasts like your characters do in Girl Forgotten?
I was hooked on Serial – who wasn’t? I’ve listened to a few others. However, I’m disappointed if I start to listen to a podcast, do some research, and find it didn’t happen exactly as they said. Even if it’s just one episode, it sours me on the others.
Jan: Who is your favorite thriller author to read?
Vincent Ralph has only put out two books, with another out in September, but his books are the very definition of page-turner. I was lucky enough to be asked to blurb his next book, which is called Secrets Never Die.
Jan: Which of your books have you enjoyed the most?
I’m working on my 30th book, so it’s hard to tease out “most” or “best” from such a large group. The Girl I Used to Be was inspired by a real unsolved cold case in Washington State that still gives me chills. Two Truths and a Lie has some of my best twists.
Jan: How much did you know about podcasts before the Girl Forgotten?
I had listed to several and someone in my writing group was working on creating a podcast. She recommended some craft books to me. I also interviewed podcaster Ashley Smith, who created Washed Away, which covers cold cases in Washington State.
Jan: What was the inspiration for Girl Forgotten?
I had been thinking about how whenever anyone goes missing, the cases that get national attention are the ones that can shortened to Missing Mom or Missing Teen or Missing College Student. And the late journalist Gwen Ifill famously coined the term “missing white woman syndrome.” So even though my character focuses on a similar case, my main character openly discusses these biases and talks about how she was drawn to it because of the similarities between the dead girl and herself. For the book, I got to research podcasting, 911 operators, what freedom of speech means for students, and the tangled ethics around true-crime podcasting. I had one teacher character who talked about the ethics of journalism, and another who helped students become better writers. And after meeting a girl in Texas with a prosthetic leg who told me she had never seen a character like her in a book, I gave one to Jonas, the main male character in the book. I also gave him and the main character a bit of an enemies-to-lovers arc, which was fun.
Jan: What books of yours would you recommend to people new to your writing?
Girl, Stolen. The Girl I Used to Be. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. And no, all those girls aren’t related. Ever since Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, publishers have seen that books with the word “Girl” in the title sell well.
Jan: Which of your books do you feel defines you as an author?
Girl, Stolen is what really put me on the map. That book has sold over half a million copies. It got its start when I saw a story on the news about a local blind girl who was briefly kidnapped after someone stole her mom’s car – with her still inside. I still remember seeing her on the news the next day and thinking, “But what if he had kept her?”
Jan: Can you talk about what you are working on next?
My next book is called Stay Dead. It’s about a girl who is the only survivor when a bomb goes off on the jet she was on and crashes into a mountainside. Carrying the evidence that was supposed to have been destroyed, she must make her way through the snowy wilderness while alluding two assassins who will do anything to retire it. After that, I’m nearly done with the first draft of When We Were Missing, about a girl who finds a camera card holding hundreds of images of girls.
Title: Girl Forgotten
Author/Illustrator: April Henry
Release Date: 3/28/2023
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / Christy Ottaviano Books
ISBN-10: 0316322598
ISBN-13: 9780316322591
Genre: YA Fiction
Age Range: 12 and up
~ Giveaway Details ~
Two (2) winners will receive a copy of Girl Forgotten (April Henry) ~US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
This sounds like an exciting thriller! I love the premise, such a great idea of adding a true crime podcast that helps solve an old murder case into the story. I added it to my TBR list! The cover art is pretty and fits the story well!
Title resonates with young me.
April Henry books are so popular in my MS library! I need this one!
I love the integration of podcasts with thrillers.
This sounds just like me as a youth!
Looks like the perfect read
The cover is so dark and matches this exciting thriller.