Thornbird
The daughter of a notorious serial killer races to solve the crimes of her family’s twisted past—before it’s too late—in this highly anticipated young adult thriller from the pen name of Elle Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author of the Off Campus series!
* “A solid thriller for true crime fans.”—Booklist, starred review
* “A grimly layered mystery about identity and reconciliation.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
The deadliest secrets are the ones you inherit.
Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past.
But as fresh eyes dig deeper into the case, old secrets refuse to stay buried. Cryptic texts, eerie coincidences, and a chilling note leave everyone wondering—does Ryan know more than she’s letting on? As the truth unravels, one thing becomes clear: in a town full of secrets, Ryan might be the biggest mystery of them all.
The world is hunting for answers. Now get ready for a thriller packed with twists you won’t see coming.
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Community Reviews
If a book mentions a serial killer, my reading plans immediately become non-negotiable. Family drama? Fine. Romance? Sure. But tell me the main character is the daughter of a notorious serial killer? Congratulations, you've successfully hijacked my TBR.
Thornbird delivers exactly the kind of creepy small-town atmosphere I love. Everyone has secrets, everyone has opinions, and apparently nothing says "community engagement" quite like offering a reward for someone's collection of buried murder victims.
Ryan's attempt to survive senior year while hiding the tiny little detail that her father is one of America's most infamous serial killers? Stressful enough. Add cryptic messages, suspicious townspeople, family secrets, and the “Free the Sparrows” fandom dedicated to dissecting your trauma online, and suddenly high school algebra doesn't seem so bad.
The story does a great job balancing the mystery surrounding Ryan's serial killer father with the present-day investigation of finding the bodies of Thorn’s victims, and the tension kept me flipping pages. Ryan was an easy character to root for, especially while carrying the world's most awkward family legacy.
I was feeling very smug around page 76 because I figured out a pretty major piece of the puzzle. I mentally awarded myself Detective of the Year, accepted my imaginary trophy, and prepared to coast to the finish.
Then this book dangled a red herring in front of me like a laser pointer in front of a cat.
Y’all, I chased it.
I actually guessed who was sending the mysterious text messages… then immediately talked myself out of it because surely that would be too obvious.
Congratulations to me for successfully gaslighting myself.
Every time I thought I had everything neatly organized on my imaginary murder board, another secret crawled out of the woodwork.
And then the ending happened.
Not the reveal I'd been expecting.
Not even remotely.
The final twist hit me like, "BAM!" I never saw it coming.
If psychological thrillers with serial killers, buried secrets, and enough red herrings to stock an entire seafood market are your thing, add Thornbird to your TBR.
Many thanks to Get Underlined and Delacorte Press for this gifted copy.
Thornbird delivers exactly the kind of creepy small-town atmosphere I love. Everyone has secrets, everyone has opinions, and apparently nothing says "community engagement" quite like offering a reward for someone's collection of buried murder victims.
Ryan's attempt to survive senior year while hiding the tiny little detail that her father is one of America's most infamous serial killers? Stressful enough. Add cryptic messages, suspicious townspeople, family secrets, and the “Free the Sparrows” fandom dedicated to dissecting your trauma online, and suddenly high school algebra doesn't seem so bad.
The story does a great job balancing the mystery surrounding Ryan's serial killer father with the present-day investigation of finding the bodies of Thorn’s victims, and the tension kept me flipping pages. Ryan was an easy character to root for, especially while carrying the world's most awkward family legacy.
I was feeling very smug around page 76 because I figured out a pretty major piece of the puzzle. I mentally awarded myself Detective of the Year, accepted my imaginary trophy, and prepared to coast to the finish.
Then this book dangled a red herring in front of me like a laser pointer in front of a cat.
Y’all, I chased it.
I actually guessed who was sending the mysterious text messages… then immediately talked myself out of it because surely that would be too obvious.
Congratulations to me for successfully gaslighting myself.
Every time I thought I had everything neatly organized on my imaginary murder board, another secret crawled out of the woodwork.
And then the ending happened.
Not the reveal I'd been expecting.
Not even remotely.
The final twist hit me like, "BAM!" I never saw it coming.
If psychological thrillers with serial killers, buried secrets, and enough red herrings to stock an entire seafood market are your thing, add Thornbird to your TBR.
Many thanks to Get Underlined and Delacorte Press for this gifted copy.
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