The Last Laugh [9780062982452]

Overview

In the dark and stunning sequel to The Initial Insult, award-winning author Mindy McGinnis concludes this suspenseful YA duology as long-held family secrets finally come to light . . . changing Amontillado forevermore. Perfect for fans of Truly Devious and Sadie!

Tress Montor murdered Felicity Turnado—but she might not have to live with the guilt for long. With an infected arm held together by duct tape, the panther who clawed her open on the loose, and the whole town on the hunt for the lost homecoming queen, the odds are stacked against Tress. As her mind slides deeper into delirium, Tress is haunted by the growing sound of Felicity’s heartbeat pulsing from the “best friend” charm around her fevered neck.

Ribbit Usher has been a punchline his whole life—from his nickname to his latest turn as the unwitting star of a humiliating viral video. In the past he’s willingly played the fool, but now it’s time to fulfill his destiny. That means saving the girl, so that Felicity can take her place at his side and Ribbit can exact revenge on all who have done him wrong—which includes his cousin, Tress. Ribbit is held by a pact he made with his mother long ago, a pact that must be delivered upon in four days.

With time ticking down and an enemy she considers a friend lurking in the shadows, Tress’s grip on reality is failing. Can she keep both mind and body together long enough to finally find out what happened to her parents?

* Junior Library Guild selection * A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Title * A Kirkus Best Book of the Year *

• Multiple POVs: Follow Tress, the murderer; Ribbit, the vengeful cousin; and Rue, an orangutan whose silent observations may hold the key to everything.
• Unreliable Narrator: A gruesome panther wound is infected, and as Tress slides into delirium, she can no longer trust her own mind—or the sound of a heartbeat coming from her dead best friend’s charm.
• Revenge Plot: Ribbit Usher has four days to fulfill a pact made with his mother. That means saving the girl he loves and destroying his cousin, Tress.
• Modern Gothic Fiction: Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, this thriller returns to the decaying town of Amontillado, where the secrets of the Usher family are as rotten as their crumbling mansion.