The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis (The Initial Insult book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Initial Insult, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“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?’ - taken from Goodreads.

After the cliffhanger ending of the first book, I wasn't sure where the conclusion was going to go. Needless to say, it was like a train wreck that was impossible to ignore and I couldn't wait to get to the end. Tress Montor just wants to know what happened to her parents that night, but no one is talking. With the events from the first book playing out over the course of the following week, where the story ends will have readers shocked at the level of deception.

Visit Mindy McGinnis’ website.

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis (The Initial Insult book 1)

 

“Welcome to Amontillado, Ohio, where your last name is worth more than money, and secrets can be kept… for a price.

Tress Montor knows that her family used to mean something—until she didn’t have a family anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best friend home, Tress lost everything. She might still be a Montor, but the entire town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo,” – a wild animal attraction featuring a zebra, a chimpanzee, and a panther, among other things.

Felicity Turnado has it all – looks, money, and a secret that she’s kept hidden. She knows that one misstep could send her tumbling from the top of the social ladder, and she’s worked hard to make everyone forget that she was with the Montors the night they disappeared. Felicity has buried what she knows so deeply that she can’t even remember what it is… only that she can’t look at Tress without having a panic attack.

But she’ll have to.

Tress has a plan. A Halloween costume party at an abandoned house provides the ideal situation for Tress to pry the truth from Felicity – brick by brick – as she slowly seals her former best friend into a coal chute. With a drunken party above them, and a loose panther on the prowl, Tress will have her answers – or settle for revenge.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Missing parents in a damaged friendship takes center stage and this mystery draws heavily from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Told in alternating points of view, readers will be drawn into what happened the night that Tress Montor's parents disappeared and Felicity Turnado is the only witness. Once best friends, the girls are at odds during a Halloween party where things are taken a bit too far. Fans of this book will be eagerly awaiting the final installment after the cliffhanger ending.

This duology will conclude with The Last Laugh in 2022.

Visit Mindy McGinnis’ website.