DeWitt, Amanda - The Underwood Tapes

The Underwood Tapes

Author: Amanda DeWitt

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary

Pages: 320

Publisher: Peachtree Teen

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Synopsis:

A multi-generational mystery with speculative elements, pithed as THE LAKE HOUSE meets YOU'VE REACHED SAM, where a girl spends the summer after her mother's death transcribing audio tapes for the local historical society in the small coastal town of Hermitage, Florida, and strikes up an impossible conversation with a teen in 1992 who went missing while uncovering the secret of a tragic death that rocked the town--and their families--when a hurricane made landfall in the 1970s.

A captivating and profoundly moving novel with hints of supernatural intrigue, blending We Were Liars and Your Name into a can’t-miss read for fans of You’ve Reached Sam.

Thirty years ago, Grace’s mom left her hometown of Hermitage, Florida and never looked back—which is exactly why Grace thinks it’s the safest place to spend her summer now. Since her mom died in a car crash, Grace has been desperate to get away from the memories and reminders of her loss. Spending the summer transcribing cassette tapes for the Hermitage Historical Society might be boring, but boring is just what Grace needs.

Until she hears the voice of Jake Underwood—the boy who first recorded the cassette tapes back in 1992. When Grace realizes he can hear anything she records, despite thirty years of time between them, she strikes up an impossible conversation with Jake through the tapes.

But the past isn’t any simpler than the present, and a mystery has haunted Hermitage through the generations. In the 1970’s, a hurricane made landfall and resulted in the tragic death of Jake’s uncle Charley. In a town as suffocatingly small as Hermitage, it’s impossible not to notice how no one talks about that storm, or Charley, and as the mystery unfurls, Grace can’t help but realize a worse truth: No one talks about Jake either.

A beautifully written exploration of grief and what happens when untreated wounds bleed into future generations, The Underwood Tapes is the perfect read for anyone in need of a good, cathartic cry.

LGBT Themes:

• Queer relationship between two side characters
• Aromantic subtext to all main characters (not on page)

Relevant Tags:

Young Adult, Mystery, Horror, Contemporary, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Science Fiction, Fiction, Aromantic, Queer