Under This Red Rock - by Mindy McGinnis (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of 2024

A 2025 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction Selection

From award-winning author Mindy McGinnis comes a mesmerizing YA psychological mystery following a teen girl who is grappling with the death of her brother as she starts a new job in the caverns of Ohio--only to become the number one suspect in her coworker's murder. Perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kathleen Glasgow.

Neely's monsters don't always follow her rules, so when the little girl under her bed, the man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move become louder, she knows she's in trouble. With a history of mental illness in her family and the suicide of her older brother heavy on her mind, Neely takes a job as a tour guide in the one place her monsters can't follow--the caverns. There . . . she meets Mila. Mila is everything Neely isn't--beautiful, strong, and confident. As the two become closer, Neely's innocent crush grows into something more. When a midnight staff party exposes Neely to drugs, she follows Mila's lead . . . only to have her hallucinations escalate.

When Mila is found brutally murdered in the caverns, Neely has to admit that her memories of that night are vague at best. With her monsters now out in the open and her grip on reality slipping, Neely must figure out who killed Mila . . . and face the possibility that it might have been her.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Long Stretch of Bad Days: "McGinnis's ability to take readers on an emotional rollercoaster is on full display here . . . Another incredibly wild ride from McGinnis; a first purchase for all teen collections." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"A Long Stretch of Bad Days uses humor and poignant emotion to build a well-crafted murder mystery that is hard to put down and even harder to forget." - BookPage

"McGinnis can be counted upon for delivering gritty truths wrapped in compelling stories, and readers love her for it." - Booklist

"Wickedly comic dialogue and interesting characters--particularly wonderfully lewd feminist Bristal--will keep readers engaged through the many twists and turns." - Kirkus Reviews

"Lydia and Bristal's wry banter, their polar opposite characterizations, and their evolving, convoluted friendship lend a refreshing and dark joviality to this cleverly realized feminist thriller." - Publishers Weekly

"A propulsive, unpredictable, and troubling thriller." - Kirkus Reviews

"Tackling a sensitive subject that easily could have veered into sensationalism, McGinnis cleverly shapes a tender examination of mental illness, grief, and love that still contains her characteristic dry wit and deeply disturbing imagery." - Booklist (starred review)

Praise for This Darkness Mine: "Rich imagery and a ruthless protagonist propel the novel forward to its shocking, ominous conclusion." - Booklist

Praise for A Madness So Discreet: "McGinnis excels at rich character development; every person readers meet makes a dramatic impact on the story and on Grace." - School Library Journal

"McGinnis can surely tell a story." - USA Today

"In perfect form, McGinnis drags you to the depths of a dark mind and doesn't let you go." - Francesca Zappia, award-winning author of Eliza and Her Monsters

"McGinnis invites you to venture beyond the ordinary, and step into the world of the misunderstood. I devoured this book." - M-E Girard, award-winning author of Girl Mans Up

"Striking a careful balance of dry humor and occasionally harrowing depictions of Neely's mental health challenges, McGinnis delivers a compassionate and gripping read." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"[I]t's raw. Not "raw for YA." Real-deal raw. And violent. And unforgettable. McGinnis explores both and she goes there in a way no one really has before in YA." - Globe and Mail (Toronto)

"Your heart may still be pounding after you've finished this book." - New York Times Book Review

Praise for Heroine: "[A] realistic portrayal of how easy it is to develop an opiate addiction and the very real consequences of addiction. A timely and important message for teens everywhere." - Booklist

"A compassionate, compelling, and terrifying story about a high school softball player's addiction to opioids. The writing is visceral, and following Mickey as she rationalizes about her addiction is educative and frightening. A cautionary tale that exposes the danger of prescription medications by humanizing one victim of America's current epidemic." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Praise for Be Not Far From Me: "McGinnis' visceral and emotional tale features a strong, stubborn, and alarmingly capable protagonist with unwavering respect for the natural world... Impossible to put down." - Kirkus Reviews

"McGinnis is known for writing tough female protagonists and gritty realism, and she holds nothing back in this latest novel. Ashley is angry, vulnerable, smart, and compelling, and her journey is marked by setbacks, terror, and plenty of gross-out moments. This captivating, fast-paced novel is Hatchet for an older crowd. Highly recommended where adventure and survival fiction are popular. - School Library Journal

"Lush, dangerous, and deliciously twisty, The Initial Insult is an Appalachian Gothic for the ages. A smart and vital reworking of one of Poe's most chilling stories." - Brittany Cavallaro, New York Times bestselling author of the Charlotte Holmes Series

Praise for The Female of the Species: "[A] gripping story that should be read and discussed by teens, as well as those who work with them." - Booklist

"Each word has been specifically chosen, each character superbly and humanly sculpted, the plot line masterfully completed. McGinnis plays with the readers and they are at her mercy." - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

"McGinnis gracefully avoids the pitfalls of creating a teenage vigilante, instead maintaining a sense of piercing realism." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"An unflinching look at rape culture and its repercussions." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This is an astoundingly dark but beautifully written tragedy." - School Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for the Last Laugh: "The overall effect this time ups the mystery, intensity, and horror (emphasis on the latter!), with a satisfying ending delivering answers about ongoing family questions and clashes. Masterfully modernizing the gothic horror genre, McGinnis outdoes herself. - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A sequel that is just as thrilling and dark, if not as cohesive, as its predecessor. Definitely hand over to readers of the first book." - School Library Journal

Praise for the Initial Insult: "A gripping modern retelling of 'The Cask of Amontillado.' Gritty and heart-rending. Well-versed Poe fans will gobble this up, but the heartache, revenge, and -anger that ooze from these pages should -entice any reader." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"An intricate, duology-opening story of mystery and revenge by McGinnis with significant nods to Edgar Allan Poe's macabre work. An engaging tale." - Publishers Weekly

"If Edgar Allan Poe came back to write the scariest high school murder story ever, it probably wouldn't be half as good as Mindy McGinnis's The Initial Insult. You must read this book!" - James Patterson

"Expertly crafted and absolutely chilling. Mindy McGinnis holds nothing back in this twisty, ruthlessly compelling story of a friendship gone wrong." - Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us is Lying