Best-selling author Jaclyn Moriarty follows her critically acclaimed novels The Ghosts of Ashbury High and The Year of Secret Assignments with this fun tale. Told imaginatively through school assignments and diary entries, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie is sure to appeal to young listeners who love a good mystery. Some people find Bindy Mackenzie's perfectionist personality a bit irritating, but would anyone really want her dead? "Bindy's unforgettable, earnest, hilariously high-strung voice . will capture and hold eager readers."-Booklist
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"I always have a soft spot for Jaclyn Moriarty books. She always seems to get me, even through a character such as Bindy MacKenzie. The main character, of course, is Bindy MacKenzie. She was previously a background character in the novel The Year Of Secret Assignments wherein she had her own bit of narration when she was the stenographer for the epic court scene in said novel. But now, Bindy is in her 11th year at Ashbury High, and she is first portrayed as smart and a little cocky. But when she is put into the new Friendship and Development course, she is outraged. She can't be busy making friends when there is studying to be done! And when she sees who's in her group, she becomes even more outraged. The group it's self consists of Toby Mazzerati(who speaks in an annoying poetic air), Elizabeth Clarry(who was from another previous book of Moriarty's called Feeling Sorry for Celia and is a track runner), Emily Thompson(also from The Year of Secret Assignments, who is a lawyer's daughter and who Bindy believes to be the stupidest of the group), Sergio Saba(who Bindy deems narcissistic), Finnegan A. Blonde(who, as his name suggests, is blond and beautiful), and Astrid Bexonville(who Bindy hates for some reason which is revealed later in the book), and Try Montaine(the American counselor of the group who also created the program). Bindy realizes she doesn't belong there and tries so hard to get out of the group, especially when she plays a mean trick on all of them that makes the group hate her. But when Bindy starts getting sick, deadly sick, she has to turn to the people she hates the most for help. To be honest, when I started reading this book, I hated Bindy myself. But only when I read more about her, I sympathized with her. I realized, just like Bindy realized in the book, that the person I hate the most I have the most in common with. I hope those of you who read this book felt the same way."
— Bumblebee (4 out of 5 stars)
" Aaah! Perfect book! YA novel about a total misfit, too smart for her own good, who makes tons of social observations, many incorrect but endearingly so. Bindy's voice really gets you into her head. It's the kind of book where I felt like a normal YA novel's content had already been covered, but there was still another half of the book to go, and it just kept getting better and better. "
— Julian, 2/7/2014" Amazing! MY NEW ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOK!!!!! "
— Savvy, 1/25/2014" This book was amazing as was all the others... The author is very captivating in her style. I hope 'The Ghosts of Ashbury High' is as good as all the others...... "
— Hattie, 1/21/2014" hey, i read this during spring break so im not sure which EXACT date. "
— Sitara, 1/21/2014" I didn't like this book as much. It was sort of confusing and the mystery was odd. Plus I didn't like Bindy very much. "
— Ashleigh, 1/19/2014" GREAT book, I love Bindy now that we know what goes on in that mind of hers. "
— Runa, 1/8/2014" The ending was just so unexpected and BRILLIANT! "
— Mared, 1/2/2014" 3rd in the Ashbury/Brookfield books. not as good as "The Year of Secret Assignments" but better than "Feeling Sorry for Celia". better because of the conspiracy theory!! "
— Ibby, 12/17/2013" This book was so good! It was so suspenseful toward the end and it was a twist. I really enjoyed reading from a real nerd's P.O.V. "
— Sophia, 12/15/2013" This book started off kind of slow... I almost wanted to return it to the library... But I kept reading. Something was pulling me in. I'm glad I didn't stop. I'm now about 15 pages from the end and it got really good... But I don't want to give anything away! "
— Kayleena, 12/4/2013" Oh my gosh, possibly THWE WORST BOOK I"VE EVER READ!! It was confusing, unintresting, and just plain BORING!! "
— I, 10/11/2013" The mystery was simply ridiculous, but apart from that it was a very very entertaining book, funny and charming. I especially liked meeting Emily again, who remains my favourite character from these books. "
— Ruby, 9/26/2013" I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as The Year of Secret Assignments, but it was still hilarious. And sadly, I totally identify with Bindy (I was an overachieving, judgmental nerd in high school). Still, I liked it a lot and I'll definitely read more from the series. "
— Meredith, 8/31/2013" Great book! I started reading it because my sister said it was really cool - I had trouble getting into it at first, though, myself. Then as the story went on, things fell into place. Such in-depth characters! Loved the ending! "
— ♥, 5/6/2013" I love Jaclyn Moriarty's books. "
— Rachel, 5/5/2013" Re-read. Still quirky, hilarious, engrossing and great. Makes me want to read Hilary McKay books again, too. "
— Debrarian, 4/18/2013" This has to be one of the best books I've read in a long time. From the odd, yet lovable protagonist, to the humor, to the mystery. there was never a dull moment with this book. It's been a long time since I've read a book I actually liked. Check this out--you won't be dissapointed. "
— Kayla, 7/30/2012" This book wa really inspiring and at all nothing like I thought but it was amazing. "
— Katelyn, 5/10/2012" This book took me forever to start and finish i didn't like it till the way end then i liked it "
— Ashley, 1/6/2012" It is a great book. What a TWIST! "
— Chloe, 11/19/2011" This book is the third in a series and it follows a minor character fromt he first two books. While still quirky and fun, I found this one too unrealistic to be as good as the first two were. "
— Abby, 9/10/2011" Hilarious. Not as good as Year of Secret Assignments, but it was up there. "
— Jaclyn, 8/2/2011" An amazing book by one of my favorite authors. "
— Katherine, 7/10/2011" The main character was not as lovable as the main character in Secret Assignments, but alas I fond of her by the end (no one deserves to be poisoned by arsenic) and of course I found the premise of the book hilarious. Another job well done by Moriarty. "
— Elle, 5/27/2011" It took a long time to really get into this story, it was so disjointed and rambling at first. But I'm glad I kept reading. By the end of the story, everything came together and I enjoyed the last few chapters. "
— Veronica, 5/11/2011" Hilarious. Fresh. Unusual. A delight for those of you who are looking for something different in an adolescent novel. Moriarty is great for teenage girls. "
— Paula, 2/18/2009" dont read this becuz it will bore you to death lke it did with me! <br/>but i still finshed it becuz well......im stupid!!!lol "
— Graceyyy, 1/5/2009Jaclyn Moriarty grew up in Sydney, Australia, with four
sisters, one brother, two dogs, and twelve chickens. She studied law at the
University of Sydney, Yale, and Cambridge and worked as an entertainment lawyer
before she wrote the Ashbury High novels. She still lives in Sydney, with her
little boy, Charlie.
Susan Lyons has appeared on numerous television shows, including A Country Practice, Police Rescue, Something in the Air, and All Saints. Among her film credits are Winds of Jarrah and In a Savage Land. She is married to Tony Award–winning actor Jefferson Mays.