Promise Boys

"Thrilling, captivating, and blade-sharp." --Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"I was at the edge of my seat . . . A brilliant pulls-no-punches mystery with bruised hearts at its core." --Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

Three teen boys must investigate their principal's murder to clear their own names. Find out who killed Principal Moore in Nick Brooks's dark academia murder mystery, Promise Boys--The Hate U Give meets One of Us Is Lying.

The prestigious Urban Promise Prep school might look pristine on the outside, but deadly secrets lurk within. When the principal ends up murdered on school premises and the cops come sniffing around, a trio of students--J.B., Ram?n, and Trey--emerge as the prime suspects. They had the means, they had the motive . . . and they may have had the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. Or is the true culprit hiding among them?

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award 2023 Honoree. A New York Public Library and Kirkus Best Book of the Year!


About the Author
Nick Brooks is an author and award-winning filmmaker from Washington, DC. He is a 2020 graduate of USC's TV and Film Production program. His short film, Hoop Dreamin', earned him the George Lucas Scholar Award and was a finalist in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Film Fest. He is currently in development for his first feature film, We Were Born Kings, with Mandalay Pictures. Before becoming a filmmaker, Nick was an educator working with at-risk youth and many of his stories are colored by his experiences with the children and families of his community. He is also the author of Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont.