This May End Badly

Markum’s laugh-out-loud debut depicts a century-old prank war between two rival schools: all-girls Weston School and the all-boys Winfield Academy. This generation’s pranks are spearheaded respectively by 17-year-old Weston girl Doe and her archnemesis Three, Winfield’s golden boy. But Doe’s plans to conclude senior year by forcing Winfield to surrender the war are derailed when she learns that the two schools are planning to merge, destroying the essence of the only place she’s felt safe since her parents’ messy divorce. Determined to maintain the status quo, Doe recruits Wells—Three’s charming cousin, with whom she embarks on a phony relationship to irritate Three—and starts a series of pranks that spiral out of control. And when a troubling secret comes to light at Weston, Doe must decide whether rivalry is more important than protecting her peers. Though a jarring subplot regarding a sexually predatory teacher meshes poorly with the otherwise lighthearted tone, Markum blends fake dating tropes, a tight-knit girl gang, and messy family dynamics into a fast-paced narrative suffused with humor, drama, and romance. Supporting characters include BIPOC and queer representation. Ages 13–up. Agent: Ashley Blake, Rees Literary. (Apr.)