“...Readers will root for Samantha, trapped and brave and facing a terrifying fate.
Outstanding story!"
—Caroline B. Cooney, internationally renowned author of more than 90 YA novels, including The Girl on the Milk Carton
About Deadly Setup
When Sam's New England heiress mom announces she’s marrying Adam Holloway, she's is horrified. Sam's almost sure he’s after her mother’s money, but her mom is convinced she’s finally found her “happily ever after.”
And then Sam’s life implodes. Holloway has been shot to death, and Sam gets arrested for his murder.
About the Author
I’m addicted to reading and writing young adult novels—not to mention chocolate, romance, and my husband’s cooking. Spoiler Alert about my bio: It’s not about how I always knew I wanted to be a writer. Instead…
Praise for Lynn's Work
“Deadly Setup is a gift for mystery readers. Its plot moves with perfect pacing and its characters remain exciting to the end. It’s a “can’t put down” adventure.”
—Lynn Swanson, award-winning author of Summer Dance
“Deadly Setup is a mystery novel that opens with intrigue… Author Lynn Slaughter guides her young protagonist, Samantha, through the anger and fear of not only being accused of murder, but also imbued with suffering the death of her father… Written for a young adult market, this excellent book also has great appeal for adult audiences.”
— Mary Popham, author of Emmalene of
Landing Run
“Lynn Slaughter is a master at the romantic, young adult mystery. Her spell-binding story follows Samantha as she negotiates the complexity of teen friendships, tries to find out who killed her mother’s fiancé… and grapples to understand why her own mother refuses to believe she is innocent.”
— Frances Schoonmaker, multiple award-winning author of The Last Crystal Trilogy
“Lynn Slaughter has done it again—created another exciting YA thriller… The characters are engaging and believable, and the story flows effortlessly through the pages… Another tour de force!”
—Connie Bergstein Dow, author of From A to Z with Energy! and the forthcoming Lively Feet and Beastie Jamboree
“Deadly Setup takes on the complexities of the mother/daughter relationship amid a captivating murder mystery. Slaughter’s page turning prose and insightful look at family relationships are a winning combination. Deadly Setup is a deeply engaging and satisfying book.”
—Ellen Birkett Morris, award-winning author of Lost Girls
“Teen girls and their mothers. Some are best friends; some have confused love/hate relationships. But what if your mother thought you capable of murder? …Welcome to Samantha’s world... Deadly Setup is a can’t put it down book.”
—Elaine Munsch, author of the comedic mystery Dash Hammond series
Also By Lynn
Latest Author Interview by Lynn
Lynn's Latest Project
When ballerina Lydia Miseau dies onstage in the final dress rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet, homicide detective Caitlin O'Connor is flummoxed. The autopsy reveals no apparent cause of death. Meantime, Caitlin's investigation uncovers several people who had reasons to kill the ballerina. But if she was murdered, who did it, and how?
Then there's Caitlin's hot mess of a personal life. Her pattern of getting involved with married men is another puzzle she's trying to figure out.
Latest News & Events
I'll be at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Lexington on Saturday, January 28, at 2 PM with Ellen Birkett Morris, award-winning author of LOST GIRLS. We'll be "in conversation" discussing writing, our work, and signing books. 
Thrilled to share that DEADLY SETUP is a Moonbeam Children's Book Awards silver medalist!
MISSED CUE, my first adult mystery, will be published by Melange Books in the summer of 2023.
Latest Post
The two most common questions fiction writers get asked are: “Where do you get your ideas?” and “What’s your story about?” With each new release, I make a point of doing my best to respond, explaining what gave me the idea for the novel, as well as describing the plot. For DEADLY SETUP, for example,…