Kindle Edition Amazon Until Proven Innocent https://www.blackrosewriting.com/search?q=until%20proven%20innocent Category:  Young Adult/Teen Publisher: Black Rose Writing ISBN-10:  9781684331277 Type: Fiction Pages: 246 Copyright: October 2018 ISBN-13: 9781684331277 Price: $4.99 (eBook) When Alison learns her grandmother was accused of setting a fatal fire, she sets out to learn the truth. But the house in which the family died will be torn down in two weeks, taking its secrets with it. When fifteen-year-old Alison's grandfather hints their family was involved in the fiery deaths of a woman and her daughter fifty years ago, her grandmother acts like it's his Alzheimer's talking. Alison doesn't believe her and decides to investigate. She is stunned to learn her grandmother was accused of starting the fatal blaze. Even though she wasn't convicted, she was ostracized by the community. Alison is determined to find out the real cause of the fire and clear her grandmother's name. But the house is slated for demolition in two weeks, so she's running out of time. And the more clues she uncovers, the closer she gets to unmasking a killer--who may make Alison the next victim.

Best Thrillers.com
The Bottom Line: A deftly-written, all-American teen mystery deserving of a broad audience.

When a Minnesota Alzheimer’s patient implies knowledge about an unsolved death dating back to the 1960s, his 15-year-old granddaughter launches an investigation.

Until Proven Innocent begins as a local university is buying the former home of Henry Springs, who disappeared after a fire claimed the lives of his wife and daughter some five decades years before. Meanwhile, Alison’s grandmother is moving her ailing husband into a nursing home. During the emotionally difficult move-in day, he remarks, “I know why you did this. You don’t want another Spriggs tragedy.”

Grandma passes the comment off as dementia-fueled nonsense, but Alison knows better. She soon convinces her brothers to explore the Spriggs’ place, which, as local legend had it, is haunted. The trail then leads to an investigation of old newspaper clippings, revealing that their own grandmother was babysitting at the Spriggs residence the night of the fire.

From the get-go, Laura Stewart Schmidt’s teen mystery is full of potential villains. Is Alison’s grandmother sending her husband away because she fears he can no longer keep her secret? Or is the real killer still alive? Could Henry Spriggs still be hiding out nearby?

With the Spriggs home slated for demolition in just two weeks, and Alison’s grandfather’s mind in a state of rapid decay, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing. The question of whether the ramblings of an Alzheimer’s patient can be trusted is incredibly effective. In an era where dementia is skyrocketing, Schmidt has tapped into a new form of unreliable testimony that is frighteningly real.

Although set in summer, the threat of Minnesota’s past, present and future weather creates a palpable backdrop for this most intriguing of cases, literally juxtaposing fire and ice.

Unlike the adult themes present in much of what passes for teen mystery genre today, Schmidt keeps it clean, delivering a mystery appropriate for all ages that feels both classic and contemporary. Among a tidal wave of dystopian YA thrillers and damaged teen protagonists, a well-crafted tale featuring well-meaning kids who love their grandparents seems downright radical. Highly recommended.

The novel is available directly from Black Rose Publishing.

Midwest Book Review
A deftly crafted and inherently riveting read from first page to last, "Until Proven Innocent" by Laura Stewart Schmidt is a compelling and entertaining novel by an author with a genuine flair for character and narrative driven storytelling complete with unexpected twists and turns making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.