Hitchcock Remade

Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman

Publication Date: August 6, 2019

Summary from NetGalley:

An epic case of mistaken identity puts a teen looking for a hookup on the run from both the FBI and a murderous cult in this compulsively readable thriller.
Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do–tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads him to a room with a dead guy and a mysterious flash drive…two things that spark an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run–from the authorities, his friends, his family, the people who are out to kill him–and especially from his own troubled past.

Inspired by a Hitchcock classic, this whirlwind mistaken-identity caper has razor-sharp humor, devastating emotional stakes, and a thrilling storyline with an explosive conclusion to make this the most compelling YA novel of the year.

ARC provided by Little, Brown Company via NetGalley for an honest review.

My lips are tingling. I don’t know what to say. Should I give my real name? A fake name? I don’t know why I just answered a dead man’s phone. Was I hoping for a magical resolution to whatever I just got myself into here?”

I did not realize going into this book that it was a modern retelling of an old Alfred Hitchcock movie by the name of North By Northwest. I loved those old movies, and although I don’t think I have seen this particular one, I definitely got that Hitchcock movie vibe from this book. Just like those movies, this was a very fast paced book that was hard to put down.

Aiden was a very likable teen, even though he tended to fall in like with every good looking guy he met. His hooking up with random guys is also what gets him into trouble in the first place. He does have a troubled past which is doled out slowly through flashbacks through out the book. His family is not exactly supportive of him either, I really did not like his mom, but his sister at least tries. Aiden’s strength comes from his friends, who also have some issues, but they are there when he needs their help.

The focus of the story is very much on Aiden, and the other characters are not as well developed as they could be. But as this is a plot driven story, we can forgive that. Although there is one secondary character that does need to be mentioned, Silas. He appears out of nowhere and helps Aiden out of a jam. Aiden doesn’t know him at all, but hey he’s cute so why not? Even though I really liked Silas, I never really trusted him, which sometimes I was right about.

The plot was pretty riveting, although somewhat predictable. There were some mighty big twists, that weren’t always foreseeable. But sometimes the narrative was moving so fast that you didn’t have time to stop and think, just like Aiden. There is one minor plot point that really bugged me though. Aiden and Silas were rushing off to save the world when they suddenly stop to have this five minute conversation about their feelings for each other. I was just sort of put off by that, come on guys, people’s lives are depending on you. Stop being emotional and get the job done. Just saying. The ending was great and pretty realistic, with everything not ending tied up in a neat bow.

Overall a pretty captivating and entertaining read that I really enjoyed. If you like the old Hitchcock films, certainly give this book a try, you won’t be disappointed.