I Don't Wish You Well
Teen & Young Adult Thrillers & Suspense, Teen & Young Adult LGBTQ+ Fiction
Delacorte Press
January 20, 2026
A teen investigative podcaster decides to dig into the truth behind a grisly murder spree that rocked his hometown five years ago, but soon discovers that this cold case is still hiding deadly secrets—in this chilling thriller perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Five years ago, the infamous Trojan murders turned the small town of Moss Pointe, Louisiana into a living nightmare. Four teen boys—all star players on Moss Pointe High's football team—were murdered one after the other by a Trojan-mask wearing killer. Eventually, the murderer was unmasked. But the community has never forgotten—and some folks in town still wonder whether the police got it right. Eighteen-year-old Pryce Cummings is one of them. An aspiring journalist, Pryce is pretty sure he just stumbled upon evidence that throws the killer's guilt into question. It's the perfect story for his own podcast, and a reason to go back to the hometown he's avoided since coming to terms with his sexuality while at college. But in Moss Pointe, digging into the past is anything but welcome. There's so much more to what happened there five years ago, and Pryce is ready to crack it all wide open . . . if he lives to tell the tale.
A great fictional read for lovers of true crime podcasts.
I was drawn to “I Don’t Wish You Well” first by it’s aggressive title, and then further by the synopsis. As a listener of true crime podcasts, I knew this storyline would keep me turning pages. Jumata Emill delivered a thrilling journey of a young man risking his life to uncover the truth in a small town full of more secrets than just murder.
It wasn’t much of a surprise to learn of dark secrets surrounding rich families, and star football players.
Small town secrets being too big and dark to hide isn’t a surprise to readers. It’s all too familiar, and resembles real life for many of us. It’s believable because of how not-so-distant history depicts people in power getting away with atrocities. Dare I say, even in current events? Hard yes. Having wealth, social standing, a job of authority… all positions that can make or break the lives of others. Emill wrote of young people seeking justice for victims regardless of whether they would be alive to see it. Simply because it was the right thing to do. Along the way, readers will be exposed to the internal conflict and pain felt when hiding yourself from those closest to you.
There are tears of joy, sadness, and frustration to be shed when reading “I Don’t Wish You Well”.
I loved this book, and rate it 5-stars. I hope that it reaches a diverse range of readers. I hope it provides a window of empathy for readers into the different experiences they may not relate to directly. We can learn so much about the human experience in books, even fiction.
Favorite quotes (might be spoilers):
“Exposing people’s ugly truths will never be easy. But we don’t stop holding those in power accountable because of that. The moment we become scares to pursue truth and justice is the moment people doing despicable things in this world win.”
…”acted like it never happened,” (she) said. “That was easier than the alternative. Girls don’t get to be victims when boys disrespect our bodies. We come forward and then face the trial of public opinion, which picks us apart, tells us all the ways we messed up instead of interrogating boys on why they can’t control themselves around us.”
“Don’t get me wrong, love our Forever First Lady down. But when they go low, I go to h3ll.”
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
