Title: You’re No Better
Author: Andrew Joseph White
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Publication date: October 27, 2026
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Summary
Morgan Slaughter is the trans son of a serial killer, and it’s his fault that his father was put in prison. Everyone online thinks that Morgan will turn out just like his dad. Including his mom, who has agreed to be a part of a documentary about Morgan’s dad.
Desperate to prove that he’s not like his father, Morgan decides to solve the mystery of his father’s last victim with new student Felicity. But as he starts to unravel the mystery, the past is always there to haunt him.
Review: You’re No Better
Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced copy of You’re No Better by Andrew Joseph White to review! This book has been getting quite a bit of buzz, understandably so. White is a known name in the YA horror/thriller genre, and this might be his best book thus far. Though it is not an easy read, it is one you’ll be thinking about long after you finish reading it.
Morgan is a trans boy with autism struggling with his (very) traumatic past. You might think his dad is responsible for most of his trauma. He is a serial killer after all. But Morgan also has a precarious relationship with his mother. Despite the fact that Morgan does some not so great things in this story, you can’t help but feel for him and want him to get help.
White also makes a commentary on society’s fascination with serial killers/true crime with article snippets, pieces of online forums, and even merchandise listings between each chapter. These add to the overall tension of the story, but also make you think about the way that people become obsessed with true crime stories.
Though there is tension throughout the story, it really ramps up at the end. White threw in some twists that I didn’t see coming; there was one point where I had to put the book down for a second and say “did that just happen??” Some masterful storytelling at the end.
This definitely won’t be a book for everyone, and I recommend paying attention to the content warnings before picking this up. Despite that, it is a book that will linger once you’re done reading it.
5/5 stars