Format: 293 pages, Hardcover
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense
In this heart-pounding YA thriller, when an adopted teen takes a DNA test to find her biological parents, she unwittingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a serial killer.
Adopted as a newborn, Tessa has always wondered who her biological parents are. After turning eighteen, she takes a DNA test in hopes of finding the answers. With best friend El and lab partner Victor, Tessa uses the results to start building her family tree. But they find more dead ends than answers. Her biological mother, who was raised in a religious cult, has cut all ties with her controlling family. And her biological father remains a complete mystery, at least until the police show up. For fifteen years, they’ve been trying to identify a serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa may be the link they’ve been waiting for.
April Henry delivers a twisty thriller about the families who choose us—and the ones we’re born into. Biology does not have to dictate one’s destiny.
Adopted as a newborn, Tessa has always wondered who her biological parents are. After turning eighteen, she takes a DNA test in hopes of finding the answers. With best friend El and lab partner Victor, Tessa uses the results to start building her family tree. But they find more dead ends than answers. Her biological mother, who was raised in a religious cult, has cut all ties with her controlling family. And her biological father remains a complete mystery, at least until the police show up. For fifteen years, they’ve been trying to identify a serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa may be the link they’ve been waiting for.
April Henry delivers a twisty thriller about the families who choose us—and the ones we’re born into. Biology does not have to dictate one’s destiny.
In the Blood by April Henry is a YA thriller that blends DNA genealogy, adoption identity struggles, and serial-killer suspense into a fast-paced, thought-provoking read. There is 3 key characters: Tessa Lundgren, Officer Keisha Washington, and the serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa Lundgren, a high school senior in Portland, Oregon, has always felt out of place in her loving adoptive family—her brown hair and eyes stand out against their blonde, blue-eyed looks.
On her 18th birthday, her best friend El gifts her an AncestryDNA kit, sparking a quest to uncover her biological roots. With help from El and her biology lab partner Victor, Tessa begins piecing together her family tree. Her biological mother’s trail leads to a woman who escaped a controlling religious cult but has since vanished. Her father remains a total mystery—until police detectives show up. For over 15 years, authorities have hunted the “Portland Phantom,” a serial killer linked to multiple murders of young women.
Tessa’s DNA provides the long-sought connection. The story unfolds through three alternating perspectives: Tessa’s hopeful (and increasingly anxious) search, Detective Keisha’s determined investigation, and chilling chapters from the killer’s viewpoint. Interspersed documentary-style excerpts add context and realism. Henry keeps the tension high without excessive gore—murders happen “off-screen,” but the killer’s mindset is deeply unsettling.
Tessa is likable and relatable—plucky, smart, and torn between curiosity and loyalty to her adoptive parents. Her friends El and Victor form a supportive, diverse trio. Detective Keisha adds a strong professional counterpoint, while the killer’s sections provide creepy insight without glorifying him. The killer’s identity and connections become predictable early on due to the multiple viewpoints, slightly reducing the mystery for seasoned thriller fans. The ending was also very predictable.
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