The Mortons by Larbalestier, Justine

"A fresh, fun, and sneakily hilarious dark academia romp." --People

"Slippery, sinister, and so much fun." --Charlotte McConaghy, New York Times bestselling author of Wild Dark Shore

Meet the Mortons: In this family, murder is currency--and business is booming.

The Mortons are a modern-day, old-money dynasty with impeccable taste, from their exquisitely crafted cocktails to their expertly tailored vintage garments. They are also stone-cold killers. For the Mortons, homicide is heritage.

They, along with the other crime families, send their progeny to Helshire College, where legacy students learn to exercise control over their wealthy peers. Jessica Morton has always excelled at Helshire, secure in the knowledge that she is the prodigy of her generation. Now, having committed her first kill, it should be Jessica's moment, her honor. But that kill will cut more ways than one, unknotting a series of revelations spanning the Mortons' country estate, the New York City art world, and Helshire itself.

Sharp and hypnotic, The Mortons is an epic novel of alliances and power, loyalty and kinship, and the consequences of ruthless ambition.

Author: Justine Larbalestier,Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Published: 07/21/2026
Pages: 464
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.40lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.20w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9798217059492

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/25/2026
Booklist 06/01/2026
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2026

About the Author
Scott Westerfeld is the author of twelve New York Times bestsellers, including the multimillion-selling young adult series The Uglies. Westerfeld's books have won many awards and been named New York Times Notable and ALA Best Books of the Year.

Justine Larbalestier is the author of Liar, My Sister Rosa, and six other young adult novels. Her books have been named ALA, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year. She is also a vintage fashion obsessive and (very) part-time model.