Book Description 

It’s 1927 and the strict laws of prohibition have done little to temper the roaring ’20s nightlife, even in the nation’s capitol. Everyone knows the booze has never stopped flowing, especially among the rich and powerful, and seventeen-year-old Gertrude and her best friends Clara and Milly are determined to get a taste of freedom and liquor, propriety be damned.

But after sneaking out of the Washington Female Seminary to visit a speakeasy, they return to discover that their controversial young headmistress, Mrs. Rose, has been murdered. 

Reeling from the death of her beloved mentor, Gertrude enlists her friends in her quest to clear Mrs. Rose’s reputation, while trying to keep her own intact. But in Prohibition Washington, it’s impossible to sidestep grifters, bootleggers, and shady federal agents when investigating a murder. And with all the secrets being uncovered, Gertrude is finding it harder and harder to keep her attraction to her best friends hidden.  

A proper, upscale life is all Gertrude has ever known, but murder sure makes a gal wonder: Is all that glitters really gold?

My Review

I saw this book in the New Books section in the YA room at my town library. I didn’t get a chance to read it before the due date (even with renewal), but I was able to borrow the audiobook from Libby. 

This was an interesting historical YA mystery: not only is Gertie trying to solve the murder of her beloved headmistress, but she is also dealing with their sexuality in an era where there was no acceptance or tolerance for homosexuality. 

 In order to explore all possible avenues, Gertie and her friends must venture out to all sorts of establishments completely alien to proper young ladies, but the girls remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice. The mystery element was satisfying, with very few red herrings or false leads. It was more like a pass-the-parcel game wherein unwrapping each layer revealed something different until we finally reached the truth at the bottom.

My one complaint is that Gertie said “ever so” constantly. Not “ever so much” but just “ever so.” Regardless of whether this linguistic quirk reflects the genuine teen slang of the era, it was overused. 

I would recommend Everything Glittered. This is a clever YA historical mystery. I loved the 1920s setting and everything that entailed. Gertie and her friends were likeable and resourceful. There isn’t really much of a romance element per se; the plot element is more about awakening and awareness rather than romance.