Don’t Print This by Monica Chin has such a strong hook: a missing investigative journalist, anonymous threats, buried town secrets, and one warning that immediately grabs your attention:
WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE. STOP DIGGING.
The story follows Ace Li, who has spent years trying to rebuild himself after his best friend, Akash Patel, kissed him and then disappeared from his life without a word. Ace has finally found stability again through his routines: swimming, protein shakes, debate, and keeping his feelings under control.
Then Akash comes back.
But he isn’t just returning to reopen old wounds. His mother, Radhika Malhotra, a world-famous investigative journalist, is missing — and she was last seen in Ace’s town. When Ace discovers notes about what Radhika had been investigating, he starts following the trail himself. The deeper he digs, the more dangerous things become, especially once he starts receiving anonymous threats telling him to stop.
I really liked the premise of this book. The mystery had a lot of promise, especially with the missing journalist angle, the threatening messages, and the idea that exposing the truth could have consequences for an entire town. I love stories where one person starts pulling at a thread and realizes the secret is much bigger than they expected.
That said, I wanted more of the mystery and thriller elements.
For me, the story leaned more heavily into Ace’s heartbreak, his complicated feelings for Akash, and the rekindling of their relationship. That emotional storyline makes sense for Ace’s character, especially given how deeply Akash’s disappearance affected him. But I personally found myself wanting the investigation, danger, and suspense to take up more space.
The anonymous messages, the missing journalist, and the secrets surrounding Radhika’s investigation were the parts that pulled me in most. I wanted more tension, more twists, and more of that thriller feeling where every clue makes things worse instead of clearer.
Still, the book had an interesting setup, emotional stakes, and a strong central conflict. Ace’s struggle between protecting the stable life he has built and chasing the truth gave the story weight. I also liked the question at the heart of the book: how much are you willing to risk for the truth — and for someone you still care about?
Overall, Don’t Print This was an entertaining read with a compelling premise. I just wish the mystery had been pushed further and given more room to shine alongside the romance.
I’d recommend this one to readers who enjoy YA stories with romance, emotional tension, missing-person mysteries, anonymous threats, and characters caught between old feelings and dangerous truths.
Rating: 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐✨
About the book:
Genre: YA Mystery
Publishing date: September 22, 206
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Rep: Chinese, Asian, biracial, queer, LGBT+, disability, deaf/HoH, Ehlers-Danlos
Synopsis:
WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE. STOP DIGGING.
Freshman year, Ace Li kissed his best friend, Akash Patel. The next day, Akash moved away without a word―and Ace was so brokenhearted he stopped eating.
It took years for Ace to recover, but he’s finally stable again. Ace drinks his protein shakes, swims every morning, and might even win the debate competition this year. He’s good. He’s forgotten that kiss―at least, that’s what he tells himself. Then Ace hears the news: Akash is back.
Akash has returned because his mother, the world-famous investigative journalist Radhika Malhotra, is missing, and she was last seen in this town. Ace tries to stay away, but the second he sees Akash, the feelings he’s suppressed bubble back to the surface. Then Ace happens upon some notes―notes about what Akash’s mother was investigating. If he retraces her steps, he might be able to find her. And if he does, maybe Akash will give him another chance.
As Ace follows Radhika’s trail, his stable life begins to crumble. He stops eating, and he starts receiving threatening, anonymous messages. If he goes public with what happened to Radhika and why, his entire town will have to pay the consequences. Winning Akash’s heart might cost Ace everything, but maybe that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.
Content Warning: toxic relationship, violence, murder, toxic friendship
Meet the author:
I’m an award-winning journalist, editor, and writing instructor whose work has appeared in publications including The Verge and Business Insider. All pronouns are acceptable.
I grew up in Lakeville, Connecticut, known locally as “the middle of the woods.” I graduated from Brown University with honors in Literary Arts/Creative Writing, and have worked as a technology and business journalist ever since. My work has brought me to New York City, back to Lakeville, and then to South Korea, where I currently reside with my partner and cat. Along the way, I’ve anchored news for KBS World Radio and appeared as a regular voice on tech podcasts and panels.
Don’t Print This, a queer YA mystery from Page Street YA, is my debut novel. The story grew out of many things: a lifelong passion for children’s literature, a newfound appreciation for my rural upbringing after a decade of big city life, and years inside newsrooms, where I came to deeply value the necessity—but also the costs—of telling the truth.