The title and cover design interested me right away, and after reading the sample pages, readers are sure to sense that the brief mention of the headmaster's list -a limited list of special students for whom the headmaster will do a unique favor- is definitely *not* the last that readers will hear of this list. This novel's inciting incident is totally realistic- summer time partying before the start of the new school year gets out of hand. Tragic stories fill the screens of online news, so the car crash and a fatality are very believable, especially since the four students in this book's car were navigating through twisting canyons of Southern California.Varying chapter styles, a combination of podcast transcriptions from a duo of gossip-style hosts, police reports, and standard narration help to move the plot forward quickly and maintain a reader's interest. Ethan Amoroso, the wealthy hot-shot guy with an attitude of entitlement, is used to getting his way; this not only sounds like some contemporary stories in the news but also sounds like a potential villain. In addition, bff Olivia who visits gal pal Spencer in the hospital seems a little suspicious. I can't quite put my finger on why, but that makes me want to read this book.