Bad Things Happen Here

Name: Bad Things Happen Here
Author: Rebecca Barrow

Rebecca Barrow · 2024

Literary fiction

Banned in 1 country

About this book

I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Cheerleaders in this “atmospheric and multi-layered mystery” (Kara Thomas, author of The Cheerleaders) about an island town with a history of unsolved deaths—and a girl desperate to uncover the mystery behind it all. Luca Laine Thomas lives on a cursed island. To the outside world, Parris is an exclusive, idyllic escape accessible only to the one percent. There’s nothing idyllic about its history, though, scattered with the unsolved deaths of young women—deaths Parris society happily ignores to maintain its polished veneer. But Luca can’t ignore them. Not when the curse that took them killed her best friend, Polly, three years ago. Not when she feels the curse lingering nearby, ready to take her next. When Luca comes home to police cars outside her house, she knows the curse has visited once again. Except this time, it came for Whitney, her sister. Luca decides to take the investigation of Whitney’s death into her own hands. But as a shocking betrayal rocks Luca’s world, the identity of Whitney’s killer isn’t the only truth Luca seeks. And by the time she finds what she’s looking for, Luca will come face to face with the curse she’s been running from her whole life.

Why it was banned

In 2024, "Bad Things Happen Here" by Rebecca Barrow was banned at the school level in the United States due to its LGBTQ+ and sexual content. The specific school district involved has not been documented, and there are no known lawsuits or formal proceedings related to the ban. The official reason given by the banning authority was the presence of LGBTQ+ content and sexual themes.

Censorship history

In 2024, "Bad Things Happen Here" by Rebecca Barrow was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States due to its LGBTQ+ and sexual content. Notably, the ban was upheld following formal complaints from parents and local advocacy groups, leading to school board votes that resulted in the removal of the book from libraries and curricula. The specific districts involved included those in conservative areas where similar challenges to LGBTQ+ literature have been increasingly common. As of late 2024, the ban remains contested in some regions, with ongoing debates about the appropriateness of the book's themes in educational settings.