Tiffany D. Jackson has something special for Middle Grade readers who enjoy her work. She has written a new book, called Blood In The Water, with them in mind.
Inspiration to target a different audience came to Tiffany after learning many tweens read her books.
“I never wanted to step into the middle grade world,” Jackson tells Publisher’s Weekly. “I didn’t think I had the skill for it,” she adds. “But I was excited to take on the challenge when I realized that a lot of middle grade readers were reading my books, and I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I should write something for y’all.’”
Blood In The Water follows Kaylani who is sent to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer. Kaylani’s family hopes the change in scenery will help the tween gain a new perspective and move past the grief of her father’s incarceration. The Brooklyn native is in for more than she signed up for, however, as the body of a teen is found in the water just outside the mansion Kaylani is residing in during her school break. The youngster and her new friends refuse to let such a devastating event go without an investigation of their own. What secrets will they unearth?
Some authors attempt to write Middle Grade books without asking for input from veterans in the field. Tiffany D. Jackson embraced input from fellow Middle Grade authors when creating the storyline for Blood In The Water.
“I kept saying, don’t be afraid to tell me I suck,” Jackson says of her requests for feedback. “I spoke to different middle grade authors to ask, ‘What do you do that’s different? What am I missing? Am I doing too much?’ It did sometimes feel that way. It was more dialing back exactly what I do already.”
Jackson’s editor, Aimee Friedman, thinks the “dialing back” and “doing too much” gets the story just right. “I love how this book is a totally juicy, immersive, classic kind of murder mystery, but also feels contemporary and fresh,” Friedman shares. “And the story also explores themes of race and class and history in really captivating ways.”
Blood In The Water makes its debut on July 1, 2025.