[1,543] Rewind my Smile - Chapter 1

Hello! My very first post here. I’ve got a Young Adult thriller (psychological thriller? Perhaps even a mystery-thriller) that I’ve started querying literary agents with but I’m a bit paranoid about my opening chapter now and I know this sub is excellent for deep-dive intense critiques, no holds barred.

I really hope to find a literary agent this year and get this story published. I've workshopped my query letter on /PubTips with Qcrit and I intend to post the first three chapters here to see if they’re good enough. Do be as nit-picky as possible!

One sentence blurb (spoilered if you'd rather dive in blind):

!After lying during an interrogation about the death of his childhood friend’s mother, 18-year old Zach must uncover family secrets to prove his innocence, all while his childhood friend chases him for a confession.!<

Link to first chapter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wZlWpsRyS15Q2tAViLzD0YQSBvCnh6cyeoG3fOlEkjo/edit?usp=sharing

Some questions it may be especially helpful to have feedback on:

• What is the hook for you?
• Is the voice coming through enough?
• What do you think has happened?
• Would this specifically put you off reading further?
• Where does the story seem to be heading?
• Would you read on?
• Does this work in present tense?

Crit:

[1927] Rumor Has It

Thanks ever so much.