Margot Mertz for the Win

Ages 14 And Up, Grades 9 And Up

Veronica Mars meets Moxie in the hilarious and thought-provoking sequel to Margot Mertz Takes it Down.

Margot faces senior year working on a campaign for local election while helping a fellow student run for class president—but when a mysterious blackmail plot emerges, and a loathesome opponent rises in the class race, Margot might have to return to the cleanup job she thought she’d left behind.

It’s senior year. And Margot’s on a mission to be a better Margot. Which means saying goodbye to her old cleanup ways—and their inherent moral ambiguities— and saying hello to… more yoga maybe? (Probably not, Margot hates exercise.) 

To fill her time and round out her college application, Margot volunteers for Shep Green’s state senate campaign and, in a twist, finds she actually enjoys being part of a team. She loves her new boss/mentor, Priya. And of course it doesn’t hurt that the candidate is Avery Green’s dad. Yes, Avery and Margot are just friends, but it’s still nice to see his too perfect face from time to time.  

Meanwhile at Roosevelt High, Margot finds herself roped into a second election, this one for school president. Melanie Davis is running against one of the monsters who created the revenge porn site Margot took down last year. Needless to say, Margot is #TeamMelanie.  

With Margot rocking both campaigns and maybe even making friends, it seems like she’s well on her way to being a better person. But when Priya asks her to look into an anonymous email threatening Shep Green, one that could potentially torpedo his entire election, Margot finds herself slipping back into her old habits.  

She’s tried to keep her hands clean. But politics is a dirty job. 

Story Locale:upstate NY

About the Author

Carrie McCrossen is a writer (The New Yorker's Daily Shouts, Funny or Die), an actor (Divorce, Adam Ruins Everything), and a longtime performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

Ian McWethy is a playwright whose plays have been performed in over fifty countries and are routinely among the top ten most produced one-acts in the US.

This is Carrie and Ian's debut novel. And thanks to years of counseling, it did not destroy their marriage.

You can visit Carrie online at carriemccrossen.com or follow her on Twitter @CarrieMcCrossen.

You can visit Ian online at ianmcwethy.com or follow him on Twitter at @IanMcWethy.

Author Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Author Hometown: New York, NY (also Rochester, NY and Arlington, VA)