HIDDEN CITY

Furlong offers a YA novel that tells the story of a teenage renegade vampire hunter.

The quiet, tree-lined streets of Richmond, Virginia, are a long way from the nonstop excitement of New York City, but as new arrival Stacy Goldman discovers, they’re no less dangerous. She’s accustomed to bullying at school, due to her diminutive, 5-foot stature,and she’s haunted by recent memories of 9/11, the catalyst for her family’s relocation. However, the girl, a chess prodigy, soon discovers that the things that make her distinctive can also be useful for survival. When she impulsively follows a handsome young man from a diner, hoping to get his name, she witnesses a horrific act of violence by what appears to be a vampire. She’s soon drawn into a mystery that stretches back more than a century. Accompanied by her new friends, Finder and Tully—two teens who are well versed in the city’s supernatural secrets—Stacy discovers an otherworldly community that calls Richmond home. Some of the creatures in it are benevolent, but many are bent on destruction and serve a terrifying master informally known as the Man with No Face. Amid the melee of this supernatural city, Stacy also uncovers a group of mortals who, unbeknownst to them, are playing a dangerous game with demonic forces. Soon, Stacy must use her strategizing skills to play a game with very high stakes, indeed. Furlong expertly blends a coming-of-age tale with supernatural elements and plenty of spooky chills and mysteries to keep readers guessing. Stacy is a realistic and appealing protagonist, and readers will become invested as she uses her keen abilities and rescues her equally lovable pals using wit and wisdom that’s well beyond her years. As this is the first book in a series, Furlong does an excellent job of establishing the team as well as developing a frightening atmosphere around the elusive Man with No Face.

An exciting and compulsively readable work about a teen’s empowerment.