WHEN THEY FADE

Canadian author Roberts delivers a modern ghost story.

Tatum is a typical teen living in a small town just outside of Seattle. But lately, the white girl has been painted by virtually everyone in town as neurotic, a sociopath, and a liar, all thanks to her lifelong BFF, who let Tatum take the fall for her dangerous secret. Molly is also a white teen…but she died 40 years ago, not long after Woodstock. Molly now haunts the road and field where she was brutally murdered, hitchhiking and sharing her premonitions with the drivers who stop to give her rides before she fades away. She “sees” Tatum’s upcoming murder and for once, can’t just fade…she needs to find a way to help Tatum survive. For her part, Tatum feels the need to help Molly cross over, trying to discover what’s holding her in limbo. As these two disparate girls who have so much in common struggle to bridge the gap between their two incredibly different planes of existence, their determination to help each other gives them the courage to change the worlds they live in. Each girl’s story unfolds in interwoven narratives, Molly’s in the first person and Tatum’s in the third, making one seamless tale that is both beautiful and haunting. Once read, these characters and their respective mysteries will linger.

A satisfying read that tackles heavy issues and is never weighed down by them.