THE DEAD AND BURIED

Harrington returns to the genre of Lois Duncan with spine-chilling results.

Jade Kelley, 17 named for one of the gemstones her deceased jewelry-setter mother collected, is thrilled that her family (father, stepmother and younger stepbrother, Colby) is finally moving from its rural surroundings to the bustle of the Boston suburbs. Their new home definitely offers more activity—paranormal activity that is. An instant source of gossip at school, Jade discovers that the most popular girl, Kayla Sloane, died from unnatural causes—a push down the stairs—the previous year in the same home her family purchased. Although never charged, the prime suspect has always been emo artist Donovan, Kayla’s last boyfriend and the same guy Jade finds attractive. When Kayla takes possession of Colby’s body and demands to know her killer, Jade must solve the mystery. In this first-person page turner, it’s soon clear that underneath Kayla’s beauty and intelligence was a coldhearted manipulator whom many would have liked to have seen out of the way. Plenty of red herrings keep the story lively and fast-paced. Although excerpts from Kayla’s secret diary offer clues along the way, readers will keep trying to guess the real murderer until the final pages. Jade’s inherited interest in gems adds another layer of appeal and a way to deal with her unresolved grief.

Downright, satisfyingly creepy.