PHOEBE DOUSE

A teenager with supernatural abilities uncovers secrets and threats at a Scotland school in this second installment of a YA paranormal series.

Having discovered a secret society at The Murray School, Phoebe Douse may know too much. She tries fleeing Britain for her Texas home, but she finds herself the target of rogue members of the society, called S3A2. She manages to stay alive with assistance from her clairvoyance, a couple of schoolmates, and the Fadrix, a mysterious orb that communicates with her via helpful but somewhat cryptic advice. She and her friend Renaud Bertrand ultimately deem it safest to head back to the school. Things are quiet for a spell until a menace whom Phoebe faced before becomes a threat once again, notwithstanding his imprisonment. Meanwhile, a missing student returns with nary an explanation and, surprisingly, hinders the romantic feelings Phoebe may be harboring for Renaud. Phoebe already knows that her cherished grandmother Naan had a strong tie to S3A2. But the teen fears that an unexpected familial connection could put her or her friends in further danger. As this story starts right after the events of the first installment, the opening is exhilarating. Strangers are after Phoebe, who summons a coded message, leading to clues in a safe-deposit box. The book subsequently slows down back at The Murray School, but perils, like kidnappers on campus, are constant. Samuels’ concise prose establishes the titular hero as a resilient girl who, despite her remarkable powers, doesn’t rely solely on supernatural abilities. This leads to an effective cliffhanger, which should have readers hankering for the final volume in the trilogy. Crisp black-and-white illustrations by the author open each chapter, though some boast so much detail that it’s disappointing they don’t have their own full pages.

A thoroughly absorbing plot makes this an exceptional paranormal sequel.