BRIDGEKEEPER

In Moore’s YA debut, two brothers must come to terms with their inherited psychic powers and track down a killer before he can strike again.

Sixteen-year-old Hapkido black belt Will McCurty and his 20-year-old college student brother, Seth, live with their mother 40 miles outside Kansas City, Missouri. Eight years after their father, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty, their estranged grandmother appears and explains to Will that Seth, like their dad, is a “Bridge”—a human connection between the living and the dead. She goes on to say that Seth must bond with a “Keeper”—someone to protect him and remember what the dead say when they speak through him. It’s only after Will reluctantly agrees that he realizes that their grandma has herself passed on and is manifesting due to Seth’s power. The brothers’ new abilities take some getting used to. One desperate spirit possesses Seth completely, nearly killing Will when he mistakes him for his own murderer. Will, meanwhile, has developed an aura that brings him to the attention of Maureen “Reen” Gardener, his Wicca-practicing classmate and crush; however, the new status quo threatens to come between him and his best friend, Nico. As family friend Uncle Marcus mentors the siblings, they struggle to keep angry spirits at bay, uncover the truth behind a classmate’s disappearance, and bring a killer to justice. Moore relates the story with an assured blend of narrative prose, introspection, and teen-appropriate dialogue. From the outset, Will (the narrator) and Seth demonstrate a strong and endearing fraternal relationship that evokes the Hardy Boys, and their introduction to the supernatural world carries distinct Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? vibes, albeit with a darker edge. Supporting characters Reen, Nico, and Uncle Marcus add a grounding touch by exhibiting personality beyond mere plot function. The story’s antagonists are less nuanced, but this doesn’t detract from the rising sense of peril. Moore doesn’t invest much time in establishing setting, but the generic school environment and recurrent graveyards prove sufficient.

A fast-moving paranormal adventure for teens with heavy themes and an upbeat delivery.