Overlong and underthought, it’s a mystery best left unsolved.
A teenage girl is found dead in the local lake. There’s no sign of foul play, but Daniel Byers has a hair-raising experience that causes him to think there’s murder afoot.
When Daniel attends Emily Jackson’s funeral, the last thing he expects to see is her ghost pleading with him to solve her murder. After this supernatural opening, Daniel embarks on a clunky whodunit that scarcely raises the pulse. The key to a good mystery is pacing and stakes, but instead, James provides uninspired melodrama and red herrings to spare. It is never clear why Daniel needs to solve this case, and the hocus-pocus that prods him along comes off as hokey rather than eerie. As sleuths, Daniel and his friend Kyle make for a dull pair. Inane girl troubles and run-of-the-mill family issues are poorly integrated, feeling like padding that distracts from the maniac on the loose. The book’s lone highlight is the ending, when all is revealed in an absurd confrontation that cribs from the best pulp noirs of the 1930s and ’40s. This ending jars with the rest of the book, but the camp on display supplies a much-needed shot in the arm.
Overlong and underthought, it’s a mystery best left unsolved. (Mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: May 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-1477847275
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Skyscape
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills.
A group of teens stranded in a snowstorm discovers a murderer in their midst.
While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills. (Mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-32333-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse.
A coven of problem-solving witches takes on a mission that tests their friendship and bonds.
Witches Anadil, Hester, and Dot are summoned to Red Isle when the animals of the Dark Lands are found starving after sludge kills all the vegetation. Mother Sorastra, the leader of the Dark Lands, confronts Prince Lexius of the neighboring Light Lands, arguing that he’s abusing nature’s gift of raaka, a resource used to power clever inventions. But Prince Lexius blames Mother Sorastra for breaking a truce and causing the pollution. The conflict escalates when citizens of the Light Lands are murdered, and their facial features are erased. Pale, white-haired Anadil, brown-skinned, black-haired Hester, and Dot, who has brown skin and Afro-textured hair, arrive in time to stop the outbreak of war and attempt to solve the mystery of the face-stealing killer. When a coven of witches impersonating the trio appears, Anadil, Hester, and Dot must overcome their bickering and work through hurt feelings in order to band together and bring peace and balance to Red Isle. This graphic novel features cleverly realized characters: Anadil with her team of magical rats, Hester with her pet demon, and Dot with her ability to summon confectionary are memorable leads. The relationship between Anadil and Hester adds a hint of romance to the story, and the environmental themes add real-world relevance. Vivid illustrations with saturated colors create a fantastical backdrop for the fast-paced storyline.
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse. (Graphic fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780062979681
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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