A nasty ghost, a photography-savvy teen and her stressed, uncommunicative family form the backbone of this all-too-predictable, though at times engaging, mystery. Pink-haired high-school misfit Alexis has built up a shield of disdain to the point that she is essentially friendless. Her parents are so self-absorbed they haven’t noticed that their younger daughter, Kasey, is exhibiting increasingly bizarre behavior, including an obsession with dolls that has alienated her peers. Worried that her sibling is going mad, Alexis is moved to accept the help of two unlikely candidates—an unflappable cutie who continues his pursuit of her despite her initial rebuff and a cheerleader who has recognized that Kasey’s oddness is not mental illness, but a case of supernatural possession. Strong characterization will draw readers in. Despite their realistic shortcomings, both primary and secondary characters are unique and satisfyingly complex. The plotting, however, is less effective. A selection of horror tropes—from spooky dolls to small-town secrets—fails to come to life, and the final healing of rifts in the girls’ family seems contrived. (Supernatural thriller. 13 & up)
