The posthumous bond formed between the brothers is touching and the mystery a genuine surprise, but too much of the humor...
Curtis receives phone calls from his recently deceased older brother that make him suspect his death may not have been accidental.
Most effective in this unusual and unpredictable paranormal mystery is Curtis and Wilt's poignant family back story, which includes a messy divorce and Curtis’ ADHD and depression diagnoses. As Wilt attempts to acclimate to his new reality in the Aftermart, an endless, Walmart-like store filled with antiquated goods, Curtis puzzles out a host of strange clues—including a wad of money their mother discovered in Wilt's possession shortly before he died. This leads him into a shady underworld of illegal doings, in which he loses his virginity along the way. While Curtis' sarcastic first-person tone can be very funny, one subplot that relies in part on framing various cultures as other for humor isn't so successful. Three teens evidently (and unrealistically suddenly) adopted by Curtis' mother, from Namibia, Cambodia, and India, respectively, exist solely as awkward background characters, incessantly cleaning the apartment, seemingly there for comic relief and as plot device for Curtis’ awakening. (Curtis never describes his own ethnicity and provides no culturally specific narrative clues.)
The posthumous bond formed between the brothers is touching and the mystery a genuine surprise, but too much of the humor falls flat, unnecessarily distancing readers from the tale .(Paranormal mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: April 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9912729-3-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Automatic Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
A quietly compelling story.
Welcome to St. Hilaire, New York, a town that speaks to the dead.
Daniel “Dec” Hampton, still reeling from the deaths of his parents two years ago, feels suffocated by the rules and regulations set forth by the Guild, the authoritarian town council, and anxiously awaits the day he can leave. Russ Griffin, Dec’s best friend, struggles with his mother’s abandonment and desperately wants the coveted spot of Student Leader, a placement that will lead to a permanent Guild position after high school. Talented teen pianist Anastasia Krylova has recently lost her mentor, whose last request is that Annie find the missing portion of the Unfinished Prelude, a composition with an enigmatic history. When fate brings Annie to Dec’s door, the lives of all three teens are upended in unexpected and mysterious ways. How is Annie connected to Tristan, the ghost who occupies Dec’s home—and how is Tristan linked to the Prelude? Will Dec leave St. Hilaire, or will he be trapped here forever? Can Russ pass muster as a medium to gain his place with the Guild? Dec, Russ, and Annie share the first-person narration; each has a distinct voice. Dec’s is angry while Russ’ is brooding and Annie’s is grief-stricken; the story may resonate with readers who have experienced loss. The setting is inspired by Lily Dale, the spiritualist community in upstate New York. All characters are assumed white.
A quietly compelling story. (Paranormal mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6737-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
A treat for fans of Regency tales and stories inspired by classics.
Solicitors Lizzie and Darcy team up in another Austen-flavored mystery.
Jack Mullins, co-owner of a wool storehouse in London, was Lizzie’s first client; three years later, he hires her again. Accompanied by Darcy, Lizzie intends to meet Jack at the storehouse, but upon arrival they find Jack distraught, and the building engulfed in flames. Jack, whose brother dies in the fire, insists that a young woman he spotted on the premises is responsible. Although his story isn’t entirely convincing, Lizzie agrees to investigate. Her leads include both impoverished French refugees and two privileged young women with ties to the country: Leticia Cavendish, who was raised in France, and Josette Beaufort, her half-French cousin, who once turned down Darcy’s proposal of marriage. Unable to confirm puzzling accounts of the Mullinses’ business dealings, Lizzie enlists the Dashwood sisters to help her search the storehouse at night. What they find only adds to the mystery—as does Darcy’s absence. Lizzie sought his help, yet he never showed up. This volume positions Lizzie and Darcy, sturdy survivors of many retellings, as well-chosen protagonists in central roles. While Mr. Bingley and the Dashwoods turn up (and Miss Woodhouse makes a cameo appearance), new characters streamline the action by freeing up creative space in which the intriguing mystery can briskly unfold. Major characters present white.
A treat for fans of Regency tales and stories inspired by classics. (author’s note) (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
ISBN: 9780063278028
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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