HOMICIDE RELATED

Ryan Dooley returns (Dooley Takes the Fall, 2008), trying to figure out a mystery very close to home: the suspicious death of his estranged mother from an apparent overdose. Ryan, who has been living with his uncle, a retired cop, has his difficulties, what with problems with school, efforts to overcome the troubled time spent with his mother and his attraction to a girl from a privileged background. As he copes with secrets revealed by his mother’s death, a friend from his old life is murdered and there are indications the two deaths may be related, something that keeps the police focused on him and his suddenly secretive uncle. Dooley is an intriguing character, and his attempts to overcome demons from a neglected childhood make compelling reading. However, the plot takes a very long time to unfold, and some of the police interrogations seem pointless. There is some attempt with language to make this gritty and edgy, but the leisurely pace detracts. Patient readers will pull for this resilient teen determined to rise above a tough life. (Mystery. YA)