THE VIOLENT SEASON

Is it the town of Wolf Ridge or Wyatt Green who is cursed?

November is always a deadly month in the small town of Wolf Ridge, Vermont—a month when, for decades, murders, suicides, and accidental deaths have taken place. Which leads to the (unanswered) questions: Why does anyone stay, and why are so many residents in denial that there is even a problem? Wyatt believes it is the so-called November Sickness that caused someone to murder her mother last year, and she tries to convince others, including her emotionally absent father, that the sickness is behind November’s high mortality rate. While working on an AP literature project (culminating in a Great Gatsby–style party), Wyatt finds herself in a love triangle she views as Gatsby-esque, between possibly dangerous childhood friend Cash and popular Porter. Wyatt also continues to seek validation that the curse is real. She even reaches out to a Midwestern reporter who wrote an article on Wolf Ridge’s mysterious fatalities. Although initially encouraging, the reporter, who is seeking real-world explanations, later dismisses the November Sickness as an urban legend. Wyatt ultimately must face hard truths if she hopes for real answers. The book sometimes veers into melodrama, and inconsistencies in characters’ motivations and a lack of focus undermine attempts to build tension and may diminish readers’ interest. Main characters default to White.

Unsuccessfully tries to be too many things at once: thriller, psychological drama, and romance.