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A peaceful death is something we all take for granted, but if you can see a death echo, a body's connection to the person or creature that ended its life prematurely, you know all too well how many deaths are far from peaceful. In Kimberly Derting's Dead Silence, Violet's life has taken a very violent turn.
It was bad enough that Violet lived her life stumbling upon dead bodies, animal and otherwise, but when she was taken by a serial killer, her last resort was to kill him, leaving her with her own death echo connecting her to his life which she took. She can't help but think it was all connected to the team, and that without them, she never would have had to kill a man in self-defense. As she learns to cope with her new life, she stumbles upon the journals of her grandmother, the woman from whom her gift of sensing the echoes came from. It is in these journals that Violet begins to uncover the truth of her team and the people pulling their strings- a dangerous truth.
Meanwhile, she is drawn into another series of imprints that lead her to a family brutally slaughtered in their home. Unable to ignore the imprints, she finds the bodies and must rely on her team for help. It is through this case, one that involves a missing teenaged girl, Violet's childhood friend as the primary suspect, and more murders piling up, that Violet begins to look carefully at her own life and her own gift. But more than anything, Violet wants to keep those she loves safe, and when you can't stop finding murderers, it is hard to feel safe anywhere you go.
I was really surprised in the last book when Violet's involvement with the team took a turn for the worst. I actually really liked the idea of the team, so it was hard to think of it as a bad thing, but in this installment, we get to see a lot of the politics and history behind it, making the team a fascinating, morally ambiguous group that you can't get enough of. While I think four books would have been tough without the team, its presence gives a whole new dimension to Violet and her ability. And what a terrifying ability to have! I am glad Derting has added this level of sophistication to the story, as it has certainly held my interest and then some! In fact, although I am fairly certain this is the final book in the series, I would love if she would just keep going with it! There is so much more to be done with the team and Violet's personal life (Oh, I love Jay).
This is a good series for many readers. It is interesting, mature at times, and the series doesn't ever dull. I would give this series to a number of different kinds of students, in particular older readers interested in true crime or mild supernatural stories. Derting creates realistic, skeptical characters who aren't afraid to question authority, a quality I whole-heartedly appreciate! So, please, Ms. Derting, Give. Us. MORE!
We have all imagined what it would be like to have a gift- telepathy, psychokinesis, teleportation... those are some gifts I wouldn't mind test-driving! But Violet in Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series has a gift i can thin we would all agree is more "curse" than "gift". The Last Echo shows just how much of a curse Violet's ability to see death echoes- imprints on the murdered and their murderers- can be.
After Violet's second run-in with a murderer who didn't like the fact that she could identify them, she is approached by a team of kids just like her... well, not none have her exact "gift", but they have gifts of their own. They have gifts that help them solve unsolvable crimes. The police don't exactly know how they do it, but their handler, Sara, organizes them and sends them where they are needed. She also provides access to a therapist since finding murdered people and their murderers isn't exactly soothing on the soul.
Having people who understand her abilities certainly helps Violet, but she is torn between her partner, Rafe, and her boyfriend, Jay. Both know about her ability, but Rafe knows more about what Violet is going through, and her new job is driving a wedge between her and Jay. When a serial killer starts abducting women, the team is used to find his latest victims. As the bodies of young women start piling up, it begins to affect Violet more than she cares to admit. And the killer isn't about to stop. Not until he gets what he wants... But can the team stop him before he sets his sights on someone a little too close to home?
The Last Echo has just as much excitement and intrigue as the first two books, but the inner turmoil in the main characters has increased exponentially. You really see how the death echoes take their toll not only on her psyche, but also on her relationships with friends and family. It was a necessary development for Violet's character, and I am glad Derting went there. I also love the other members of the team. They are a great addition to the story and seem to level Violet out throughout the story. This book really had all the realistic (serial killer) and supernatural (gifts) creepiness rolled into one interesting package.
This is a great series for a wide range of students. The serial killer stuff was pretty creepy, but I dare you to find a serial killer who isn't. Actually, I thought the murder plot in the second book was a little weak, so this book really brought back the original creepiness. The thing is, I thought this was going to be the last in the series (the title The Last Echo might have had something to do with that), but I warn you, if this is the last book in the series, you aren't going to be happy! Derting had better be planning on a fourth book with the way she leaves this one off!
