Body Finder Meets Criminal Minds

Nothing is more terrifying than a serial killer hunting in your back yard. Well, maybe a horde of zombies, but one is more likely than the other. In Jennifer Lynn Barnes' first book of a new series, The Naturals, she explores the desperation of the FBI to catch these brutal hunters, even if it means she has to enlist the help of some kids.

Cassie knows her grandmother loves her, but after her fake-psychic mother was murdered and Cassie was the one to stumble upon the crime scene, living with her grandmother has always left her feeling like an outsider. When she is approached by a boy sent by the FBI to consider entering a special program of other Naturals, she assumes they are just messing with her. But the offer is real. There is a special group of kids who are Natural profilers, genius statisticians, and human lie detectors who can swing the result of any investigation. They aren't allowed into the field, but the agents house them in an old mansion and ask them to review cold cases in the hopes of solving previously unsolvable crimes.

Michael brings her around to meet the other kids, but while he is welcoming, the others aren't exactly interested in her presence. They all live in a house with pictures of serial killers on the walls, but that isn't even the strangest thing about the place. Liv can read lies and Sloane is like Rain Man (and a klepto). But mysterious Dean is the unreadable member of the team. The agents want to ease Cassie into the process, but when a serial killer starts hunting in the middle of the city, they get desperate. The kids aren't willing to stay on the sidelines, though, and their meddling gets them, Cassie in particular, the attention of the one person they don't want: the serial killer.

The Naturals was my first experience with Barnes, and I have to say it was definitely a good one! The story was a nice mix of slightly paranormal (the kids' "natural talents" feel a little like special abilities) and a crime mystery. The serial killer is a pretty creepy twist with special short chapters between Cassie's chapters where you get inside the killer's head. Creeptastic! Barnes did a good job of building enough suspense that you couldn't put the story down, and better yet, it seems we will have a sequel to look forward to. The one aspect of the story I struggled with was the boys. Michael and Dean are supposed to be the Cassie Love Triangle, but neither really appealed to me. I was more interested in quirky Liv and Sloane than I was the boys, which made it tough to be too invested in the small amount of romance in the story. But Dean has a promising back story that could get interesting.

The story can be kind of gruesome at times. Basically, if you would let a kid watch Criminal Minds, they could read this book about these serial killers. The house the kids live in is a little morbid, but it adds to the creep factor of the whole place. The story was fast-paced and incredibly interesting, so it would be good for any reader interested in mysteries or crime writing. I am looking forward to the next story  to see what happens to all the Naturals!

A Venomous Past

Serial Killers aren't a new phenomenon, they are just more commonly talked about. So, is it hard to imagine the dark dealings that may be going on in the shadows of a city like Venice? In Fiona Paul's new series, The Secrets of the Eternal Rose, she explores the mystery of murders only a young girl is willing to investigate.

Cass lives the life of any other Venetian girl of means: she waits to be married off so she can become a proper wife. The only problem is her fiance, Luca, is a terrible bore. When her friend succumbs to an illness and dies, Cass has a hard time dealing with the loss, especially after having lost both her parents. At night she slips out of her house to visit her parents' graves, and when she does so to visit her friend, she finds the body has been replaced by another body- one that certainly doesn't belong there and certainly did not meet a peaceful end. With a giant X carved into her chest, the girl clearly met an ugly ending. Terrified, Cass leaves the crypt and bumps into a man named Falco. She should be scared of any guy wandering the graveyard at night, but there is something about Falco she finds intriguing. When he agrees to help her investigate the girl in the crypt, Cass finds herself with a new partner in crime.

Together, Cass and Falco delve into the seediest areas of Venice, places Falco is clearly comfortable with but that Cass has never experienced. Throughout their investigation, Cass finds herself drawn to him in ways a proper engaged girl shouldn't be thinking about a man who isn't her betrothed. Of course, she isn't exactly proper as she escapes into the night in her nightgown with a strange man to hunt down a murderer. Cass's connection with Falco makes her forget just how dangerous what they are doing truly is, but the shadows of Venice can only stay hidden for so long. 

I had actually started this book a while ago and put it down only a few pages into it because I just wasn't in the mood for historical fiction, and I am really glad I did, because when I finally did read it, I really enjoyed it. Good historical fiction doesn't get bogged down with too many specifics of the time period, but rather allows them to come out naturally through the progression of a really good plot. That was how this story was. It had a great pace, a solid story, and it really kept me intrigued right to the last page. In fact, I really loved how the whole setting developed around the plot. 

Sometimes I was a little annoyed with Cass, especially with her volleying feelings about Falco and Luca. There were times when it felt like her feelings went from one guy to the other six times before the end of a page. It was so frustrating! But in the end, I was surprised but not displeased with where the story left her between the two men. It left me wanting to come back for more and check out the next book in the series. The story deals with some ugly parts of the time period (prostitution, lack of police protection, murder, indentured servants, etc.) and might be better for older readers. But if you have a younger student who is a strong reader and enjoys historical fiction, this is for you! 

A Game is Never Just a Game

If you are raised by a serial killer, taught his ways, and everything you learned as a child had something to do with maiming and dismembering, do you think there would be a chance you could turn out normal? For Jasper Dent, that is the question that haunts every thought in his head and every decision he makes. Game by Barry Lyga is the chilling sequel to I Hunt Killers where the Dent family has even more to worry about than a psychopathic father.

Jasper (Jazz) can't help blame himself for the deaths of the guards when his father, Billy Dent, the most notorious serial killer you can imagine, escaped from jail. He didn't know that moving his grandmother's birdbath for Billy would set off a chain reaction that sprung his father from jail. Now Billy is on the loose. But when an NYC officer comes to Lobo's Nod to find Jazz, there is more to worry about than just Billy. New York is being terrorized by a serial killer that is so scattered in his method, the police are finding it impossible to get any leads on him. The Hat-Dog killer's only calling card is he etches either a Hat or a Dog into his victims when he leaves their bodies to be found, but there is no rhyme or reason for who gets which tag. And no victimology fits any one hunting pattern. This killer is a mystery, but even worse, he is brutal. His victims know the face of true evil.

Jazz is reluctant at first to get involved. After the Impressionist stalked him in an effort to become the next Billy Dent, Jazz has absolutely no interest in putting the ones he loves in danger. But when he looks at the evidence, he realizes his unique knowledge might be the thing to catch Hat-Dog. Being inside a serial killer's brain isn't easy, but if Jazz can use it to catch another killer, he is willing to take that risk. Unfortunately, all that time in the head of a killer brings Jazz's own concerns and thoughts to the undeniable surface. The closer he gets to the surface, the more Jazz worries about his own proclivities. And this killer isn't easy to crack. But there is more than what is on the surface that should scare Jazz- Billy is still out there.

This series is simply phenomenal. It is gruesome, exciting, and heart-wrenching. The serial killers themselves are a Mind Hunter's dream and nightmare all rolled into one. You can't believe how Jazz comes to the conclusions he does, but then again, you can't imagine being the son of a serial killer. And that is the true heart of this story. Jazz. He is so tormented by his father that even getting physically intimate with the girl he loves is terrifying, because serial killers almost always have a sexual need that motivates their killing. Getting in the head of this boy is so fascinating and heartbreaking, it makes you wish you could save him from himself. He wants so badly to be a good person, but the ghosts of his father's lessons huants him more than the actual killers themselves.

But there is something to be said for an amazing support network. And Jazz certainly has one. Between his girlfriend Connie and his hemophiliac (and consequently very delicate) best friend Howie, Jazz has people who love him and will do anything to help and protect him. Of course that love leads to even more danger, but the idea that they would do anything for Jazz is really incredible. They even carry their own demons regarding Jazz's family (Howie beats himself up about how he could spend so much time with Jazz and NOT know the truth about Billy), but that makes them even more amazing. They know everything, but they still love Jazz enough to do anything for him. It is Connie and Howie who make Jazz human, and you can't help but love them for it.

This is a great story for anyone who likes murder mysteries, is a fan of "Dexter", or just loves a good story, because you would be crazy if you didn't think Lyga could write. Man, that boy can write! Barry Lyga knows characters, he can write a plot that keeps you guessing until the last possible second, and he never ceases to shock you (which is pretty hard considering the books are about gruesome serial killers). This is a great series for an older reader who needs something to grab their attention and HOLD it! But the way it ends? Oh lord. How could you do this to me Mr. Lyga? I am dying over here!!

My Divine Intervention

The mind of Libba Bray must be like a creeptastic wonderland full of so many ingenius scenarios. Each book she writes is so different from the last, so my start with The Diviners was a journey where everything was unexpected. And that was what made it so wonderful.

After her parlor tricks got her in trouble back home, Evie O'Neill was sent to live with her uncle Will in NYC. Taking it as the beginning of her rise to fame and fabulousness, Evie is excited for the move to the big and beautiful city. What she didn't realize was that Uncle Will's Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult was the laughing stock of the city and dubbed the Museum of "Creepy Crawlies". But never one to give up or fail to spin things her way, Evie isn't disappointed by the Creepy Crawlies- she is going to take NYC by storm.

When a serial killer begins leaving mutilated bodies around the city, Uncle Will is consulted by the local police. Evie, the ever-thinking young woman that she is, knows how to spin this to save the museum and rocket herself into the spotlight. When she begins to give exclusive interviews to a reporter, she makes sure he mentions the museum, and of course, photographs her on her good side. But the Pentacle Killer has escalated and there are no clues as to who he might be, only more and more carnage left in his wake. The truth of the killer might be too "out there" to believe, but Evie and the rest of the Creepy Crawly crew aren't afraid of the unexplainable... they live to explain it!

I don't really think my description of this book does it justice. In fact, I think it makes the book seem a lot lighter than it truly is, so please know this is a very, very creepy period piece. The murders are really gruesome, and I don't want to give anything away, because the book is best enjoyed with an element of surprise, but you will certainly be creeped out when they get to the bottom of the pentacle killer. I think this book might appeal to both horror fans and historical fiction fans, but it is quite long and might discourage a struggling reader. Despite it's size, it reads like a 200 page novel- you will blow right through it. So if you know a reader who needs a spunky heroine and a creepy story, you should think about the Diviners.

One thing I think might divide readers is the main character, Evie. She is bold, brash at times, self-serving, and headstrong. She acts without thinking, which puts her and her friends in danger over and over again. I can see how this might be totally grating for some readers. And yes, she can be impetuous and annoying, but there is also something charming and funny about how she acts before she thinks. I think if you go into her character thinking she is obnoxious, the book  is going to be tough to get through, but if you see her as a willful young woman, you will enjoy her more. The supporting characters in this book are really fun and will make the story even more dynamic than the story with just Evie. 

But this setting is also something to pique your interest. The language, slang, and jargon can be novel at first, but it helps you to feel like you have been submersed int he time period along with the characters. For many students who live in their bubbles without much thought to times long past, I love a fun period piece that takes a historical time and combines it with an exciting story. And this book has it in spades!

Last Doesn't Always Mean Finale

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!

Dexter Meets Seven

There is nothing scarier than a serial killer.  Sure, monsters and demons are scary enough, but serial killers are out there right now, free to do as they wish. At least the monsters and demons are only a figment of my imagination. Now imagine growing up with that serial killer as your father... having a serial killer teach you his "trade". That horror is unimaginable... until Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers.

Jazz just wants to be a normal kid, but there is no chance of normalcy when you are Billy Dent's son. Billy Dent has killed well over 100 people and is currently serving multiple life sentences with no hope of every getting out again. He taught his son well, but Jazz doesn't want to follow in Dear Old Dad's footsteps. Instead, he wants to just live his life and forget the world he was brought into. That isn't so easy when Child Protective Services wants to place him in foster care, he lives with his lunatic grandmother, and his only friend is a hemophiliac who bleeds with a simple sneeze.

When a dead girl is found in a field, Jazz knows it has the signs of serial killer, but the cops won't listen to him. The sheriff who caught his father is patient with Jazz, but he still doesn't want him near the crime scene or the evidence. But Jazz can't help himself. He knows there will be more bodies. When the bodies start piling up, the crimes look awfully similar to those of Billy Dent's earlier murders... and to the town where the serial killer lived, there is only one person who can follow in his footsteps. Jazz knows he must find the killer, not only to prove to everyone that it isn't him, but also to prove to himself that he isn't a monster like Dear Old Dad.

If you like the show "Dexter", you will like this story. It has the boundary crossing of being a serial killer and hunting a serial killer where the hunter and the hunted are eerily similar. I really loved Jazz because he desperately doesn't want to be the monster his father raised him as, but he is afraid all those years of brainwashing may have paid off. His only way to use that disturbing knowledge usefully is to find this killer before anyone else dies. He also feels somewhat responsible because he should be able to stop "his father's" crimes this second time around. Jazz is a complex character and the reader will find themselves wanting to protect him from everything he has lived through. But what impresses me the most are Jazz's girlfriend and best friend who both know his history and still care about him. They keep him as normal as possible and in Jazz's mind, the love for another person is what keeps him from ever becoming a monster. It was a lovely addition to this grim murder mystery. Finally, the sheriff who caught Billy is almost like a surrogate father figure for Jazz, caring about him and watching out for him. This book is full of complex relationships and characters that keep you from knowing what is around the corner, and I really appreciated that.

This book is certainly gruesome with the murders and dismemberment, etc. While the active serial killer is bad enough, the descriptions of Billy Dent's murders are the most gory. Not to mention the very existence of this "super killer" who knew how to defy all police expectations makes me pretty terrified! Billy Dent will give you nightmares, no doubt about it! I think this is a book for your typical high school student rather than a younger reader because some of the content is pretty bloody, but more importantly, the characters and relationships are so complex, a less mature reader will get lost in the intriguing ambiguity. The writing style is highly accessible and exciting, and this would most likely be a great book even for an adult who is interested in serial killer stories and murder mysteries. But I caution, this might not be the book for the feint of heart! And, just to warn you, the very, very end of the book will leave you hanging in a way you won't believe (and that will keep you looking out your window and behind the shower curtain!).

Let Yourself Find the Body FInder- You won't Be Sorry!

Not only does The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sport a beautiful cover, but it is a story you simply cannot put down. With great characters, a suspenseful plot line, and a girl with a gift she wishes she could be rid of, this book is one you won't soon forget.

Violet has an ability that haunts her each and every day: she can see echoes of murdered bodies and imprints on the people who killed them. This ranges from animals her cat hunts in the night, to military personnel or police officers who have killed in the line of duty, to the serial killer who has ravaged her small town by abducting young women. Imprints can be a smell, a taste, a color, or even a sound that connects the body to its killer. When Violet finds the first body the serial killer has left, she is haunted by the fact that she is the only person who can identify the killer.

Violet's best friend Jay has grown up a lot over the summer, and the girls at school, Violet included, are looking at him differently. Jay knows Violet's secret and will go to any length to protect her. When Violet is determined to find the imprints that match the dead girls' echoes, Jay reluctantly tags along to protect her. What she finds, however, is something she never bargained for. It looks like the two bodies and the missing girl are only the latest in this killer's long history.

This book is everything good about YA wrapped up in one book. You have the supernatural element with Violet's ability to sense bodies, the suspense with the serial killer who is stalking young girls, and you have the most adorable romance between Jay and Violet. When Derting first started describing Jay, all I could think was this boy was too good to be true. I was really worried he was going to be somehow linked to the killers (He's Not!). But as the story continues, you just grow to adore Jay. His desire to protect Violet and her obliviousness to his feelings for her make for an exciting romance, especially since it takes so long for Violet to figure out how he feels about her. This story would have been good with any one element of the story, like the suspense, the ability, or the romance, but put them all together and you have a real page-turner!

The story has some violence, but it isn't graphic by any means. Neither is the romance between the two lead characters. The reading level is moderate. The book would be appropriate for a mature middle school student to a high school student. The story is gripping from page 1, so this is a great book for a student who has been struggling to stick with a book or really get hooked on one. Overall, this is a fantastic story, and your summer would be better for having read it! Just be happy you don't share Violet's ability- talk about creepy!