Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen romance, ghost mix in serial-killer/coming-of-age tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
High school senior Maggie Larsen, currently homeschooled, is working hard at not being high-maintenance for her parents as the family goes through major life changes. Formerly a highly paid bank executive in Chicago, her mom has been forced to take the only job she could find, in a small Wisconsin town on the shores of Lake Michigan. To studious, driven Maggie, it's only a bump in the road until she gets to college, lands a high-paying job, and never leaves the city again. But soon Maggie and her parents have new things to worry about, starting with the serial killer who's murdering local teen girls and terrifying the town. Maggie makes new friends in her neighbors, rich-girl Pauline and poor-boy Liam, who've been inseparable pals since childhood, leading to a complex relationship. Meanwhile, a nameless ghost whose relationship to all this isn't clear -- even to itself -- hovers over the action.
Is It Any Good?
This won't be every teen girl's dish, but the mix of heartfelt teen romance, ghost story, serial-killer saga, coming-of-age tale, and lurking tragedy will find an appreciative audience.
Red herrings abound, the plot threads converge uneasily at times, and the characters are often straight out of central casting. But author Jodi Lynn Anderson gives Maggie, Pauline, and Liam enough resonance with real adolescent concerns (from star-crossed love to worrying about college) to make readers care about them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why tales of killers in the woods are so popular. What's the appeal? How does this story compare with other killer-on-the-loose stories you know?
Do you think you'd prefer living in a small town in the woods to being a city dweller? Does this story make you feel any differently about it?
Do you think the ending should have tied up all the plot elements differently? If so, write the ending you'd like better.
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Friendship , Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : July 15, 2014
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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