Written by Maureen Johnson
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Pages: 400
Publisher: Speak
I've long been a fan of Maureen Johnson. She's always got delightfully authentic and quirky characters, unpredictable plots, and plenty of funny one-liners. But this book may very well be my favorite of hers.
Maureen Johnson takes a step away from her girl-coming-of-age-in-an-awkward-and-funny-way books with this mystery novel set in London. Rory is a senior in high school from Georgia, and her parents take a sabbatical in England, so Rory goes along to attend a boarding school there. The day she arrives, a series of Jack the Ripper re-creation murders begin to happen not a mile from her school. Naturally, Rory gets caught up in the web of mystery.
This is perhaps one of the few books that's ever kept me awake at night. Maureen uses an age-old literary technique by taking the real and giving it just a little twist into the unreal. The story is so grounded in the present and the believable characters that I found myself believing the fantasy as well. The subtle blending between truth and fiction really brings this book above a standard thriller.
Maureen's characters also help this book stand out in a sea of mystery novels. The protagonist is typically American-in-London, but not annoyingly stereotyped. The supporting characters are vividly drawn, like the field hockey teacher who shakes hands like she's crushing a bunny, and the quiet roommate who plays the cello and loves Cheese Whiz. Instead of a brave, indestructible hero typical of mystery and thriller novels, Rory's just a typical person with a bit of spunk. These characters really invest the reader in the book, making it even more of a page-turner.
The book just wouldn't be Maureen Johnson without her great one-liners. (Also, if you don't follow the woman on Twitter, you're making a poor life choice. @maureenjohnson)
“Keep calm and carry on.
Also, stay in and hide because the Ripper is coming.”
“And if we get caught, I will claim I made you go. At gunpoint. I am American. People will assume I'm armed.”
“Welsh is an actual, currently used language and our next-door neighbors Angela and Gaenor spoke it. It sounds like Wizard.”
“I looked at the stained-glass image of the lamb in the window above me, but that only reminded me that lambs are famous for being led to slaughter, or sometimes hanging out with lions in ill-advised relationships.”
“Fear can't hurt you. When it washes over you, give it no power. it's a snake with no venom.”
See what I mean? It's fantastic all the way through.
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