Violet Ambrose can find dead bodies. Their aura of sound, color, or even taste imprints itself on their murderers, and Violet's extrasensory perception picks up on those elements. It's an invaluable but deeply troubling talent, especially since a serial killer is plying his trade throughout her small community, and her ability marks her as the next possible victim. Violet finds escape in her growing crush on her longtime childhood friend, Jay, but the tenderness that she finds with him is threatened by terror and doubt as she searches for the killer. First-time novelist Derting has written a suspenseful mystery and sensual love story that will captivate readers who enjoy authentic high-school settings, snappy dialogue, sweet romance, and heart-stopping drama. A real page-turner, this will have readers checking behind themselves and refusing to go anywhere alone.

Violet doesn't see dead people, but she does hear, smell and taste them. Murderers and their victims give off psychic echoes that cause Violet to have synesthetic reactions. A serial killer plagues her small eastern Washington town, so Violet enlists the help of her best friend, Jay, to find the killer by matching his echoes with those of the victims. Complicating matters are Jay's sudden ascent to hotness and popularity and Violet's massive crush on him. Her crush turns out to be reciprocal, something that will appeal to romantics everywhere. The whodunit aspect of the novel, however, is less intriguing than the romance. Although the killer actually joins in the narration, he is not named, so readers never really have a chance to sleuth out who it might be, so readers never really have a chance to sleuth out who it might be. This makes the ending feel anticlimactic even as the murderer threatens Violet's life. Violet, despite her talent for finding bodies, is ultimately a run-of-the-mill damsel in distress, who injures herself and has to be rescued from the killer by Jay. Weak characterizations bring down this promising murder mystery. (Mystery. 14 & up)

Derting's first novel demonstrates unusual skill in weaving together contemporary teenage preoccupations with its paranormal plot twist. Violet is starting 11th grade with a beatup Honda, a vow to get to class on time, and a crush on her longtime best friend, Jay. She's also learned to cope with an eerie skill inherited from her grandmother—the ability to hear the “echo” left behind by those who have died violently. Usually this means chucking the cat outside if it's killed a mouse, but when the bodies of girls turn up, Violet turns away from concerns about the upcoming homecoming dance and becomes determined to use her ability to find the murderer. The third-person narration views Violet and the events of the book with a removed, thoughtful quality (“<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Coincidence. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Chance. These were the words she counted on to create a veil of deceit, to keep her 'gift' a secret”), but Violet's thoughts and words feel true to her age and personality. Short, interspersed sections from the perspective of the killer add a creepy, page-turning quality. A strong debut from a promising author. Ages 14–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Mar.)

Gr 9 Up-This story begins with an intriguing and promising premise: violent deaths leave a unique imprint on the victim and the killer, and Violet Ambrose can sense them. Add in the facts that her uncle is the local police chief and that a serial killer is on the loose, and you have the makings for an exciting suspense/horror novel. Unfortunately, The Body Finder never lives up to its potential. Instead, most of the book deals with the relationship between Violet and her lifelong best buddy, Jay, who has suddenly blossomed into the junior-class hottie. Does he know that she is attracted to him? Does he feel the same about her? Is he really oblivious to all of the girls throwing themselves at him? Could they, should they, will they be more than friends? These questions are mulled over ad nauseam. And when they are finally answered, the writing devolves into near-bodice-ripper style. "She surrendered to the onslaught of his deep, fervent kisses..."; "She heard herself moan and could feel the throbbing of her own pulse flickering hotly through her veins." There is a mystery and some suspense here, but the compelling scenes are too few and far between to redeem the book. Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007) and Rachel Vincent's My Soul to Take (Harlequin, 2009) are much better choices. Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA

Violet Ambrose is starting her junior year in high school and faces problems shared by many teens. She is madly in love with Jay Heaton, her best friend since first grade, but does not know if he feels the same. She is trying to do well at school, but classes do not always hold her interest. Unlike others, however, Violet has the abilityùor perhaps the curseùof sensing violent deaths around her. Every demise leaves a hint screaming to be discovered: sometimes a sheen of colors, other times a chorus of bells or even a specific smell. When Violet was eight, she discovered a girl's body in the woods behind her house. This same killer is now striking her community again, kidnapping and murdering teenage girls. He even seems to be getting closer to Violet with every kill. She must deal with her emotions for Jay at the same time as she tries to stop this vicious murderer before it is too late for both. Derting's first novel provides the reader with both Violet's and the killer's perspectives. Violet's fear is palpable and rises as her attempt to find the murderer leads her close to death and as she confronts her feelings for Jay. The explicit and unsettlingly candid tone of the killer reminds one of Robert Cormier's Tenderness (Delacorte, 1997), while several twists and turns keep the pages flipping. Older readers will quickly find themselves pulled into Derting's neighborhood.ùEtiene VallÚe.