In this follow-up to The Body Finder (2010), 16-year-old Violet, who can sense murder victims and their killers, anonymously reports where a missing boy's body is and unexpectedly draws FBI consultant Sara Priest's attention. Meanwhile, someone is targeting Violet, and when even her boyfriend, Jay, doubts her, she questions both herself and their relationship. Interweaving suspense, steamy romance, supernatural elements, and themes of jealousy, anger, and other deadly sins, this fast-paced, compelling read features a multifaceted protagonist and intriguing supporting characters. Wholly absorbing, this will leave readers hoping for future titles about talented Violet.

Violet (The Body Finder) psychically senses the body of a murdered boy, prompting a profiler to solicit her help with a cold case. At the same time, the arrival of two new students at school coincides with threats against Violet. Violet's supernatural ability is fascinating, but tension built through the alternating narratives of Violet and her stalker fizzles once the stalker is indentified.

In this absorbing suspense tale, 16-year-old Violet has a special ability: Dead bodies call out to her, demanding that she find them. This sequel to The Body Finder (2010) easily stands on its own as a new, separate story, with only minimal references to the earlier book. Even better, Derting convinces readers to believe in Violet's supernatural ability, perhaps because it stands out in the sea of supernatural fiction. Violet senses bodies that have been murdered, whether animal or human. She also can sense the "imprint" of the crime on the murderer. But adolescent Violet wants to keep her ability a secret, especially from an FBI consultant who finds her when Violet leaves an anonymous tip to the police about the location of a body. She also doesn't want to tell anyone about the FBI, although keeping that secret strains her relationship with her adored boyfriend, Jay. Violet even wants to hide the fact that someone is stalking her. What she doesn't know is that she might be in real danger. The author paces the story beautifully, weaving together several story lines as she inches up to the final, desperate scene. As Violet's difficulties increase, readers see her finally begin to learn that she may find more satisfaction through using her gift to help others than by guarding her own privacy. Imaginative, convincing and successful suspense. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)

Gr 9 Up-This sequel to The Body Finder (HarperCollins, 2010) is just as suspenseful and gripping as its predecessor. Violet Ambrose is trying to balance the normal (a boyfriend, jealous classmates, a boy-crazy best friend) with the paranormal. She has the unique ability to sense and locate bodies, and if the dead can't rest, neither can she. So when the teen detects a dead boy hidden in a shipping container, she makes an anonymous phone call to the police. Suddenly she is in the direct path of Sara Priest, an FBI consultant who commands a team of "gifted" people who help with criminal investigations. Sara wants her assistance, but Violet is afraid of being poked and prodded by a government agency. However, when she starts receiving disturbing threats, she reluctantly agrees to help Sara in a case that ends up hitting very close to home. The third-person narrative reads more like a crime novel than paranormal teen fiction, and readers will hold their breath as Violet traipses around deserted shipyards and dark woods looking for the bodies that call to her. In addition, the sexy scenes between Violet and her boyfriend will satisfy romantics and the introduction of an enigmatic new character will heighten the conflict in the next installment in this riveting series. Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Northampton Community College, Hawley, PA