When

October 15, 2014
If you could know the date of your death, would you? For Maddie, there's no choice: For her whole life, she's had the ability to see the date of anyone's death, hovering just over the forehead. But her gift hasn't helped her much-it didn't prevent her police-officer father from being killed in the line of duty, and it hasn't stopped her grief-stricken mother from descending into alcoholism. Now, Maddie does her best to blend in, uses her ability to make some extra money for herself and her mother, and spends time with her best friend, Stubs. But then a client's son disappears and is later found dead on the date that Maddie predicted he would die. Suspicion falls squarely on Maddie, especially when another teenager is murdered in similar fashion-and Stubs becomes caught up in the investigation too. The tension inexorably mounts as Maddie faces heartbreaking choices. Readers will root for Maddie not only to find the killer, but to gain a little happiness, too. Laurie's debut for teens is quite an accomplishment: Maddie's voice rings true, and her character development is handled well. Some adult characters are less well-rounded, yet the compelling plot overcomes these flaws. The character development is just as riveting as the plot in this well-constructed thriller. (Paranormal thriller. 12-18)

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November 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Maddie has always seen the date people will die, but does not realize what she is seeing until one day, in first grade, her father is killed on a date she told him about two years prior. The tragedy sends Maddie's life spinning out of control: her mother can no longer function without alcohol, they leave the city to live in a small community, Maddie's ability challenges her facility to make friends, and her mother cannot hold down a job. They survive on her father's wrongful death settlement. Maddie, now 16, also makes ends meet by charging a small fee to tell people their death dates. A mother comes for a reading for her youngest son, but Maddie notices that the woman's older son will die in a week instead. The customer accuses Maddie of fraud. When the older boy goes missing a week later, FBI agents show up at the protagonist's school because they suspect Maddie and her best friend, Stubby, of foul play. Soon, more children go missing and turn up dead. This fast-paced story is a little far-fetched: the FBI agents arrest and badly beat Stubby, Maddie suffers unbelievable bullying from classmates and school administrators, all while her mother goes on drinking. At times, the teen seems younger than her years. The plot is filled with false turns, which will keep readers engaged until the surprising ending.-Lisa Nabel, Dayton Metro Library, OH

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