Following Christopher Creed

August 15, 2011

Ghosts, dead bodies, dark secrets and bad energy still lurk in Steepleton, N.J., the boondocks town made famous by the disappearance of high-school loser Christopher Creed.

When the body of Darla Richardson, the sister of Bo Richardson from The Body of Christopher Creed (2000), Plum-Ucci's Printz Honor–winning debut, is discovered dead and buried in the woods behind the town, dogged, aspiring college reporter Mike Mavic and his girlfriend hit the road to investigate her death and ultimately Chris' disappearance. Fans of the first book will love the return of the first book's characters, including Bo, Torey Adams and Justin, Creed's bombed-out brother, who's been in and out of rehab since his brother's disappearance. However, readers won't like Mike's narration, whose voice is closer to a sensitive 40+-year-old's than a college student's: "I was hoping Justin might find moderation, quit going for the energy-charged manipulation tricks, and maybe give his brother up to the Higher Power." Much of the first book's finesse with teenspeak, which made it both a page turner and a sordid pathway into the psyche of an insular New Jersey town, has vanished, leaving far too many platitudes in its place.

Finally, what of Christopher Creed himself? Fans will have to slog through 400+ pages to spot the subtle and not-so-subtle clues that lead to the truth in this sort-of thriller. (Mystery. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-When 16-year-old outsider Christopher Creed disappeared from his small New Jersey town in The Body of Christopher Creed (Harcourt, 2000), classmate Torey Adams tried in vain to find out what happened to him and started a web page called ChrisCreed.com on which he pieced together information and possible clues. Now it is four years later and a grave has been found in the Pine Barrens. Everyone wonders if the mystery is finally solved, including college newspaper reporter Mike Mavic, who relays the events from his point of view. Although Mike is legally blind, needs to wear sunglasses, and uses a service dog, he copes well with his physical challenges. After he and his girlfriend arrive in Steepleton to cover the story, the body turns out to be that of a local teenage girl. The couple is now immersed in a new mystery that potentially involves Chris Creed's younger brother, who takes drugs and is suffering from mental illness. Gradually, as what caused the girl's death comes to light, readers also learn more about Mike. Similarities between him and Chris Creed seem increasingly coincidental, and some astute readers may begin to wonder about Mike's true identity. However, for most teens, the careful writing will hold his secret under wraps until the startling conclusion. Familiarity with the first book is essential to understand this complex and challenging sequel. In it, the central characters from the first book-including Torey, Bo Richardson, and the Mother Creed-reemerge and guide the dialogue-driven plot. Despite a few awkward moments, this title is a must for collections where the first book is still popular.-Diane P. Tuccillo, Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2011
Grades 8-12 To appreciate this sequel, one needs to have read The Body of Christopher Creed (2007), the more recently the better. That said, fans of the first book will relish ths one. College student Mike Mavic has come to Steepleton, New Jersey, with his girlfriend to research a story he has become obsessed with: the fate of Christopher Creed. The two young men have many things in commona horrific mother, a miserable high-school experiencebut Mike must also deal with being legally blind, after being beaned in the head by a baseball during his first semester in college. Some of the story doesn't make much sense, such as the police giving the time of day to a nonlocal college reporter. Yet the narrative, while at times disjointed, is compelling, especially when Mike meets the key players in Christopher's life, including his younger brother, Justin, a bipolar druggie who thinks the power of quantum thought can bring Christopher back. The labyrinth of a plot comes to a surprise ending, but readers will already be taken with the mysterious happenings along the way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)