The Dead and Buried

December 3, 2012
Having moved from rural western Massachusetts to an upscale Boston suburb, 17-year-old Jade Kelley thinks her biggest problems will be making new friends and putting up with her stepmother. She didn’t count on being haunted by the ghost of Kayla, the popular mean girl who died in Jade’s new house under suspicious circumstances earlier in the year (that’s why the house was a steal). Jade ends up in the middle of a romantic triangle with two boys tied to the dead teen, but the real race is to figure out what really happened to Kayla before the impatient and vengeful ghost takes out her anger on Jade’s family. As she did in Clarity and Perception, Harrington continues to demonstrate her gift for threading paranormal elements into thrilling mysteries—haunted old estates are a dime a dozen, but there’s something especially creepy about ghosts lingering in suburban cul-de-sacs and McMansions. Harrington’s crisp prose, humor, and fluid storytelling serve the mystery well, and coded diary entries from the deceased Kayla let readers play detective along with Jade. Ages 12–up. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group.

November 15, 2012
Harrington returns to the genre of Lois Duncan with spine-chilling results. Jade Kelley, 17 named for one of the gemstones her deceased jewelry-setter mother collected, is thrilled that her family (father, stepmother and younger stepbrother, Colby) is finally moving from its rural surroundings to the bustle of the Boston suburbs. Their new home definitely offers more activity--paranormal activity that is. An instant source of gossip at school, Jade discovers that the most popular girl, Kayla Sloane, died from unnatural causes--a push down the stairs--the previous year in the same home her family purchased. Although never charged, the prime suspect has always been emo artist Donovan, Kayla's last boyfriend and the same guy Jade finds attractive. When Kayla takes possession of Colby's body and demands to know her killer, Jade must solve the mystery. In this first-person page turner, it's soon clear that underneath Kayla's beauty and intelligence was a coldhearted manipulator whom many would have liked to have seen out of the way. Plenty of red herrings keep the story lively and fast-paced. Although excerpts from Kayla's secret diary offer clues along the way, readers will keep trying to guess the real murderer until the final pages. Jade's inherited interest in gems adds another layer of appeal and a way to deal with her unresolved grief. Downright, satisfyingly creepy. (Supernatural mystery. 13 & up)

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February 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Jade Kelley, 17, and her family have just moved into the home of her dreams, but their timing couldn't be worse. She is starting her senior year in a new school with no friends. When her five-year-old half brother, Colby, starts talking about seeing a glimmering girl in his room, she gets her first hint that her new house is not as perfect as it seems. She discovers that a popular girl, Kayla, died there just months ago, and everyone believes that she was murdered, but the police have no suspects. Kayla's best friend, Faye, asks Jade to throw a party, and, thinking it would be a good way to make friends, she agrees, not knowing that Faye wants to contact Kayla's ghost. They make a connection, but Kayla's angry spirit explodes light bulbs and possesses Colby's body, demanding that Jade find out who the killer is. With the help of Kayla's old boyfriend, Donovan, Jade starts to investigate, discovering along the way that almost everyone in school had a motive to murder the cruel, status-conscious girl. In this well-paced book, readers slowly learn about the characters and the events that led up to the crime. A little romance and tumultuous family relationships add depth to the story. Mystery fans will definitely enjoy this title.-Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY

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