Department 19

Starred review from February 7, 2011
Hill hits the ground running in this explosive debut, an action thriller inspired by a genre classic. Jamie Carpenter's father died as a traitor to his country, but two years later, 16-year-old Jamie discovers his father's secret life when vampires attack and he's saved by Frankenstein's notorious monster. Taken to the ultra-secretive Department 19, a government organization founded by Dracula's killers (and run by their descendants) to protect England from the supernatural, Jamie gets a crash course in a world he never knew existed. When his mother is kidnapped by vampires, Jamie sets out to rescue her, aided by the immortal Frank-enstein (who took his maker's name) and an untrustworthy vampire girl to whom he's attracted. As Jamie unravels hidden agendas, deals with assorted enemies, and faces the triumphs and tragedies of generations past, he's drawn deeper into a plot that could tip the scales between humans and vampires. Alternating between Jamie's desperate quest and episodes set in Department 19's storied past, this is a nonstop thrill ride right up to the cliffhanger ending. This cinematic adrenaline rush has the makings of a surefire hit. Ages 14–up.