Nearly Found

March 15, 2015
A mysterious killer once again targets Nearly "Leigh" Boswell for science-themed murders and harassment. In Nearly Gone (2014), TJ Wiles murdered Leigh's tutees to punish her for her father's crimes. Now TJ is in prison, but his father, Reggie, has just been released. When a second series of violent acts begins-a set of threatening, physics-related notes left inside Leigh's and others' homes, a drug dealer's girlfriend murdered, a local business burned to the ground-Leigh is certain they are Reggie's doing. Interning at a forensic-science lab, Leigh gets a chance to learn how evidence is collected...and to give herself unauthorized access to fingerprint databases and more. Leigh's stubbornness, recklessness, and willingness to bend rules to her own ends make her a compellingly flawed character. Tension runs high as Leigh keeps secrets, sneaks around physical and electronic security systems, and enlists allies with their own agendas. Some loose ends aren't entirely tied up (readers never do learn, for instance, whether there are consequences for Leigh's taking liberties at the forensics lab). The dramatic conclusion, however, answers the novel's biggest questions-both plot-related and philosophical-with aplomb. A sequel every bit as nail-biting as its predecessor. (Mystery. 14-18)

April 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-In this sequel to Nearly Lost (Penguin, 2014), Nearly Boswell is excited about her new internship in the forensics lab of the local police station and is ready to put her past nightmares behind her. That is, until the corpse of a girl from her trailer park is brought in and a vicious cycle begins in which all of the incoming bodies are in some way tied to Nearly. With her internship on the line, she decides not to tell the police about her connections to the victims, and she begins a string of poor choices. Together, the teen and three acquaintances from school embark on a dangerous journey to shed light on their fathers' pasts and uncover the serial killer. While the pacing of this novel is considerably slower than that of the first installment, the writing is equally good. All of the characters are well developed, but the story lacks the strong emotions and engaging voice of the previous volume. While this contemporary mystery is well thought out and all of the pieces fit well together, the ending is anticlimactic and most readers will have guessed the killer. Moreover, Nearly's poor choices don't seem to have any consequences, and though she conceals information, destroys evidence, steals from the storage locker, and breaks her disclosure agreement, there's no mention of losing her internship. VERDICT This mystery is not satisfying enough to stand on its own but will appeal to fans of the first book.-Candyce Pruitt-Goddard, Hartford Public Library, CT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Nearly Boswell has a unique ability. Skin-to-skin contact allows her to sense the emotions of others, which manifest as tastes: peppermint for exhilaration, milk and honey for concern, and so on. But knowing how people are feeling doesn't make high school any less complicated to navigate, especially when her boyfriend is an undercover cop, her mom is a stripper, and she has lost all her tutoring clients, since a serial killer murdered all of them the year before in Nearly Gone (2014). Nearly's skill does give her an advantage when she and her friends begin to receive cryptic notes revealing clues to a mystery with its roots in the past activities of their fathers. She will have to marshal all of her intellectual and supernatural abilities, as well as those she has gained in her new internship in the police forensics lab, if she is to regain the trust of her friends, conquer her own suspicions, and avoid getting killed during senior year. Swiftly plotted, with plenty of romantic thrills and suspenseful action.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)