Dark River

February 1, 2010
Gr 8-10-Veronica Severance misses Starbucks, shopping, and school, but her mom's Patchwork Inn is a local hit and the rest of her family seems to be flourishing since their move to rural Oregon. Miserable, Ronnie finds comfort in two thingsrunning and her young neighbor, Karen, for whom she babysits. The 10-year-old is an inquisitive explorer who can turn the most mundane task into an adventure. Despite their differences, the two become fast friends. Then Karen's body is found in the river and Ronnie is left alone and lost. Struggling to understand her place in this new world, she sets out to discover what happened to the child and learns that the darkness of the city might not be so far away after all. Beaufrand has written an engaging mystery, but the story's real strength and beauty come from the healing nature of family and unexpected friendships. Teens will easily empathize with Ronnie's displacement, but hopefully will learn the same lesson: sometimes the things we want aren't the things we need."Terri Clark, Smoky Hill Library, Centennial, CO"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2009
Grades 8-12 Following her fathers emotional breakdown, Veronica moves with her family from Portland to tiny Hoodoo, Oregon, where her parents open an inn. Her fathers condition improves and her mother, a celebrity chef, is just fine, thank you. But Ronnie is bereft, unable to get over all the things shes left behind in the big city. And then the young girl shes been babysitting diesan accidental drowning, the authorities think, but Ronnies not so sure and sets out to investigate. Beaufrand does a nice job of building suspense and integrating a gradually developing romance that surprises Ronnie and will satisfy readers. Less rewarding is the gradual unraveling of the plot and an ending that is at once predictable and anticlimactic. Nevertheless, the characters are appealing, the setting is well realized, and there is more than enough suspense to satisfy most mystery fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)