And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None

By: Agatha Christie

A mysterious letter arrives in the post inviting eight complete strangers to an island getaway off the Devon coast.  When they arrive, they are greeted by two house staff, but no sign of their mysterious benefactor. That night, when the unlikely party sit for dinner at a table decorated with ten toy soldiers, a record plays a list of indictments for various murders committed by each person in the room.  Shortly thereafter, one party member dies of cyanide poisoning.  When the guests look at the table setting, they notice that one of the ten toy soldiers is missing. 

This was to be but the first of death of many during their stay. A pattern soon emerges as each murder begins to resemble the lyrics of a children’s nursery rhyme posted in each guest’s bedroom: ten little soldiers.  As the guests are picked off one by one, the list of suspects shrinks. With no way on or off the island, it must be one of the members of the party, but who? Alliances are formed, accusations fly, and then there were none. 

This book gives me chills! Having read it several times, including aloud with my family on several occasions, I still get a thrill uncovering the murderer and discovering new little clues and tidbits I had missed in previous readings.  As a long-time lover of Agatha Christie, this book will forever remain my favourite murder mystery. It’s perfectly crafted, there are twists and turns at every stage, the characters are all well developed with full backstories, and all the pieces fit so intricately you can’t help but marvel at the story. It really sets a new standard from the genre and you can see the influences of this book in books written eighty years later.  

If you enjoy murder mysteries of this ilk, Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty or Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie are two great examples of books with a large cast of unique characters whose backstories are slowly revealed to give context to the story at hand. 

Genuine Fraud

Genuine Fraud by e. Lockhart is a psychological thriller following the life of Jule, a self-proclaimed vigilante super hero on the run from unlawful incarceration. The reader first encounters Jule in a five star hotel where she is being tracked down by the police. From here, the story works its way backwards through a crazy story leading back to why Jule is running from the police and how she came to be at the hotel. 

In the first flash back, the apparent suicide of Jule’s good friend Imogen quickly takes an even darker turn as we start to meet the people involved in Jule and Imogen’s lives. What follows is a crazy story of friendship, betrayal, delusions, and murder! 

The writing in this book is incredibly vivid and really sucks you in; however, if you don’t like a jumping time line, reading this book might be a bit of a struggle. Added to this, Jule is not exactly a reliable narrator. As you get further into the book, you start to realize that Jule might not be recounting things as they actually happened. Is Jule a vigilante, working on the side of justice to avenge her friend, is she a misunderstood underdog running from wrongful persecution, is she a criminal genius executing the greatest identity theft of all time, or is she just plain crazy? This book is interesting, creative, and not to be trusted!

Warning: Murder and Gore, Foul Language, and Implied Sexual Assault.

Steelheart

By Brandon Sanderson

What can I say: I saw evil superheroes and underground freedom fighters in the description and was instantly sucked in. This could have ended in disappointment and disillusionment. I am pleased to say it didn't. This book was awesome. It was a cautionary tale on absolute corruption following on the heels of absolute power. There were no noble supers like Superman, Thor, and Batman fighting for the powerless. Instead, Sanderson created a completely believable account of what would really happen if an individual or group could do anything or take anything without fear of being stopped. It was a little terrifying.

As a child, David witnessed the rise of the Epics, human beings with remarkable superpowers that set them apart from everyone else, and he continued watching as the Epics descended into terror and cruelty. Then, David's father was murdered in a battle between two Epics, a battle that ended with Steelheart's rise to power over the city. Although he won, the battle exposed Steelheart's weakness: he can bleed. Steelheart believes that he successfully destroyed everyone who witnessed his moment of vulnerability, but David escaped. Years later, David has dedicated his life to discovering the weaknesses of all Epics and finding ways to defeat them, and he is now ready to find and join the shadowy rebel organisation known only as the Reckoners.

There was a lot to like in this book. The first chapter was background, but it didn't read like a history lesson. Instead, it was a fantastic scene full of action and gut-churning disdain for human life on the part of the Epics. It got me angry and invested and it hooked me instantly into the rest of the story. The hero was original and his actions were always situationally understandable and clearly explained, which really cut down on the time I usually spend yelling at random book characters and telling them what to do! The villains were equally believable. They were simply regular people with far too much power and, although horrifying, it was understandable why someone with that much uncontrollable power would start to unravel and how they could end up seeing people without such powers as inferior, even disposable.

This book was easy to pick up and hard to put down. Those who enjoy a good sci-fi or dystopian book will devour this one, but fans of superheroes, action, and fantasy will also find a lot to love in this fast-paced and unique story.

Book of the Month: March- Bone Gap

By: Laura Ruby

Gossip reigns high in the small farm town of Bone Gap, USA. In a town where everyone knows everyone else's business (or at least thinks they do), Finn is laden with guilt over the misconceptions of his peers. Roza, a beautiful Polish woman who recently appeared in Bone Gap under mysterious circumstances was kidnapped and he was the last person to see her. No one believes it was a kidnapping, not the police, not the townsfolk, not even Finn’s older brother Sean. Determined to set things straight, Finn sets out to find Roza, no matter the cost. Jumping from past to present, the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap are woven together in a beautiful, heartbreaking tale.  

This book was particularly interesting because it was hard to tell if it was a piece of true life fiction or a supernatural tale: you're left guessing until the very end.  I found that factor gave the story a compelling edge.  Finn and Roza are both well written characters with a lot of realistic characteristics. Roza, a recent immigrant to the USA, suffers untold horrors as a beautiful young woman far from the protection of her home and family. The flash backs outlining her circumstances are both enthralling and poignant. These well developed characters and their engaging backstory make for a complex and slightly eerie read!

Warning:  For older teens due to sexual content and instances of domestic abuse.

Other Magical Realism Books: Life of Pi, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, The Leaving

Other Similar Books on Social Injustice: How it Went Down , The Alex Crow, Out of Darkness 

Dangerous Girls

By: Abigail Haas

I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up Dangerous Girls, but needless to say I was blown away. If you're looking for a thriller that will mess with your head, make you feel all the feels and leave you in a traumatized state wondering what just happened - look no further.

This is a story of a group of friends who have planned a luxurious, unsupervised and scandalous Spring Break trip to Aruba. Anna and her best friend Elise are especially excited for the trip. A couple of days in and everyone is having a blast, engrossed in non-stop fun and debachery fueled partying.

However, the trip is cut short when Elise is found brutally murdered in their rental condo. Best friend Anna, along with her boyfriend Tate, are the only friends in the group without an alibi and are subsequently accused of murder. Following the arrest, Anna must try to fight the charges and prove her innocence in a country far from home. 

I can't say much more about this; it's just too good. Be warned, this is a mature read with some disturbing elements, and not for the faint of heart. If you like murder mysteries full of suspense, anguish and mind-bending twists, check this one out.

Abigail Haas is a pseudonym for Abby McDonald, author of some other teen books that are much more light hearted.

A Taste for Monsters

A Taste for Monsters

By Matthew J. Kirby

"I woke up next to a dead woman. A black fly rested on her open left eye, straddling her lashes ..." With an opening like that how could I resist? I am a fan of history, strong female leads and horror; A Taste for Monsters has it all.

Set in 1888 London our lead, Evelyn, is out of work and on the streets after becoming disfigured in a fire at the matchstick factory where she worked. Looking for a place to hide from the cruel streets she gets a job working at a hospital as the caregiver for Joseph Merrick, otherwise known as the Elephant man. While most people turn from her disfigurement in disgust, Evelyn finds a kindred spirit in Mr. Merrick. 

A combination of historical fiction, horror and mystery this tale of a young woman in the late 1800's intertwines historical facts with spirits and haunting that bring the unlikely pair into the folds of the Jack the Ripper murders.

This story does not shy away from the harsh realities of London's White Chapel district in the late 1800's; prostitution, desperation and death are all on display in the streets. Kirby describes the plight of a woman without position and the cruel treatment of a man with a life threatening disfigurement. As these themes lend themselves to a dark and layered story, this book is not for the faint at heart.

Author Matthew J. Kirby is the winner of the PEN Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery.

Book of the Month: November - Salt to the Sea

by Ruta Sepetys

If you're like me and love historical fiction, you must give this one a try. Salt to the Sea knocks it out of the park with its combination of interesting characters, mystery, suspense and heartbreak within the context of one of the lesser known tragedies of WWII.

Have you ever heard of the sinking of the German ship MV Wilhlem Gustoff, hit by a Soviet submarine in the Baltic Sea in 1945? Over 9000 refugees died, of which approximately 5000 were children. That is six times more deaths than the sinking of the Titanic, making it the largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history. I'd never heard of it either - shocking, isn't it?

In this book, we follow four teens from different backgrounds as they desperately seek passage on the Wilhelm Gustoff, in hopes of escaping the horrors of Stalin's advance into Germany and their war torn lives at home. Each character has their own unique story and tragic past that they are trying to keep secret. As their lives converge, we follow them and the rest of their unlikely travel companions on a suspenseful journey to the ship, and then unfortunately, through the greatest maritime disaster the world has seen.

If you are into little known accounts of history like I am, I highly recommend Ruta Sepetys' other two novels - Between Shades of Gray and Out of the Easy. They are equally engaging and well researched. Another great historical novel for teens is A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. Happy reading!

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

This sequel to The Diviners proved to be well worth the wait. Evie O’Neill, a girl with the ability to read peoples’ secrets, has outed herself as a Diviner, kickstarting her very own radio show as “America’s Sweetheart Seer”. Now all of 1920’s New York City knows about people with Diviner powers. Not so surprisingly, those with the power aren’t too happy to be out in the open.

The daughter of a restaurant in Chinatown, Ling Chan, is one such person. Ling is a dream walker who can talk to the dead in her dreams; she uses this power to talk to family members and loved ones who have passed on, for a small fee.  She wants to earn enough money to leave the restaurant business and study to become a scientist. Unfortunately, New York has other plans for her.

A mysterious (seriously creepy) sleeping sickness begins to spread through New York: people go to sleep and never wake up. With the help of Henry DuBois, another dream walker, the two Diviners need to find the cure to this sickness before all of NYC is infected.

The New York setting with a strong emphasis on immigrant life in the 1920s provides a fantastic backdrop for this suspenseful thriller. I could not put this book down.  If you like suspenseful, moderately horrifying books, this would be a good choice!