Envy

Gr 7–10—Katelyn, the victim of a bathtub electrocution (via the latte machine) has either committed suicide, suffered an unfortunate accident, or been murdered. Twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan, who can receive messages from the dead, set out to uncover the truth in the first title (Sterling/Splinter, 2011) in a new series by Gregg Olsen that incorporates actual news headlines into the plots. Although the story line, based on a real-life event of cyberbulling that resulted in the suicide of a teen, is contrived, narrator Julia Whelan is able to sustain listener interest in spite of a lack of character development and unbelievable plot twists. The case is easy to solve by chapter 40, but the story continues for several more hours. The conclusion ties up all the loose end, but it is unsatisfactory because it is so ordinary. While it may entertain some listeners, more critical readers of criminal mysteries will be disappointed.—Pamela Schembri, Newburgh Enlarged City Schools, NY