Ghost Flower

Gr 8 Up—After they see Eve Brightman working in a Starbucks in Tucson, AZ, cunning siblings Bain and Bridgette Silverton are sure that she can impersonate their missing cousin Aurora until Aurora's wealthy grandmother dies and leaves her a fortune. As a foster child, Eve has trouble remembering her past, unless you count troubled dreams and sad memories. Why wouldn't she pretend to be beautiful, wealthy Aurora for a share of the inheritance? However, Eve finds out the hard way that easy money is never that easy. The family is suspicious of Aurora's miraculous reappearance, she is a person of interest in the mysterious suicide of her friend Liza, and her presence has enraged an unknown entity. Eve is unsure who or what is after her; she is haunted day and night by the living and the dead. Aurora's unfeeling family, her so-called friends, and even Liza's ghost all seem to want to help her, yet they also appear to be conspiring against her. The more Eve uncovers about Aurora's life and Liza's death, the more troubled and frantic she becomes. Jaffe's suspense-filled, thrilling paranormal mystery has fully developed characters and a well-thought-out, twisting plot. Readers will be kept guessing how it all ends, and, despite its substantial page count, the novel is suspenseful enough to be devoured in one sitting.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT