Half in Love with Death

Gr 7 Up—With the tone and pacing of free verse poetry counterbalanced by the taut suspense of a mysterious disappearance, this debut effort transports readers back to 1965 through the voice of 15-year-old Caroline. In the last days of summer, Caroline's sister Jessica sneaks out of the house to see her boyfriend and disappears. As the police force's search for her sister stalls, the protagonist begins to investigate on her own with the assistance of Jessica's boyfriend. As her parents try to drown their grief in alcohol and angry accusations, Caroline reaches out to a world of hippies, druggies, drop-outs, and drifters in hopes of finding Jessica alive. Rather than finding her sister, she discovers that another missing girl has connections to Jessica and her friends. Can Caroline figure out who she can trust before she becomes the next victim of a serial killer? The brisk tempo and vividly described setting of this story will grab teen's attention from the opening pages. Caroline's viewpoint is at the heart of this novel, and Ross succeeds brilliantly in conveying the confusion, passion, trepidation, fearlessness, and terror that every 15-year-old can relate to. Fans of Lois Duncan will appreciate the gentle spine tingles offered here.