The Black

Gr 6—10—MacHale continues the trip along Morpheus Road in this action-packed thriller about the afterlife. In this installment, high school sophomore Cooper has been sent to his family's vacation home to escape retribution from some nasty characters. What happens is far worse: an evil spirit named Damon causes Cooper to die in a boating accident. The teen finds himself in an area of the afterlife called the Black and discovers that he is the one chosen to aid Damon in exacting revenge upon those who wronged him and free him from captivity. In exchange, Cooper will be given back his life. Cooper wants to live, but knows that Damon will cause great harm if he is freed. Damon is also threatening to kill Cooper's friend, Marshall, who is still alive and unaware of his death. How Cooper handles this dilemma makes for an absorbing read. Often a little over-the-top, the narrative is intriguing enough to hook even reluctant readers. After all, who doesn't wonder what happens to us after we die? MacHale has created some intriguing and fantastical answers to that question.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD