The Glass Casket

Gr 8 Up—Rowan and Tom are best friends, having grown up together in the village of Nag's End. When five of the King's men are found brutally murdered, the townspeople investigate but find more questions than answers. Rowan's cousin, Fiona Eira, shows up at the village, attracting Tom's eye before she is found with her heart torn out. Her body is encased in a glass casket by her grieving father, and more gruesome killings follow. Tom and Rowan, along with most of the villagers, are desperate to find answers. Who or what is to blame? Could the murders be related to magic, witches, wolves, or ghosts? Templeman does a creepy (and bloody) job of describing the crimes and their culprit, but gives few details about a visiting duke, his ward, and most of the villagers. Since the story is set in a fantastical past, when few girls are taught to read and candles provide light, the occasional use of contemporary phrases sound out of place. Templeman includes nods to both folklore and classic literature in this atmospheric tale.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX