Nightmare City

Gr 8 Up—Klavan combines elements of mystery and horror genres in this title (Thomas Nelson, 2013). As a reporter for his high school newspaper, Tom Jordan writes a story that enrages many, in which he claims that the championship football team of three years ago used steroids and other drugs to improve their performance on the field. After experiencing backlash from his article on many fronts, Tom wakes up to an empty house and a silently eerie, fog-filled world. Where is everyone? Why are there monstrous creatures chasing him? Friends from school appear, but they are ghostlike, and it soon becomes apparent that there are very few people Tom can trust. Then the plot twist is revealed, connecting the newspaper story with the terrifying images Tom is experiencing. Suspense is built by the methodical pacing. Klavan himself narrates the book, which is written in the third person, yet often feels like a first-person narrative because so much centers on Tom's feelings. It is at first disconcerting to hear the older Klavan read the part of a teenager, but he competently portrays Tom's confusion and fright. Secondary characters are read in a chilling manner that adds to the creepy unease permeating the audiobook. Give this to your Stephen King fans.—Julie Paladino, East Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, NC