Perception

Gr 8 Up—Harrington's sequel to Clarity (Scholastic, 2011) stars the highly acclaimed high school psychic and detective. Her mother is a telepath, and her brother, a medium, can contact the dead. Clare can place her hands on an object and perceive hidden visions from the past with her psychic powers. Now that she has escaped death thanks to her ex-boyfriend Justin and her connection to solving a murder in her small town, she is left to decide which of the two guys to choose: Justin or tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel, son of the new police detective in town. Trying to avoid the social scene, Clare prefers to stand in the shadows observing, but she soon starts to receive unsettling messages and gifts from a secret admirer. To top it off, a new girl has gone missing and was possibly murdered. Clare needs to guide herself quickly to the truth and crack the case. She is a strong female lead who, throughout the story, gains confidence and depth. A fast-paced psy-chick mystery.—Krista Welz, North Bergen Public Library, NJ