Utopia, Iowa

Gr 8 Up—Jack would like nothing more than to be a normal senior in high school trying to get a date with his best friend, Ash, and hoping to one day become a movie producer. Unfortunately, his ability to see dead people is getting in the way of normal. Lately, the dead people that are appearing before him are demanding more and more of his time; they want to know how they died. Unable to avoid the demands, he finds himself at the crime scenes and under the suspicion of Detective Bloodsmith who refuses to believe that Jack has a sixth sense. Jack is a likable character set in a clever plot. Yansky's writing is down to earth and entertaining. Readers will appreciate the movie references throughout as well as the story-within-a-story wherein Jack becomes Joshua Bell. While Jack is busy trying to help the dead, prove his innocence, and figure out what the angel in white wants, readers will be surprised when the plot takes an unexpected twist to bring the whole story together. Teens looking for a good mystery with a paranormal twist will enjoy this one. —Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI