From the Publisher
This riveting whodunit delivers a bouquet of teen romance, paranormal and thriller.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Genuinely chill-inducing... between the suspense, the horror, the romance, and the wit, this will have equal appeal for fans of Sarah Dessen and Rosemary Clement-Moore.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Fans of Marr’s Wicked Lovely series will be delighted by this Southern Gothic romantic paranormal thriller.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“A smart, sassy thriller! Melissa Marr shows off her killer instincts in this sensational tale of a southern debutante’s scary ability to foresee death, and the man who’d like to end it, permanently.” — Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling crime novelist
“A must-read for all fans of romantic thrillers.” — Suzanne Brockmann, New York Times bestselling author
“Seductively creepy, disturbingly realistic, and intensely suspenseful. This sinister tale of twisted teenage love and obsession will pull you in from the first page—and haunt you long after you close the last one.” — Hank Phillippi Ryan, winner of the Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha, and Anthony awards
Hank Phillippi Ryan
Seductively creepy, disturbingly realistic, and intensely suspenseful. This sinister tale of twisted teenage love and obsession will pull you in from the first page—and haunt you long after you close the last one.
Lisa Gardner
A smart, sassy thriller! Melissa Marr shows off her killer instincts in this sensational tale of a southern debutante’s scary ability to foresee death, and the man who’d like to end it, permanently.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Genuinely chill-inducing... between the suspense, the horror, the romance, and the wit, this will have equal appeal for fans of Sarah Dessen and Rosemary Clement-Moore.
Suzanne Brockmann
A must-read for all fans of romantic thrillers.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Fans of Marr’s Wicked Lovely series will be delighted by this Southern Gothic romantic paranormal thriller.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Genuinely chill-inducing... between the suspense, the horror, the romance, and the wit, this will have equal appeal for fans of Sarah Dessen and Rosemary Clement-Moore.
School Library Journal
07/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Eva Tilling is queen bee among an elite group of high school friends in tiny Jessup, North Carolina. When she's the victim of a hit-and-run, she struggles to remember what happened. Thanks to alternate narration, readers know what Eva doesn't: it wasn't an accident. As Eva recovers in the hospital, Judge, who confesses that's not his actual name, but his soul name, tells his side of the story. His logic for hitting her is hard to follow and incredibly disturbing. He feels he is saving her, teaching her lessons, and making offerings for her. His crimes and logic are tied to bizarre notions of fate, love, purity, status, and sex. Eva grows confident that someone is after her and her group of friends when she learns that, post-accident, she can foresee peoples' deaths. As she tries to figure out who the killer is and save her friends, Judge grows ever-closer to Eva, certain that it is God's plan for them to be together. Mixing elements of realism, paranormal, mystery, thriller, and romance, the story struggles to find its footing. The crimes committed are gruesome and Judge's "love" for Eva is chilling. The large cast of interchangable characters clutters up a thin plot that's already flailing from too many genre conventions. While it will certainly appeal to Marr's dedicated fans and those who like dark stories where horrific things happen, teens may find themselves skimming this overlong, slow-to-develop story simply to find out Judge's identity.—Amanda MacGregor, formerly at Apollo High School Library, St. Cloud, MN
Kirkus Reviews
2014-07-16
In a small backwater town where social standing is everything, 17-year-old Eva discovers being the favorite can be terrifying. Eva's family is wealthy and influential, so it's big news when she's the victim of a hit-and-run that leaves her severely injured and deeply scarred. While recovering in the hospital, sweet-tempered Eva discovers her new and horrifying ability: When people touch her, she can foresee their deaths. When one of her friends is murdered and left with a message carved in her flesh, it's clear the killer wants Eva. The book is broken up by chapters in voices other than Eva's, the most absorbing of which is Judge, a sexually twisted religious zealot obsessed with Eva, who believes he's communicating with her through the flowers he leaves on his victims. Readers know he's the killer but not who he is among Eva's acquaintances. Lifelong friend Nate makes Eva's heart flutter. He stays handsomely by her side throughout the mounting terror. As the death toll increases, Eva, meek no more, uses her visions in an attempt to stop the murderer's elaborate plan to possess her. Marr, who generally explores supernatural themes, here pens a tightly choreographed spine-chiller with an intriguing view into the mind of a psychopath. This riveting whodunit delivers a bouquet of teen romance, paranormal and thriller. (Paranormal thriller/romance. 15-20)
