The Other View: Mystery and Horror in YA

Here's what other people are saying about mystery and horror in YA:

Monster Librarian:
http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/horrorfictionlistya.htm

I think this might be my new favorite website. Fantastic reviews of all that's new and scary in young adult literature, as well as mentioning content.

Familial Dysfunction in Young Adult Horror Fiction:
http://www.ils.unc.edu/MSpapers/3127.pdf
Here's my true geek coming through...I actually think this is fascinating! A study in how young adult horror novels almost always have a dysfunctional family, and resolving the family issues is the real resolution of the novel.

So You Want to be a Horror Writer?:
http://www.darkecho.com/darkecho/horroronline/wannabe.html

This is someone who completely disagrees with me, and thinks that selling a horror novel (especially if it's your first) has astronomical odds. Still, of all the horror novels sold in the year she refers to 21% were young adult...and I just think that number will keep rising.

Horror for Readers:
http://www.conknet.com/~fullerlibrary/ReadersAdvisory/Horror%20Kathleen%20Sipling.htm

Gives great definitions and examples of horror and its subgenres.

A New Era of Gothic Horror:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6600683.html

Great article from 2008 that agrees with me...horror's coming back.

Mystery Genre Study:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6600683.html

A series of questions to ask yourself about your mystery novel.

Writing Young Adult Mysteries:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/114390/writing_young_adult_mysteries.html

Quote: Young adult mysteries are often better-written, more exciting and more unique than adult mysteries.
Darn right they are!

The Edgars:
http://www.theedgars.com/

And of course, the award every mystery writer wants to win, the Edgar Allan Poe award.

Book Review: The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

"One, two, three!" Patrick said. "Careful, now."

The body was stiff, in full rigor, and as it rolled the hair fell forward to cover the face in a chestnut-colored web; gently, her father removed it, and then his eyes grew wide. "Oh, no," he said. "Oh, God, please no."

And then Cameryn saw the perfect oval face and the eyes staring blankly, and she felt her hand fly to her mouth and tears blurred her vision until she couldn't see anymore.

Ferguson, Alane. The Christopher Killer. New York: Penguin, 2006.

Cameryn Mahoney has always been fascinated by forensics. If it involves death and decay, she's there. And since her father is the coronor in their town, she manages to convince him to let her join him as his assistant.

But then a serial killer comes to town.

Great storyline. For any teen that loves CSI, this is the perfect novel. It's incredibly well researched and thought out. Be warned that some of the descriptions do get fairly graphic, but if I can handle it, I'm pretty sure most people can (I have very low tolerance for blood and guts.) The characters are fantastic, and everyone is thrilled when they find out that there are four (with a fifth one promised!) in the series. Alane Ferguson is a great author to get kids "hooked" on, and one of the few YA mystery authors actively publishing.

Buy this book now!

Room on the Shelf: Upcoming Trends

We all know that, as writers, we have to write the story that we’re passionate about writing, rather than the “trends” or “cycles” that are happening in the world.

But it can’t hurt to talk about them, right?

Here are the two genres that I, in my infinite booksellerly wisdom, think should be making a comeback in the next five years: mystery and horror.

Horror is already well on its way, with the resurgence of the Darren Shan books and Rick Yancey’s new Monstrumologist series. Keep in mind, I do not count Twilight (or similar books) as horror. Those are paranormal romance. When I say horror, I mean scary vampires. Blood and guts. Serial killers. The kind of book that made you leave the lights on and lock the doors and windows when you were a kid.

Horror was huge back in the 90’s with R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, Stephen King, etc. Now, Stephen King has stuck it out, but we all know that horror just hasn’t been selling well since then. But I get kids coming in all the time, asking for books that will scare them. Really scare them. And from what I’ve heard, this isn’t just a request from teens. Apparently editors and agents the world over are searching for the next Mary Downing Hahn (Wait Till Helen Comes.) It’s just a matter of time before a new horror writer takes the kids world by storm.

Mystery is probably one of the most commonly requested genres. For younger kids, it’s not hard, there are plenty of older series, like Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown, and Nancy Drew. But these are a bit antiquated, and it’s hard for kids to relate. There are a few new series sneaking in, like The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Name of This Book is Secret, and 39 Clues. And so far, kids are eating them up, especially boys. And we all know that anything that appeals to boys is going to do well.

So the next focus will be in young adult. Quite frankly, what we need are more books like Alane Ferguson’s Forensic Mystery series. I can’t tell you how often I have teens coming in looking for mysteries that love CSI, and want murder mysteries with science and forensics tied in. Authors that are getting reprints right now are Lois Duncan and Caroline B. Cooney. So if your book is similar to theirs, you’ve got the right idea.

Again, make sure you write the book you’re passionate about. But if you’re passionate about two books, and one is “Twilight but with ______” and the other is a terrifying serial killer murder mystery with a fantastic twist, I’d recommend going with the second one.

I really need a sign-off. “And that’s my two cents!” “You heard it from the bookseller!” Wow, I’m terrible at this. Can anyone think of a good one?

Until then—

Me:

Book Review: Cirque Du Freak #3: Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan

This book is the third in a series. To read my review of the first novel in this series (A Living Nightmare), click here. To read my review of the second novel in this series (The Vampire's Assistant), click here.

Shan, Darren. Cirque du Freak #3: Tunnels of Blood. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2003.

“Well?” she asked.
“Well what?” I replied.
“Aren’t you going to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“Ask me to go to a movie,” she said.
“But you just—”
“Darren,” she sighed. “Girls never ask boys out.”
“They don’t?” I was confused.
“You’re clueless, aren’t you?” She chuckled. “Just ask me if I want to go to the movies, okay?”
“Okay,” I groaned. “Debbie—will you come to the movies with me?”
“I’ll think about it,” she said, then unlocked the door and disappeared inside.
Girls!

Mr. Crepsley, Darren, and Evra the snake boy decide to take a little vacation from the Cirque Du Freak. For Darren and Evra, everything seems perfectly normal; Evra develops a disguise that will let him shop during the daytime, and Darren meets a girl.... But the two soon discover that Mr. Crepsley has darker ulterior motives for taking a break.

I'm liking this series more and more all the time! Such fun concepts. And now we finally get to see a little more of Crepsley's past, which up until now has been pretty much non-existant. We also get to see a little more of the vampire world, including the hierarchy and the rogue vampires (we all knew they must be around, right?)

There is still a considerable amount of violence. This is not a series for those who get nauseous at the thought of blood (i.e. me!) But if you have a teenage boy who shoots zombies down all day on the Xbox, these novels will be perfect.

Buy this book now!
Or buy the first three books in one volume!

Book Review: Cirque Du Freak #2: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan

Shan, Darren. Cirque Du Freak #2: Vampire's Assistant. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000.

“Come,” he said, standing. “The night is young. We will go find a rabbit or a fox for you.”
“You don’t mind me not drinking from him?” I asked.
Mr. Crepsley shook his head. “You will drink eventually,” he said. “When you are hungry enough.”
“No,” I said silently behind him, as he turned to walk away. “I won’t. Not from a human. I’ll never drink from a human. Never!”

Darren is slowly adjusting to life as a vampire's assistant. The hardest part isn't dealing with a cranky vampire or never being able to see his family again, though. The hardest part is having to live without any friends.

I liked this one even better than the first one. Lots of interesting ideas about the life that Darren is now forced into living. Still no improvement with the exclamation points, though. And this is the novel that starts to get really violent. I was shuddering all over the place.

For anyone 13 and over, it would probably be okay, but for the younger group, I recommend parents reading it first to see if it's appropriate for their child.

Buy this book now!

Book Review: Cirque Du Freak #1 by Darren Shan

Shan, Darren. Cirque Du Freak #1: A Living Nightmare. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000.

"Do you think the Cirque Du Freak is a real freak show?" I asked.

Mr. Dalton studied the flyer again, then shook his head.

"I doubt it," he said. "Probaby just a cruel hoax. Still," he added, "if it was real, I hope nobody here would dream of going."

"Oh, no, sir," we all said quickly.

"Because freak shows are terrible," he said. "They pretended to be like proper circuses but they were cesspits of evil. Anyody who went to one would be just as bad as the people running it."

"You'd have to be really twisted to want to go to one of those," Steve agreed. And then he looked at me, winked, and mouthed the words: "We're going!"

Darren Shan and his friends are just looking for a fun adventure, a forbidden circus held in the dead of night. But when Darren decides to steal a vampire's pet, he discovers the consequences could be eternal...

What a fun series. Really. I decided I needed to read this series when I saw that J.K. Rowling had a blurb for it (which I have never seen before or since...has anyone else?) And I am enjoying the series immensely. Fun characters, fun storylines, fun take on vampires. And in case you're confused, yes, Darren Shan is the name of the author and the main character, because it's a "true story."

On the other hand, it's no Harry Potter. I mean, you see J.K.'s recommendation, and you kind of assume it's going to be outstanding and phenomenal, the best of its kind....it's not. There are WAY too many exclamation points, which makes it feel almost like a younger reader, even though it's a YA. And don't make the mistake of giving it to someone that's too young. Even though the first book isn't bad at all, the next couple get fairly violent (someone's arms get ripped off, one character's stomach is eaten, etc.) It's in teen for a reason.

But if you're a horror seeker, this is definitely a book you'll have to check out. Boys will especially love it. I'm so excited for the future of horror!

Buy this book now!

Book Review: Finding Daddy by Louise Plummer

Plummer, Louise. Finding Daddy. New York: Delacourte Press, 2007.

Sarah’s smile is gone. She reads the caption aloud: “Daddy will never let anyone take his girl away from him.” She winces. “Why would he write that?”
“Well, it fits the picture, don’t you think? I mean, look how I’m struggling against him.” Her serious expression unnerves me a little. “What?” I ask.
“It should say, ‘Daddy will never let his little girl get away from him.’” She leafs back a few pages and then returns to the last one. “This page is different. The caption is so much longer than any of the others, and he’s different.” She sounds as if she’s talking to herself. “His smile—“ She’s reluctant to describe it. “It’s not a smile, really—It’s fake.”
I move in closer for a better look. “That’s because he’s trying to hold down a screaming two-year-old.” What is her problem? “It’s hard to smile when you’ve got a—“
“Look at the little cast on your arm.” She closes the album and forces a smile. “Sure, you’re right,” she says, but she’s not convincing.

Mira has wondered her whole life about her father. All she knows is that her parents decided when she was young that her life would be better without him. But what if it was just her mother's decisions? If that were the case, doesn't her father have a right to know her?

I loved this story. Horrifying. Suspenseful. Disturbing. And psychologically accurate. She captures the emotions and relationships perfectly. And guess what? There is sacrifice at the end. You screw up, you pay for your mistake, and Mira certainly does. However, I do feel like there should have been a little more closure with the romance. Maybe the ambiguity is so that we can imagine our own ending...I’d imagine the happier one.

This will definitely be a big hit with the horror fans. It made me scared to be alone for a few days. A great story.

Book Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Yancey, Rick. The Monstrumologist. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009.

"Why are you here, boy?" he asked suddenly, giving my shoulder a hard squeeze. "This is no business for children."

"My parents died in a fire, sir," I answered. "The doctor took me in."

"The doctor," Erasmus echoed. "They call him that — but what exactly is he a doctor of?"

The grotesque, I might have answered. The bizarre. The unspeakable. Instead I gave the same answer the doctor had given me when I'd asked him not long after my arrival at the house on Harrington Lane. "Philosophy," I said with little conviction.

When Will Henry takes his father's place as apprentice to Dr. Pellinore Winthrop, he soon realizes the job entails more than just staying up late with the lonely doctor and fetching tools or making meals. It's a job that may require him to risk his own life in order to protect the entire New England coast.

This book will be a huge hit with the teens that enjoy the macabre. Dark, and tons of violence. If you get squeamish at the thought of blood, this is not the book for you. The writing is excellent, as well as the monsters, who go by the name of Anthropophagi. The Anthropophagi are man-eating, headless monstrosities that can crush a human skull between their hands--and often do. Luckily, there's a very good reason for them being where our protagonists just happen to be. Plot and character development are solid. It's definitely a step out of the ordinary teen books we've been seeing lately. Even though there are monsters, we get to hate them the way we were meant to, and there is zero romance.

Some parts do drag, just a little. We're supposed to be reading a diary, but I didn't get that "in the head of the character" feeling that I usually get with diary novels. It was much more narrative than it should have been. Well-written narrative? Absolutely. But not as gripping as it could have been. And yes, it's predictable, but that's because we always know that good triumphs over evil in horror stories (unless you're Stephen King, in which everyone usually ends up miserable in some way or another) and we know that Will has to survive because we saw him as an old man in the beginning of the book. Still, well worth reading if you want to be creeped out.

And feel free to celebrate, horror lovers, because this is the first in a series. Let's hope this is the novel that reawakens a love of horror stories, like the good old days when Stephen King, Lois Duncan and R.L. Stine were at the top of their game.

Book Review: We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier

Cormier, Robert. We All Fall Down. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1991.

They entered the house at 9:02 P.M. and trashed their way through the Cape Cod cottage. At 9:46 P.M. Karen Jerome made the mistake of arriving home early. Thrown down the basement stairs, Karen slips into a coma. The trashers slip away.

But The Avenger has seen it all.

Jane Jerome and her family arrive home one night, only to discover their house has been vandalized and 14-year-old Karen Jerome thrown to the bottom of the stairs, in a coma. The vandals are no where to be seen. But one person, The Avenger, saw it all, and is determined to make the vandals pay. In struggling to recover from the invasion, Jane finds herself falling in love with Buddy Walker, who, unbeknownst to her, is one of th vandals.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Robert Cormier at his best. Evil teenagers that are too smart for their own good, a psycho “Avenger,” and a boy that causes evil and regrets it falls in love with the victim of the evil…wow, it’s got everything to keep me going. I would get disappointed every time he would change POV because I wanted to know more of what was happening with that situation, but then I’d immediately get all excited again because I had wanted to know what happened in this situation. There were some moments when he would switch POV back and forth and it didn’t work too well. And I know when you read Cormier, you can expect a depressing and surprising ending, but in this case, I think he misled us. He built everything up for a happy ending, then doesn’t give it to us. I think I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t read the last chapter and imagine my own ending.

Book Review: The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier

Cormier, Robert. The Rag and Bone Shop. New York: Laurel Leaf Books, 2001.

The last person to see Alicia Bartlett alive?

Except for the murderer, of course, Detective Lieutenant Braxton quickly added.

The Rag and Bone Shop is Robert Cormier's last novel, published posthumously. It centers around the murder of a 7-year-old girl, found battered to death not far from her house. The police have no leads, but local politics pressure them into finding the murderer...and fast. So they bring a "confessor," a man named Trent who is more concerned with getting confessions than finding the truth. The suspect? A boy named Jason, the last one to see the murdered girl.

If you think you can predict the ending of this novel, you're wrong. You may be able to predict the climax, sure, but not the ending. The best short story writers are able to make the whole story hinge on the last line. Robert Cormier does this with a novel. You can’t believe that what is happening is really happening, but it is. It’s impossible to stop reading. The psychological thrill is exhilarating. And yes, it's Robert Cormier, so it will leave you horrified at the inner workings of the human soul--or as he would say, "Down where all the ladders start/In the foul rag-and-bone-shop of the heart."