Seeing as it’s October and Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I’d pick a book this month that’s on the “scarier” side. But fear not all you anti-horror readers! This is a tale that’s just as funny as it is suspenseful and creepy.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Synopsis
“The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.”
Jen’s Review
This is a thriller that will have you both scared and laughing throughout it. I thoroughly enjoyed the premise, the witty and, at times, absurd dialogue, and Maureen Johnson’s writing style. But, more than anything, I enjoyed the protagonist. Simply put, Rory Deveaux was one of the most amusing characters I’ve ever read. The things she’d say…I’d literally burst out laughing (and I’m not a “burst out laughing” type of reader). Sure, I’ll smile or chuckle softly, but I don’t LAUGH.
“And if we get caught, I will claim I made you go. At gunpoint. I am American. People will assume I’m armed.”
I also love how Rory uses over-the-top tales from her southern hometown to defend herself–whether that’s defending herself while flirting with a cute boy or battling a wicked ghost.
The Name of the Star‘s LOL humor was skillfully and pleasantly balanced with a creepy ghost story about Jack the Ripper that keeps you biting your nails and holding your breath the entire time. And there’s just enough romance in the story to give your heart a nice little flutter every now and then.
Read more about The Name of the Star on Goodreads!
Some other fun Halloween appropriate titles you might like to check out include:
The Monstrumologist by Ricky Yancey
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
World War Z by Max Brooks
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Related articles
- Horror October: It’s time for some scary books! (mynovelopinion.wordpress.com)
- Michael Caine: Jack the Ripper Gateway Drug (neverwood.me)
- Book Talk and Review Example (adolescentliteracyfall2013.wordpress.com)
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