The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: March, 2010
Pages: 336
About the Book: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
My Thoughts: I JUST finished this book and was going to wait until tomorrow to write this review but I’m a little too creeped out to go to bed. I knew this would happen. I mean, The BODY Finder… kinda hints at creeptastic. In my defense, I only meant to read a couple chapters but I got sucked in. I HAD to know what happened!
In The Body Finder Ms. Derting flawlessly meshes two very different stories together. You have the chapters that are told by Violet. I like to call this the “high school first love romance” part of the book. Then you have the in between sections, AKA the “crazy psycho killer monologue.” Now, as I said, they are meshed together. The chapters are where we get the bulk of the “what’s going on” stuff. The crazy psycho killer monologues are keeping me up tonight! In lieu of a typical review I am doing a top ten list:
Top Ten Things I LOVED about The Body Finder:
10. The idea that the bodies of violent crimes leave behind an echo… twisted and AWESOME!
9. Jay! Seriously… in my notes I just wrote his name and drew hearts all around it!
8. It’s pretty! The cover, the chapter embellishments, the page before the title page (does this page have a name?) All so pretty!
7. Um, did I mention Jay?
6. There were twists… plural! When I thought I figured out one twist it would do it again!
5. So, there’s this guy named Jay….
4. The layers… thriller, romance, mystery, paranormal abilities and more!
3. ***sigh*** Jay ***sigh***
2. Violet’s response to being attracted to her best friend… I love that she doesn’t just jump right in to mooning over him. She still desperately wants to be his friend too! I’m so sick of stories where the guy/girl jumps right from,”Hey, my best friend is kinda cute.” to “I WANT TO DATE MY BEST FRIEND! Why don’t they want to date me? They should want to date me!” Blah, blah, blah!
1. Violet Marie! (Why would you think I would say Jay?!?) First off…my jaw dropped when I saw her whole name! That has always been a name I’ve loved and considered for a daughter if I have children. Violet is my father’s mother’s middle name and Marie is my mother’s mother’s name (also my middle name.) Aside from her name… she is just all around awesome. I love her loyalty and her desire to to the right thing even if it freaks her the heck out!
Check out Kimberly Derting’ blog and follow her on Twitter @kimberlyderting
Kristina
After I read the book I had the strongest desire to learn self defense. I read it thankfully on a night was husband wasn’t at work because I was super scared (my husband works graves). Will you be starting Desires of the Dead soon?
Cayla Kluver
I need to read this book soooooooo bad…. Fabulous review!!
Jacinda (The Reading Housewives)
In my notes I talked about how awesome and different from other boys he is! Funny! Great review!
Lindsi
“The BODY Finder… kinda hints at creeptastic.” I just wanted to let you know how much I loved that line 🙂
I have this on my Nook, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet! Any advice? I’ve heard I need to read it during the day surrounded by people lol