The Killing Woods

The Killing Woods

YA novel
Some high school students reach a point in their reading careers
where many YA offerings seem childish but adult adult books are not
appealing. Couple this with the fact that this is a very busy time in
their lives and you'll see why they can be lost from the reading for
fun ranks at least temporarily. Lucy Christopher's spine tingling The
Killing Woods is a good bridge volume--an impossible to put down
thriller with a suspenseful plot and vivid, complex characters.
A high school girl, Ashlee Parker, is found dead in the woods
that border a small town and play large in the psyches of town
residents. People are quick to blame Emily Shepherd's father, a war
veteran suffering from PTSD. He was the one who carried the corpse
out. All evidence points to his committing murder or at least
manslaughter, caught in the grips of a terrible flashback.
Emily believes in her father's innocence even more than he
does. There had to have been other people in Darkwood that fateful
night. Maybe one of them choked the life out of Ashlee. Maybe
Ashlee's boyfriend, Damon, is not as innocent as everyone believes.
And then there are covert games played under the cover of night
in the woods, games in which both Ashlee and Damon participated.
The Killing Woods is written in terse, suspenseful chapters
alternating between Emily's and Damon's voices. Each is striving in
his or own way to discover the truth about the tragedy, what it means
for self and loved ones...and what consequences will ensue if it is
ever revealed.
On a personal note, Orono Public Library had a special program on
insects. It started off with Louise reading stories and jokes. Then
kids were free to go to stations ranging from using microscopes to see
insects up close and personal to doing crafts like antenna making.
Kids got their passports stamped as they went from activity to
activity. Even though rain deterred kids from outdoor discovery in
the far from killing woods and fields, a grand time was had by all.
A great big shout out goes out to all who share the knowledge that
insects are cool and wicked fascinating including my new chum Olivia.
Julia Emily Hathaway




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