The Body In The Woods

The Body In The Woods

YA mystery
Young adult suspense lovers are in for a real treat. April
Henry's The Body In The Woods, through a combination of character
development and a masterfully crafted plot, draws the reader in
quickly and doesn't let go til the very surprising ending.
Alexis, Nick, and Ruby are a very unlikely trio involved in a
Search And Rescue team. Alexis has a psychologically challenged
mother who is very unpredictable when she's off her meds. SAR has the
potential to help her escape her situation via college. Nick
desperately wants to be brave like his dad who died in military action
in Iraq. Ruby is painfully aware that she does not fit in with her
peers. Maybe in SAR she will finally find friends who share her
unusual interests.
They are put together on an evening search for an adult male.
Instead they find the dead body of a teen age girl. She's been slain
by a serial killer who puts one of them on his to kill list.
Although the SAR team in the book is fictional, it is based on a
real life counterpart: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and
rescue. This youth led group engages in rescue searches and hunts for
crime scene evidence. (Principals, superintendents, teachers--can you
imagine the real life, motivated STEM experience involved?) When she
was looking for an idea for a real life mystery series, Henry learned
about this group and found the inspiration she was seeking. YOWZA!
On a personal note, tonight's the night! As Jules LaMagnifique I
compete in UMaine's Got Talent, reciting my poem, Silver Foxes. My
first time performing from memory (instead of reading) in front of
such a large audience. Wish me luck.
A great big shout out to all volunteers who spend time, often under
quite adverse conditions, finding lost folks.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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