November 12, 2012
After a serial killer attacks Rory Miller, the teenager and her family flee to an out-of-state FBI safe house in the nerve-racking first book in a trilogy from Brian (the Private series). Their destination, Juniper Landing, may not be as idyllic as it seems: the fog-soaked island town lacks phone and Internet service, and a group of powerful young locals is overly focused on Rory. Residents are untroubled when people mysteriously disappear; stranger still, Rory’s older sister can’t remember them after they are gone. Interstitial chapters, told from the murderer’s point of view, reveal that he remains committed to finishing his job (“He’d tasted her fear again, so sweet and salty.... The possibility was almost too much to bear”). The killer (who posed as Rory’s math teacher) is truly frightening, and readers will be haunted by his interludes and by the chilling evidence of his stalking. In contrast, the mystery of Juniper Landing
itself is less of a thrill; questions will
remain even when the truth is revealed, awaiting exploration in the later books. An Alloy Entertainment property. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Company.
December 1, 2012
Rory's life is turned upside down when she is attacked by a serial killer who has been posing as a math teacher at her school. The FBI informs the family that over the years, Mr. Nell has murdered 14 other girls and always escaped. He is even able to overcome the alarm system the FBI has rigged at Rory's house to leave a rose and a threatening message on Rory's bed. Quickly, the family is sent from New Jersey down the coast to a Southern resort island town. Along the way, Rory has a vivid nightmare that she, her father, her sister and the attacker are all killed violently. Life in Juniper Landing is partly delicious and partly frightening. It's full of gorgeous boys and girls who quickly make the acquaintance of Rory and her sister, Darcy, but there is no cell service or Internet, isolating them. The juxtaposition of reality against the dream world mirrors the alternation between Rory's account of events and short sections in which the killer describes his thoughts. These passages combine with the peculiarity of the town, its weather and a populace that is gradually disappearing to provide the ample goose bumps and chills required for the genre; it's suspenseful all the way up to its final, disappointing reveal. Suspend disbelief and it's a fun ride. (Horror. 11-16)
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March 1, 2013
Gr 8 Up-Rory Miller has just barely survived an attempt on her life. Her attacker, serial killer Steven Nell, is on the loose, so Rory, her father, and her sister must enter a witness-protection program. As the family begins a new life in the vacation town of Jupiter Landing, it appears as if this place could provide the fresh start they all need. Rory and Darcy have been at odds for years. They meet a group of popular teens and party on the beach, hike, and surf. Just as the Millers start to feel at home in their new town, one of their friends goes missing. Rory wonders if this is just a coincidence or if it has something to do with Steven Nell, and she notices that things are amiss in Jupiter Landing. One of the local guys lurks around where ever she goes. Then other people start disappearing, but Rory is the only person who notices. In an interesting ending, Shadowlands leaves readers surprised and eager for the next installment in the trilogy. Teens who like chick lit and bit of a mystery will enjoy this one.-Shannon Seglin, formerly at Patrick Henry Library, Vienna, VA
Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2013
Grades 9-12 Brian's staple milieustylish teens living soap operaworthy livesgets a supernatural twist in this uneven series opener. When Rory escapes a vicious killer, the FBI assures her they will catch him. In the meantime, she and her family are given new identities and sent to a secret location. They arrive in Juniper Landing, an idyllic vacation island, seemingly without incident, though Rory is troubled by nightmares of the killer murdering them on the road. Rory and her sister, Darcy, join a crew of insouciant, beautiful people who party all the time, but Rory senses something is wrong. People keep disappearing, and while she is sure the killer is responsible, everyone else seems suspiciously unconcerned. Many readers will figure out the paranormal twist long before the reveal, and while Brian builds a strong sense of menace, the abrupt ending leaves most of the interesting questions unanswered. Plot improbabilities, such as the stunning ineptitude of the FBI, and undifferentiated characters hamper what could have been a compelling mystery. Brian's fans will nevertheless find much of what they're looking for.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2013
Rory discovers that her math teacher is a serial killer when he tries to murder her on her walk home from school. After evading him, she and her family are sent to Juniper Landing as part of the witness protection program. The killer follows. Halfway through, this suspenseful and exciting story, seemingly realistic, takes a turn into (frustratingly slow) fantasy.
(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)