Christopher Killer, The

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson Murder Mystery/Family Problems Viking by Penguin Group, 2006, 274 pp., $15.99 ISBN: 0-670-06008-9

This dramatic novel revolves around a young girl named Cameryn who becomes an assistant to her father, the county coroner. After several mishaps and crime scene viewings that make her sick, she becomes entrenched in a case that will change her life. Woven into this plot is a subplot of Cameryn trying to find out who and where her mother is. The incredibly detailed descriptions of crime scenes are akin to the current Crime Scene Investigators television programs. Along the way we meet a psychic, a gothic friend of Cameryn's, and a 1960s-style, spiritual best friend.

Ferguson's character development is so strong that you come to know and care about these people, to the point where you feel their pain and joy. It is also refreshing to see how close Cameryn is to her father, a strong role model. Readers will be taken on a thrilling ride from the beginning to the surprise ending.

Kenan Metzger

Muncie, IN

Copyright Assembly on Literature for Adolescents -- National Council of Teachers of English Fall 2007
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