Book Review: The Body Finder

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.

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 had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Pulse racing, heart stopping YA paranormal romance.  It is rare for a book to elicit a strong physiological response but The Body Finder brought me to near hyperventilating.  Twice.  This book is a fine example of young adult, paranormal romance, mystery thriller, supernatural fiction.  Kimberly Derting's characters are fully developed and three dimensional.  Violet Abrose is at once lovable and vulnerable.  Her best friend Jay Heaton is one of the most endearing characters I've had the pleasure of reading and his presence on the page almost always brings a smile.  The challenges that they face together, and the secret that they must keep, feels entirely plausible.  Violet was born with the ability to sense the bodies of the dead by visual and auditory imprints that their deaths leave behind.  These imprints are stronger on those who have suffered a violent death and leave a similar imprint on the person who killed them.  I'm often disappointed with the reasons given for a character to hide their supernatural talents but Derting does a fantastic job of demonstrating the dangers of discovery.  This adds to the overall suspense of The Body Finder making it one of the most thrilling novels I have read this year.

I would recommend The Body Finder to readers of paranormal romance, young adult, mysteries, and suspense thrillers.  Though the romance of The Body Finder is filled with the innocence and discovery of young adulthood I believe it is enjoyable for readers of all ages. 

Source:  This book was purchased by me for review.

The Body Finder on Amazon.
The Body Finder on Goodreads.