Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

The Dead and Buried
Author: Kim Harrington
Genre: YA Paranormal Thriller
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: ARC from publisher

Description:

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?   

Review:

The Dead and Buried is a great old-fashioned ghost story set in modern times. Jade has always wanted to move to a bigger city with a bigger house, and now she's finally gotten her wish. The only drawback is that Jade has to start at a new high school, which she doesn't even mind. There are whispers behind Jade's back at school and she starts to wonder what everyone is talking about. Then she discovers that her little brother can see a shimmering girl in his room - one that nobody else can see. Strange things begin to happen in the house. Jade finally discovers the secret that no one wants to talk about - a girl her age died in the house only months earlier. Is Jade's new house haunted? It seems that the angry ghost of the girl who died is now haunted Jade's house - and threatening to hurt her little brother - if Jade doesn't help figure out who killed her. Will Jade be able to solve the girl's murder before it's too late? Will she be able to find a murderer among her classmates?

I absolutely love a good ghost story and this book certainly did not disappoint. There is everything creepy that a good paranormal novel needs - a haunted house, a dead teenage girl, a ghost, murder, and possessions. Aside from being a ghost story, the book is also a fast paced mystery/thriller where Jade must uncover what really happened to the girl who died and who it was that killed her. The writing was incredibly well done and I was completely absorbed in the story from the first page. I literally could not put this down! I started reading it one night when I couldn't sleep and ended up powering through it and finishing around 6 am. It was so worth it though! The characters are realistic and easy to identify with - especially Jade, who I immediately liked. Of course there was a mysterious and gorgeous guy in the book - who just also happens to be heart-broken and suspected of murder. But I still adored him and the relationship between him and Jade was perfectly done. There was tons of action, adventure, twists and turns, and mystery throughout the story - which definitely kept me on my toes and guessing most of the time. The ending was a great twist - one that I didn't see coming until really close to the end. Overall, I totally loved this book. It was a fantastic page turner and a definite must read for fans of creepy ghost stories.