Joey Crouch is your typical straight-’A’ student with a knack for playing the trumpet. Living alone with his mother in Chi
cago, his days don’t vary, following the same routine; Avoid public humiliation at school, study, practice trumpet, and spend time with his mom. Which, unlike your typical teenager, he enjoyed and did constantly. Until she died. Following the rough turn of events he’s shipped out to a town in the middle of no where to live with his dad, whom he had never met and knew nothing about. With this, he may’ve been slightly nervous. Add on the fact that the entire town despises his dad, and that he never seems to be home, always leaving in the middle of the night, maybe Joey is slightly more then nervous. However, when he sneaks onto his dad’s truck, following him on one of his departures, he ends up in a graveyard. His dad has a terrible secret, one revealing an entire hidden culture, which Joey seems to be thrown straight into the middle of.
Let me begin with saying this book throws a sharp toothed grappling hook right at your throat, pulling you in, and not letting you go until the thrill rides over. One of the few books I’ve read that pulls you in so successfully, and easily trumping any other book I’ve reviewed so far. Written excellently, with in depth character development throughout the story, you really feel like you’re taking part in the adventure. The only thing that isn’t entirely positive I have to say about this book is an extremely unexpected plot twist. Not to reveal any details, but after reading the chapter that it occurs in, you’ll probably do exactly what I did. Stop, go ‘What the hell?’, then re-read the chapter, before deciding the author must’ve in an odd mood. Overall, an amazing book.
