Buried

Gr 8 Up—Goth high-school student Thorn, who appeared in Singleton's "The Seer" series (Flux), has just moved to Nevada from California following her father's layoff from work. She has two new friends, Rune and Amerie, but doesn't feel close enough to share her secret with them: she is a "finder." Sometimes she finds lost objects, but often, the objects find her—most recently, a locket, which leads her to a baby's grave. After the town sheriff discovers her on the scene, she becomes the main suspect in the case involving the child. With both her freedom and her family's reputation on the line, Thorn must use her finder senses to discover who is involved in the tragedy. Taken as a whole, Thorn's predicament, while interesting, seems a bit contrived. Despite the lack of full character development, the plot will draw adolescents in and satisfy those looking for a quick read.—Colleen S. Banick, Tomlinson Middle School, Fairfield, CT