Croak

Gr 8 Up—Lex has recently descended into delinquency, and her parents have had enough. At the end of her junior year, she is sent to stay with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York. She discovers that the people of Croak are dedicated to releasing souls at the moment of death and ushering them to the Afterlife. Lex becomes a Grim, but she isn't like all the others: Killing gives her a painful shock. She also struggles to resist pursuing murderers, making her a suspect when criminals begin dying for no reason. But her partner (and eventual love interest, once Lex stops wanting to pummel him) and the other Grims vow to uncover the real villain. The Grimsphere is creatively detailed—black hoodies are standard uniforms and the bartender pours Yoricks, served in a skull—but this world-building never takes itself too seriously. Silly humor and death-related puns undercut what might otherwise be a dark story. The structure is largely trope and the ending a bit fast, but Damico balances wrapping up loose ends with setting up a sequel (Scorch, due later this year). A formulaic structure embellished with creative details, sarcastic humor, and quick-witted dialogue makes Croak rise above other stories of its type.—Gretchen Kolderup, New Canaan Library, CT