ME, THE MISSING, AND THE DEAD

One night 15-year-old Lucas Swain decides to take a cab home. In the cab station, Lucas notices a cremation urn, which he learns was abandoned several years earlier. Although he tries to forget about the urn, it continues to haunt him—until he finally decides to find out about the person, Violet Park, whose remains no one wants. Lucas feels a mysterious connection to Violet, one he can't explain. John Keating's narration is delightful as the hapless youngster slowly uncovers facts about Violet's life. At the same time, Lucas discovers the solution to a mystery that has plagued his own life. Although author Jenny Valentine relies heavily on improbable coincidence, the story works, thanks to Keating's credible adult characterizations and ingenuous treatment of Lucas. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]