The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1)

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4.1 (9)

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Author(s)

Kimberly Derting

Publisher

HarperTeen

Genre(s)

Mystery

Age Range

14+

Release Date

March 16, 2010

ISBN

0061779814

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Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Editor reviews

4 reviews

Overall rating

3.8

Plot

3.5(2)

Characters

4.0(1)

Writing Style

4.0(1)

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Full of People with Personality

April 03, 2013 (Updated: April 30, 2013)

Overall rating

4.0

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Here is someone who knows how to end a chapter. It’s one of those deals when no matter how many times you tell yourself that you’ll stop reading at the end of the chapter, it just doesn’t happen. They end so compellingly and with such suspense that it just seems the natural thing to continue reading.

The strange thing about this book is that it contains a lot of things that usually bother me, but none of them do. There’s the trio of quirky friends, the ultra protective boyfriend, and the main character with ‘special abilities’. There’s even a clunky old car. But it all makes sense, it works. The characters are all unusually good; you can see why these people want to hang out with each other. And this boyfriend (whose name is Jay) was actually likable. He had personality! This is very exiting to me, because you see a lot of him.

I really liked Violet (the main character), too. She was, well….normal. And I mean that in the best possible way. She was almost like a real person, she does some foolish things every now and then, but not in a way that disgusts you. You go right along with her, thinking it’s a good idea, until you realize just how silly it was, just about when she does.

The only thing that actually bothered me, and I’m being nit-picky here, is that during the first chapter or so Kimberly Derting uses a very figurative writing style. It was just a little flowery and kind of distracting. I’m not sure if she stopped or if I just got used to it. But it certainly didn’t bother me after the first five pages or so. That’s not to say that the writing is bland or anything, it’s got great imagery, with slightly poetic description, which is something that I personally appreciate.

The premise was really neat too, I mean the girl finds dead bodies, what’s not to like? Derting also did a great job making each of the echoes different and sort of personal to the person they belonged to.

This is an immensely well rounded and good book, filled with subtle suspense and light humor. It’s really not like anything else I’ve read, and should be enjoyable to anyone with a wide range of interests, combining mystery, a light sprinkling of horror, and just plain old life. Because that’s what it’s all about, Violet’s life, her's is just a bit more exciting than most.

Kelsey Slemp Top 500 Reviewer 18 reviews

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Echos of the dead

May 31, 2010

Overall rating

3.0

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Violet Ambrose finds murdered bodies by the 'echos' they give off and the imprints they leave on the killers.

If that's not enough to deal with, during her Junior year she develops a huge crush with her childhood friend Jay.

Just as she's struggling to come to grips with her feelings with Jay, a serial killer comes to Violet's small town leaving behind a string of murdered teenage girls. What's scary is the knowledge she might be the only one who can stop him.

I was able to read this book in a few seatings. One thing this story has going for it is the great and unique premise. Violet hears 'echos' of the dead. Both animals and humans. This is shown in great detail throughout the story. Now I usually don't care for prologues but the author does such a fab job in her book I was totally hooked. She shows in vivid detail Violet's ability while in the forest when she's eight years old. All the senses are used to convey this. I could feel the damp dirt in the forest and also get a sense of the horror of finding a dead body. I have an eight year old and can't even imagine what it would be like to have this happen.

Another huge plus in this story was getting glimpses of the serial killer's mind. I really liked this POV. The thoughts that go through the killer's mind while stalking 'prey' is creepy and haunting. I wanted more of this.

Now the romantic angle of Violet and Jay seemed at times too tidy for me. Fans of TWILIGHT are sure to get into the relationship. I felt kind of disappointed. I guess I wanted more between both of them. One thing I did like was how protective Jay was toward Violet and how he stood by her side throughout her ordeal.

I'd give this book a 3 and a half star rating as the details and the killer's POV are gripping and kept me turning the pages wanting to know more. The dialog and Violet/Jay storyline moved too matter of factly for me. I wanted more between the two characters.

Still if you love paranormals that don't fit the typical 'I see dead people' this is one to read.

Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer Top 10 Reviewer 889 reviews

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User reviews

9 reviews

5 stars

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4 stars

67%

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Overall rating

4.1

Plot

4.3(9)

Characters

4.0(3)

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4.0(3)

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Creepy Killers and Morbid Powers

December 06, 2012

Overall rating

3.7

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This book was creepy. In that blood-shilling, hair raising kind of way. All because of the villain. We got to see segments from his point of view, and I might have to say that those were my favourite parts. The way his mind worked, the thoughts we saw, his plans... *shudder* They were so dark. I loved them.

The rest of the book wasn't bad either. The plot moved along nicely, told from the relatable Violet. Her ability to sense dead bodies is really intriguing and diffferent from anything I've stumbled across before. If I was honest with myself, I'd have to say it--along with the serial killer--was the reason I wanted to read it in the first place. The writing style and characters I met when I read part of it on HarperTeen a few years ago only sealed the deal.

The romance in this book was perfect. Jay was likable and his relationship with Violet (in the friend sense) was realistic. I shipped them from the beginning. And was insanely happy when they got together (earlier in the book than I expected, but I have no compaints XD ). It was kind of a major part in the novel, but didn't smother the mystery plot line competely.

Although the identity of the serial killer and the upcoming events can be predicted if you pay attention to the clues dropped in both the killer and Violet's sections, there were still a couple of twists that took me completely by surprise. And sections where my heart pounded in suspense because of the masterful way Derting connected two separate but sequential scenes.

I really enjoyed this novel. Nice and dark with a wonderful side of romance. Hopefully I can get my hands on the sequel sooner rather than later.

Rebecca Wood Top 1000 Reviewer

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The Body Finder (A Room with Books review)

August 17, 2012

Overall rating

4.7

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Holy. Wow. The Body Finder was one seriously intense read. It wasn’t about ghosts or things that go bump in the night, but it scared the pants off of me all the same. Some might say since it’s about regular killers it’s almost more scary and I’m thinking I’d have to agree.
So, anecdote time: I finished The Body Finder minutes before running out the door to catch my bus to make it to Kimberly’s signing. I was so freaked out from reading it I almost didn’t leave since I was traveling by myself and it’d be dark by the time I came home. Oh the power of authors ;]

I love that though Violet’s ability can be classified as paranormal, everything else about The Body Finder is real. Real scary dudes, real homework, real parents; the works. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t abhor paranormal or anything, but it’s refreshing to read a book that’s spine-tingling-ly creepy for real world reasons.

I like that besides her ability to sense the dead, Violet’s still a normal girl. She has homework, parents who occasionally annoy her, and a massive crush on her best friend. I also liked that she was determined to help find the killer but still knew enough (sometimes) to be careful and scares.
Sometimes I just wanted to yell at Jay and Violet to come to their senses and realize they liked each other because COME ON, everyone else could see it :P

Slightly Spoilery
I really liked that Jay & Vi didn’t dance around their relationship for the entire book. Of course I enjoy a slow burn, but I also like kissing. And boy is there lots of kissing!
End

The scenes written from the killer’s point of view had me both fascinated as well as creeped out. I found myself wanting more of them, but at the same time disturbed with myself for wanting that :P

I don’t normally put age suggestions on my reviews, but I’d definitely advise this one be read by older teens.

The Nutshell: The Body Finder definitely has the creep factor going for it, but there’s more than that too. If you’re looking for a book with a strong main character, lots of kissing, and will leave you feeling jumpy, this is definitely the book for you.

Jasmine Top 50 Reviewer 326 reviews

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Interesting Premise

December 03, 2011

Overall rating

4.0

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I found the premise of this book to be unique and intriguing. Violet's ability is well described, as is the aftermath she suffers when she finds something dead. She has strong relationships with her family and with Jay, and I enjoyed reading about those. I also felt the moments when we were in the killer's head were well done.

I wanted a bit more from this book. I wanted more tension, more action, a I wanted the author to dig a bit deeper with the characters to really explore the potential of this premise. I found there were times when I just wasn't completely into the story. However, I do think this book will have fans, and certainly if you enjoy unusual paranormal abilities in your heroines, this might be the perfect book for you.

CJ Redwine, Site and Staff Manager Top 10 Reviewer 406 reviews

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A book that creeps up on you!

March 27, 2011

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Mysteriousrose

This was a book I couldn't put down. When I opened the book one page took the next until the end.
Violet's ability is different and it creates a lot of tension and uncertainty in her life.
The series killer is very creepy and it's a really nice touch that you get the POV of the killer it adds extra suspense to the story.

I'm very intrigued by the relationship between Violet and Jay, how they are best friends and they both secretly want more from each other, be more than friends but none of them is willing to take the final step.
It's very sweet and I like how they watch out for each other.

I like how the book mixes real life and the supernatural world. How we follow a teenager who has to balance her everyday life (school, family, friends, love) with her ability to find dead bodies. Its not easy to be a normal teenager so its definitely not easy to be Violet.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Interesting New Paranormal Story

February 28, 2011

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Gaby B

The Body Finder deals with a premise that weve seen a lot in paranormal novels, having a connection to the dead. But what I like about The Body Finder
is that it manages to take a different spin on that kind of connection,
while blending the paranormal and real world almost seamlessly.

The Body Finder is about Violet, a girl who can sense the
bodies of the dead, especially the unrest. Her secret is known by her
family and best friend Jay; all of who helped her cope with her gift.
When girls from Violets small town go missing and are found murdered,
Violet takes it upon herself to find out who the serial killer is.

Along with the mystery comes some romance between her and Jay. Its
one of those Best friends are in love with each other, but too clueless
to do anything about it things. Yeah, we have seen it before, but I
found that it complimented the story well. Plus, Jay is the guy every
girl should fall in love with. He isnt the bad boy, or the kind that
leads girls on. Hes genuine, sweet, and reasonably protective. I was
getting so sick of reading YA fiction where a girl falls for the bad boy
or someone that doesnt exactly treat her right. Jay isnt perfect. He
has his moments where he does wrong, but hes one of the more realistic
love interests in todays YA fiction.

The different spin on the dead connection is another thing the
author, Kimberly Derting, does right. Instead of having Violet see
creepy visions of the dead or hear the dead speak their last wishes,
Derting gives Violet the power of finding the bodies through sounds,
tastes, lights, etc. Violet gets these impulses that make her follow the
sound or taste she senses until she finds the body of the unrest. Each
body has its own identifier, a certain sound or taste, and whoever had a
hand in their death gets an imprint of that identifier. Hence, Violet
has the ability to find and track down the murderer.

The Body Finder is a great read. Its perfectly paced; it
had me reading from beginning to end almost non-stop. I was happy to
find out that its the first of a series of Body Finder novels. The
second book, Desires of the Dead, was released two days ago, and I cant wait to go to the bookstore to pick it up.

Reprinted here with author's permission. Original: http://www.theyoungfolks.com/?p=1156

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Wonderful, original novel

February 20, 2011

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by Meghan

Violet Ambrose has a special ability. She can sense dead bodies by what she calls echoes. Echoes can come to her in the form of tastes, sounds, smells, or visual cues such as colors. This mostly leads her to find dead animals, which she buries in her backyard in a makeshift graveyard. She can also sense murderers in the same way, with the echo of the dead the same as its murderer. Usually they're only of the military, police, or doctor variety.

Violet also has another secret. She has feelings for her best friend, Jay Heaton, since childhood. Now, when Violet 'stumbles' upon a body, and then several girls go missing, can Jay put aside his protectiveness and help Violet find the killer that is terrorizing her small town, despite the risk that Violet herself might become his prey?

This is another of those books you can't put down, where you find yourself stumbling over the words because you're reading too fast. It's story is told in third person, focusing on two point of views: Violet's and the serial killer's. I loved that part of the story because it was a fresh idea, and provided insight into his insane mind. It was a change of pace when the chapters went from the cheerful mood of a party, to the creepy thoughts and actions of the serial killer.

The characterization was great. I felt that the characters were realistic and had depth. I loved the pairing of Violet and Jay. You could feel the amount that they cared about each other and it reminded me of some of my own relationships because it felt so real. It was funny to me that Violet was so clueless as to Jay's feelings for her. Sometimes, though, Jay's feelings were laid on too thick in the form of his protectiveness over her.

Even though I anticipated some of the plot twists (I have a knack for this and my boyfriend hates when we're watching a movie and I say what's going to happen next) The Body Finder is a must-read for any fans of the mystery and YA genres. A must-read in general. The entire premise of this book is one I doubt you've ever heard before and it makes for an awesome, fresh read. Kimberly Derting writes in an effortless way to pull you in from page one and keep you reading all the way to the end. I will definitely be reading Desires of the Dead as soon as I get my hands on it.

This book earned a 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Cute Romance, Good Story

December 07, 2010

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Ruthie

This book was pretty good and I'm excited to see where the author will take the series. It's got romance...but not a fake one. Violet and Jay's relationship is very believable and extremely cute. Violet's relationship with the boy was very relatible, I know I could relate to it. The characters were extremely strong. This book had alot of good points to it. Again, I can't wait to see where it goes.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

June 24, 2010

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by Courtney Rae (Courtney Reads)

Violet Ambrose has a secret. She hears sounds, tastes foods, feel
touches that she calls echoes. Where do these echoes lead? To murderers
and the murdered.
The first time she came upon a dead body, she was 8
years old. Now a junior in high school, the ability has yet to go away.
Easily causing her to find dead animals.
No one knows about this
except for her family and best friend, Jay Heaton.
Violet and Jay
have been best friends since they were 6 years old. But now things have
changed. Jay has pysically developed and all the girls have noticed,
including Violet.

That's not all. Girls have been disappearing
left and right. Some bodys have been found, others have not.

What
will happen with Violet, her secret, Jay, and the missing girls?

__________

ATTENTION EVERYONE!!!!

If
you have yet to discover Kimberly Derting and her fantastic creation, The
Body Finder, do yourself a favor and read it. NOW.

This
is Kimberly Derting's debut novel and the fact that she hit it out of
the park makes it that much better. That is why the Author Appreciation
Week spotlight shines on her today.
She writes amazingly. Causing you
to get sweaty palms and you heart racing as Violet deals with her
ability and falls in love.

I enjoyed this book so much that I
bought it yesterday evening and finished it this morning. My mom had to
steal it from me and hide it so I wouldn't finish it all in one night.
As soon as I got it back, though, I ran to my room and completed the
fantastic book.

Also, I was lucky enough to be part of The
Body Finder Street Team. I was so ecstatic that I got to spread
the word about this book of awesome around North Carolina. I'll try to
post some pictures of what I did sometime this week. :)

So,
class, what have we learned today? *IN UNISON* We should all read The
Body Finder!

Class dismissed.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Beautiful

October 28, 2009

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Christi

The Body Finder

The Body Finder is the story of a girl, Violet, who- you guessed it- finds body. She can only find the ones that have been murdered however. From that, mystery and suspense ensues. Thus, it gives us one of the most beautiful and touching books I've read in a long time.

Violet is a relatable girl with a very strange gift. She's hopelessly in love with her best friend, Jay, and only hopes for a normal senior experience. But when a serial killer starts lurking near her hometown, preying on young girls, that dream is shattered. When the police find it hard to track him down, Violet feels it is her responsibility to find him. She must now hunt the hunter, but when she gets too close, the hunter comes for her.

Throughout this blood-pumping, page-turning race, is a beautiful love story. The sweet romance of it is perfectly balanced with the suspense, that you won't stop reading until the very last page. The perfect ending throws you for a dizzy loop.

Guest #1 Reviewer