Review Detail

When Tyler Brown dies, his younger sister Megan is devastated. The police insist that it was a suicide by drug overdose, but this just doesn't jive with what Megan knows of her brother. She realizes that by touching items that belong to Tyler, she can see his memories, and so she begins to piece together what happened to him.

I had no idea that there was a "magical" element to this novel when I started reading it, but while an interesting concept, it was hard to reconcile with the murder mystery that unfolded. I wanted to know more about how Megan's ability works, and why it was specifically triggered (or was it?) by Tyler's death.

Megan is a passable lead character, but there isn't much that makes her memorable. She's a determined teenager, and resourceful, as well as creative, but she does blend into the sea of YA protagonists that are much the same. The adults around her are similarly tolerable, but not as perceptive as one might hope.

I enjoyed the historical touches and backstories within the novel--they gave it a poignancy and connection to real life that helped to make the story more engaging.