Famous Last Words, by Katie Alender
Oct 27
2014
According to her author bio, Katie Alender went to film school, and her love of movies permeates every page of Famous Last Words. I expect there's already a film-adaptation deal in the works, but if not, Hollywood is missing out, because Famous Last Words has everything: ghosts, romance, murders... even a makeover scene. Seriously, it's practically a shopping list for a great teen movie.
When Willa's new stepfather, a successful movie director, moves her and her mother from suburban Connecticut to his historic Hollywood mansion, the tabloids treat her like Cinderella. Willa tries to view the move as a fresh start, but it's clear that something has followed her to California—her hit-or-miss ability to communicate with ghosts. Making matters worse, there's a serial killer stalking young women in the area, and Willa discovers that she seems to have a special affinity for connecting with the spirits of his victims.
My only problem with this story was the fact that I instantly guessed who the killer was. It's not that I'm some kind of super sleuth, or even that Alender over-telegraphs her clues—it's just that everything about this character, from the timing of their introduction to the exact size and nature of their role, practically screams: “PICK ME, PICK ME! I AM CLEARLY A NUTJOB SERIAL KILLER.” (To be fair, I've been reading murder mysteries for a lot longer than Alender's target audience, so what seems obvious to me might come as a staggering surprise to, say, a 15-year-old.) However, the murder mystery is only a small part of this story, and everything else in Famous Last Words—the romance, the ghost story, the coming-of-age elements—works like a charm. Reading it was a great kick-off for my week of Halloween reviews, and I fully intend to check out more of Ms. Alender's work.
Review based on publisher-provided copy.
When Willa's new stepfather, a successful movie director, moves her and her mother from suburban Connecticut to his historic Hollywood mansion, the tabloids treat her like Cinderella. Willa tries to view the move as a fresh start, but it's clear that something has followed her to California—her hit-or-miss ability to communicate with ghosts. Making matters worse, there's a serial killer stalking young women in the area, and Willa discovers that she seems to have a special affinity for connecting with the spirits of his victims.
My only problem with this story was the fact that I instantly guessed who the killer was. It's not that I'm some kind of super sleuth, or even that Alender over-telegraphs her clues—it's just that everything about this character, from the timing of their introduction to the exact size and nature of their role, practically screams: “PICK ME, PICK ME! I AM CLEARLY A NUTJOB SERIAL KILLER.” (To be fair, I've been reading murder mysteries for a lot longer than Alender's target audience, so what seems obvious to me might come as a staggering surprise to, say, a 15-year-old.) However, the murder mystery is only a small part of this story, and everything else in Famous Last Words—the romance, the ghost story, the coming-of-age elements—works like a charm. Reading it was a great kick-off for my week of Halloween reviews, and I fully intend to check out more of Ms. Alender's work.
Review based on publisher-provided copy.
Posted by: Julianka
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