Review: The Name of the Star

Author: Maureen Johnson
Publish date: September 2011
Source: Penguin booth at Comic Con

"The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities."

I was hooked by this book about a third of the way in. It took a little while for me to get into it, but once the murders began, the plot picks right up and cruises along until the end. As in, the last two nights I was reading it, I planned on going to bed early, but I couldn't because I just had to keep reading. I don't normally read thrillers, but it's Maureen Johnson, so I had to.

Rory is the main character (Gilmore Girls reference?), a high schooler who is spending time at a boarding school in London. I really liked "seeing" London through her eyes and reading her thoughts about British culture and mannerisms. With Ms. Johnson's great descriptions of the setting, it was easy to imagine that it was me there in the boarding school (although I would have left after the first murder). The book did get scary/creepy in some parts, but I am a baby when it comes to stuff like that, so it may not have been as scary as I imagine. This book will be part of a series, so I will definitely be reading the others and finding out what happens to Rory and the other characters.

Oh, and if you do not follow Maureen Johnson on twitter, you need to. She is HILARIOUS.