Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

The Dead and Buried

By: Kim Harrington

Pub. Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic Point

Pages: 304

Source: Netgalley

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

I really enjoyed Kim Harrington's Clarity series, so when I heard she was writing a ghost story I was very excited! I read The Dead and Buried in one sitting! It was so good!

Jade, her father, stepmother and little brother moved from a very small town, something she has always wanted. But what she finds in her new home, isn't all what she expected. There is a glittery girl trying to communicate with her brother. Upon further investigation, Jade learns that it is the ghost of Kayla Sloane, queen B who died last year in the same house. By died, I mean she was murdered. Now it is up to Jade to find who killed Kayla, before Kayla kills Jade's brother.

When I first started reading, I didn't really know what to expect. It was moving kind of slow for my taste, and then all of a sudden, BAM, I was hooked! I had to know who the killer was, I had to know why they killed Kayla and I had to know everyone's secrets that they were hiding.

I loved how everything fell perfectly into place and the ending was completely unpredictable. I know some readers were able to figure out who did it pretty early on, but I was not one of them! I actually didn't expect this person until a little bit before it was actually revealed.

After I got through the slow beginning, the rest of the book was very fast paced. The characters were also easy to connect to. I really liked Jade. She was easily likable and relatable. I could see her being my best friend.

As far as ghost stories go, it definitely wasn't the scariest. It really wasn't scary at all, but it was still enjoyable! I highly recommend The Dead and Buried.