Genre: Mystery
Pages: 263
Stars: ****
Series: The second book, Blood Will Tell, is scheduled for release next June. The total amount of books is not known at this time but may include up to nine. The best part? The spine has a little number one on it so you won't pick up the wrong book by mistake.
Nick signed up with Portland Search and Rescue for the adventure. Ruby wants to explore her passion for true crime. Alexis is just there to look good on her college application. What they didn't sign up for? A serial killer on their tails. When a search for a missing autistic man turns up a teenage girl's body instead, Ruby's sure she's connected to the last girl who turned up dead in the woods. The police refuse to believe it's the work of a serial killer. After all, serial killers have types, and these murderer girls have nothing in common at first glance. But when they dig deeper, the three of them can't shake the feeling that a murderer is cutting down teenage girls in the Portland area-and now he's got his eyes on Ruby.
If you're looking for a novel about mental illness but don't feel like picking up an issue book, this is the read for you. Ruby's implied to be autistic, Nick's described as ADHD, and Alexis has a bipolar mother. While Nick and Ruby's disorders never take center stage, Alexis' struggles to hide her mother's problems make up a significant subplot. The story is told from all three characters' points of view, along with occasional chapters from the killer's perspective. Told in third person, you don't need to worry about confusing the voices. Readers will enjoy the gritty details about crime scene investigation and, when Alexis goes undercover, homeless life.
The Body in the Woods is a fast paced, realistic murder mystery that balances well researched details about everything from serial killings to wildlife.
