Alane FergusonCritiques

READING LEVEL: 5.1 AR POINTS: 5.0
(Ages 8-12, grades 3-7)

This story is just so-so! I thought the story would focus more on whales, but it seemed to focus more on Bindy, the foster girl who everyone thought was literally a big fat liar. Her parents had died and she was adopted by an aunt who had a son. This son was golden-boy. He was a high school football star and very well liked. Bindy, on the other hand, was chunky, heavyset, over ate, all this the author made very clear. Golden-boy had a hidden mean streak and would beat up on Bindy.

Bindy finally got brave enough to tell her Aunt and Uncle but they didn’t believe her. It caused so much trouble in the family that they decided to throw her into the foster system where she would end up with the Landon family, who had two kids Jack and Ashley. Their mother was a scientist who studied the mysterious deaths of sea mammals. She was called to travel to Maine when suddenly there were 12 different varieties of sea mammals washed up onto the shore at Bar Harbor. Most were dead, but few were in the process of being stranded.

Where the story goes a little awry is when the kids find themselves in a dangerous adult crime situation by trying to solve the mystery themselves. There wasn’t too much written about whales, themselves, but the author does add an Afterward on true facts about whales and how sonar causes them to beach. The little bits and pieces of this story regarding whales are based on true facts.

The story just wasn’t what I thought it “could” be. Younger kids might find it interesting or boring. I’m just not even sure.

The book is a YA book. You have to remember how you viewed your world when you were 16 or 17 years old and what you imagined your possibilities were. You also, as the seasoned "grown-up" you are now, how reality is, and work a little to suspend your "big people" disbelief in the role Cameryn plays here. Cameryn's father is the County coroner, and because she has displayed an interest in forensics, he allows his 17-year-old to be his forensic assistant. Now, in reality this is probably vastly unlikely, ill-advised and impossible...especially when one of her observations was one of her teachers. Somehow, I can't remember this being a career choice on Career Day when I was 17... but hey, this is fiction, so it sets the premise for the adventures of this young woman. The book had some minor flaws. It's not for the squeamish reader and it did drag a little at times making me have to go back and reread something occasionally. In the plus department...I like the ongoing tension between the main character and the young deputy as well as the sub-plot about her long-lost mother. What really made me overlook the "impossibilities" and "unlikelies" in the story was Cameryn herself. She is presented as a strong young woman, very smart and she has morals. This is well worth the reading time.½

In The Christopher Killer, Cameryn Mahoney is hired by her father to become his assistant county coroner because of her interest in forensics and pathology. She proves herself quickly, but finds that this job may be more than she bargained for. When one of her friends is killed by a serial killer who leaves St. Christopher medals behind as his calling card, Cameryn realizes that the last thing she can do for her friend is to help find out who killed her. The suspects are many including a so-called psychic who has been tracking the case and the new county deputy who seems to have some kind of connection to Cameryn's estranged mother. Secrets upon secrets make this an interesting mystery, but it is not for the faint of heart. The forensic details presented in the story seem accurate but are also graphic. This is the first of a series of books by Alane Ferguson, and overall, is a very good middle grade mystery.

This is a really good series. The main character is a young adult trying to follow in the footsteps of her father who is a forensic investigator. She has worked as his assistant and has learned a lot which she applies to her own investigations

kind of boring

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I really enjoyed the amount of pure forensics envolved in this story line. It is probably not a story for the weak of heart. I felt that the plot was a bit predictable but I enjoyed it anyway. I will be looking for more books by this author.

I really enjoyed the amount of pure forensics envolved in this story line. It is probably not a story for the weak of heart. I felt that the plot was a bit predictable but I enjoyed it anyway. I will be looking for more books by this author.

Loved the entire series.

Teen is taken on as her father's assistant in the coroner's office when a local girl is found murdered. This is the 4th in a series of murders by the so called Christopher killer who leaves behind a St. Christopher medal. Cammie proves to be quite adept at examining dead bodies and solving crimes. Teens who like to watch CSI and Criminal Minds will enjoy this one. Nothing too graphic so ok for the middle school crowd

This is my second read. I forgot when I first read it.

Still a good read.½

In The Christopher Killer, Cameryn Mahoney is hired by her father to become his assistant county coroner because of her interest in forensics and pathology. She proves herself quickly, but finds that this job may be more than she bargained for. When one of her friends is killed by a serial killer who leaves St. Christopher medals behind as his calling card, Cameryn realizes that the last thing she can do for her friend is to help find out who killed her. The suspects are many including a so-called psychic who has been tracking the case and the new county deputy who seems to have some kind of connection to Cameryn's estranged mother. Secrets upon secrets make this an interesting mystery, but it is not for the faint of heart. The forensic details presented in the story seem accurate but are also graphic. This is the first of a series of books by Alane Ferguson, and overall, is a very good middle grade mystery.

This is a really good series. The main character is a young adult trying to follow in the footsteps of her father who is a forensic investigator. She has worked as his assistant and has learned a lot which she applies to her own investigations

As she uses her knowledge of forensic medicine to investigate the death of a young runaway, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney, an assistant to her coroner father, worries that her secretive mother may be involved.

When her ex-boyfriend starts stalking her, seventeen-year-old Cameryn must use her knowledge of forensic sciences to protect herself.

Goodreads Synopsis: Fascinated by forensics, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney persuades her father, the county coroner in sleepy Silverton, CO, to take her on as his assistant. But she never expects her first case to involve the death of a friend! Rachel Geller, a beautiful young waitress, is found strangled in a field with a Christopher medal around her neck—clearly marking her as the fourth victim of a serial killer. Cameryn is determined to help find Rachel’s killer, and attending the autopsy gives her the first clue. But as she follows her instincts and gets closer to the killer, Cameryn suddenly finds herself on the verge of becoming his fifth victim!

My Review: I'm going to be completely honest here and say that I actually kinda liked this book. Although, the Christopher Killer didn't act like I thought a serial killer would. Although he was measured and strange, he didn't actually think through his actions and that's just not going to do. Although it was an exciting book, I also didn't like the big shocker at the end. It just came out of no where and although I was expecting something shocking, that was a little much. Nothing in the whole book even hinted towards it, and it kinda felt like it was just in there because it was thought of last moment. I mean, this book was good, and there are just always things that I don't and wont like about books. Cameryn's just an average teenage girl with an interest in forensic science and that's pretty cool. The people in this book could be people I know in real life, and that's a good thing. The book kept me wondering who the real killer was, and although I was wrong, I liked reading it. I read this book for a class, to be honest, and I'm glad I did. It's exciting, it's confusing, and it's a little strange at times, but there are real facts in this book, and it's a good read. Definitely check it out if you like forensics. Thanks for reading!

(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

Jack (Age 14) and his younger sister Ashley (almost 12) are enjoying the sights of Gatlinburg, TN while their mother, a wildlife veterinarian, studies elk at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Soon however, Dr. Olivia Landon's expertise is needed on a more urgent situation: several recent black bear attacks that occurred in and near GSMNP is cause for dire concern. Jack takes it upon himself to investigate: Are two new friends, Yonah Firekiller (Age 16) who still holds a childhood grudge against aspiring country singer Merle Chapman (age 15) somehow to blame? A quick and easy read for younger teens and tweens. Having been to the Smokies several times, I was able to picture all the sights and sounds. This is 13th in a series of mysteries taking place in America's national parks.

I found this by accident while I was looking for books for my son. Unfortunately it didn't hold his interest but I loved it! Even though it looks like a series that didn't last too long, I think it would have been excellent for kids. I didn't see much of a mystery in this one but it didn't come across as being too preachy or educational either. I love the adventure and family relationships and the covers with their wide-eyed stares!!

Oh, my: the YA version of Kay Scarpetta. Teenage Cameryn helps her dad with autopsies (would this be legal? I wonder), because she wants to be Scarpetta when she grows up. When high school heartthrob Kyle discovers a popular teacher grotesquely murdered and then seems to want to make geeky Cameryn his number one squeeze, it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to work out what's going on. It takes Cameryn the best part of 250 pages, though. I was annoyed that the author was sufficiently irresponsible to present as fact to impressionable adolescents that "Random killers almost never get caught" (p204); how many dimwitted teenagers are going to discover the hard way that this isn't true? Overall, the writing style is drab . . . although I was amused by this observation of the proprieties, lest -- gasp! -- someone accustomed to performing autopsies might see a -- shudder! -- yet another willy:

Her father shielded her view while Dr. Moore yanked off the boxer shorts, made more difficult due to the angle of the legs.
    "It's all right now," he whispered into her hair. She saw that one of the men had draped a washcloth discreetly over her teacher's groin. (pp91-2)

And then they start cutting open the corpse so Cameryn sees his lungs, brains, heart, bowels . . .

Just let me say something to Kyle: Coolest way to die ever. You know, minus being a oscho serial murderer.

WORSHIP KYLE! Also, wouldn't being a forensic patholigist be cool?

Interested in forensic science, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney assists her father in the autopsy of a local murder victim. Cameryn begins to further investigate the murder and becomes dangerously involved in finding the killer. This is the first book in the Forensic Mystery series

2.5 Stars is closer to what I would give this book. It wasn't great but it was engaging and did incorporate interesting animal and nature preserve facts.

Jack, the preteen protagonist is interested in photography while his sister Ashley is kind of vague. We don't really know what she likes or doesn't like, except she doesn't like killing or hurting animals. Bridger, the new foster child from Texas (?) refuses to wear anything other than jeans, plaid long sleeve shirt, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat even if he is in the Florida Everglades. Bridger also has a misogynistic view of the role of men and women in society. When he learns that one of his foster parents is a Veterinarian and the other is a photographer, he assumes the husband as the vet and is very perplexed when this is not the case.

Olivia (mom) is called down to the Everglades to help figure out why there are manatees mysteriously dying. Of course the children come along and get mixed up with the manatees and a mysterious man who may endanger not only the lives of the manatees, but the lives of the children as well.

Like I said, overall it was entertaining, but it probably isn't something that I would read again.

2.5 Stars is closer to what I would give this book. It wasn't great but it was engaging and did incorporate interesting animal and nature preserve facts.

Jack, the preteen protagonist is interested in photography while his sister Ashley is kind of vague. We don't really know what she likes or doesn't like, except she doesn't like killing or hurting animals. Bridger, the new foster child from Texas (?) refuses to wear anything other than jeans, plaid long sleeve shirt, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat even if he is in the Florida Everglades. Bridger also has a misogynistic view of the role of men and women in society. When he learns that one of his foster parents is a Veterinarian and the other is a photographer, he assumes the husband as the vet and is very perplexed when this is not the case.

Olivia (mom) is called down to the Everglades to help figure out why there are manatees mysteriously dying. Of course the children come along and get mixed up with the manatees and a mysterious man who may endanger not only the lives of the manatees, but the lives of the children as well.

Like I said, overall it was entertaining, but it probably isn't something that I would read again.

Once again I can say that I am so proud of myself for reading outside of my normal genre. I have been continuing to read The Christopher Killer series because a co-worker told me how good these books are. Circle of Bloodis the third book in the series and is a hauntingly realistic forensic murder mystery… A far cry from my normal fantasy books.

Like all of the books in this series, this one was extremely detailed. If I were writing a forensic mystery novel, I would base my entire content off of what I saw on CSI and Law and Order. Seriously. The author spent a lot of time doing her homework to make sure that her details and facts were accurate and believable. That really made the difference in this book, but it also made my stomach churn at times. Some of the descriptions are really graphic! And my over-active imagination had a field day with the visualization.

Also like the other books in the series, the plot in Cirlce of Bloodwas well developed and had a nice twist. The characters complimented one another nicely and were believable. Cammie is continuing to grow as a character, and also learning to face her difficult past. I'm finding myself engrossed in the side stories as much as the murder mysteries.

If you are the type like always gravitates towards contemporary reads, you might want to give this series a try. It’s not a mushy summer romance book, but it is 100% believable (and that’s scary). If you’re like me and tend to stick with one specific genre, it’s time to branch out and try something new. Live on the edge!