cover Title: Acceleration
Author: Graham McNamee

type of book: Suspense
call number: YA/Fic

This book is strong in character and story.

Summary:
Duncan, Vinny, and Wayne are all friends working - or wasting time - the summer before senior year in high school. Duncan is the soul, Vinny the brains, and Wayne the muscle. At the end of the previous summer, Duncan tried to save a drowning girl and failed. Not being a hero has really affected his life, particularly his relationship with his girlfriend Kim. Also, he is now terrified of swimming, especially when the nightmares come back.

Duncan's summer job is with the public transit lost and found. While trying to make the hours go faster, Duncan looks through the items, especially the books and golf clubs. One day he discovers an unmarked journal with no name, which depicts sadistic animal torture experiments, boasts of arson fires, and the planning for the serial killings of three women. Duncan decides to make amends for his failure last summer by tracking down the owner of the journal by using clues left hidden in the diary.

After talking with his friend Vinny, Duncan decides to turn the journal over to the police, but they do not take him seriously, so he decides to get help from Vinny, do some research at the local library, and find out where the killer works and lives so they can prove to the police the diary is for real.

I would recommend this book!

Why?
The book becomes a non-stop, suspenseful thriller when Duncan finally discovers who the killer is and goes to his house to collect evidence.

Other suggested reading:
  • Kit's Wilderness by David Almond
  • Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman
  • Look for these and other titles in our !

    Employee Initials: KS Review Date: April 2004

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