LAST ACT

Last Act * Christopher Pike
1988 * p. 226 * YA Mystery
Melanie is new at school and feeling pretty invisible. But when one of the most popular girls in school invites her to try out for a part in the school's play, she's ecstatic, especially since Marc, a handsome and brooding athlete, will also star in the play.

But what Melanie doesn't know, is that everyone seems to be hiding secrets, and what is supposed to be a pretend murder for the sake of the play, becomes very real. A fellow actress is murdered, and Melanie finds herself as the main suspect.

Most people claim it was an accident, others say Melanie hated Rindy and wanted her dead. Melanie doesn't think it was an accident, but neither is she the one who did it. She believes someone DID want Rindy dead, and she's convinced that the only way to solve the murder is to perform the play again. But is performing the play, just setting the stage for another murder?

A great little murder mystery. I read it once before while I was in junior high and loved it then too. Christopher Pike has written many, many more books that are all similar: murder, mystery, science fiction, gore. His books are like a higher level version of Goosebumps. My Young Adult professor calls them potato chip fiction: a mindless, meaningless, but pleasurable read.

They aren't great literature. But they are great books for a reader that is not "into" reading. They are easy to read, generally light, suspenseful and fun reads.

-Reading level: ages 16 & up.
-A few swear words.
-Themes of secrecy, betrayal, friendship, lies!

The Westing Game

The Westing Game

Ellen Raskin

1978 * p. 182 * YA Mystery

The Westing Game is a "clue-like" mystery where 16 strangers are brought together at the funeral of a man, Sam Westing, that all claim they never knew. He has left a will and devised a game that all will play to determine the heir of his money and his murderer. Most of the characters are eccentric and have fun and unusual names like Theo Theodorakis, D. Denton Dear, and Turtle Wexler. Also, each seems to know something but hides it secretly, as well as the clues they are given in pairs.

One of the 16 strangers and heirs, Judge J.J. Ford, says the following about the Westing game:

"In his will Sam Westing implied (he did not state, he implied) that (1) he was murdered, (2) the murderer was one of the heirs, (3) he alone knew the name of the murderer, and (4) the name of the murderer was the answer to the game.

The game: a tricky, divisive Westing game. No matter how much fear and suspicion he instilled in the players, Sam Westing knew that greed would keep them playing the game. Until the 'murderer' was captured. And punished.

Sam Westing was not murdered, but one of his heirs was guilty--guilty of some offense against a relentless man. And that heir was in danger. From his grave Westing would stalk his enemy, and through his heirs he would wreak his revenge" (47-48).

I read this book when I was younger and remembered loving it. After reading it again, I found t harder to get into and really enjoy. But it is a relatively fun read.

-Reading level: grade 7 & up

-Fast and easy read

-Appropriate for all readers