The Cemetery Boys

January 19, 2015
Stephen’s mother’s mental illness has left the family destitute, forcing him and his father to move from Denver to Stephen’s grandmother’s house in the small town of Spencer, Mich., where citizens cling to a legend that promises prosperity in exchange for a sacrifice to mythical “Winged Ones.” Soon it becomes clear that nearly everyone in Spencer seems to believe in these creatures, which have apparently wreaked havoc on the town for decades. The power struggle between Stephen’s grandmother and his cowed father serves as a foil for the hierarchy among the “cemetery boys” of the title—the new friends Stephen hangs out and drinks with in the town cemetery—most of whom are under the thumb of Devon, the sinister twin brother of Stephen’s crush, Cara. Brewer (the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series) crafts a mystery steeped in betrayal, and although a prologue that rockets ahead to the pivotal end threatens to rob the tale of some of its suspense, the gory conclusion and its twists still do the trick. Ages 13–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Forced by financial stress to leave his mother behind in a mental health institution, Stephen and his father reluctantly move to a tiny town to live with his bitter, unhappy grandmother. Stephen's summer starts to look brighter when he meets cute outcast Cara and her fun-loving brother Devon. As the townspeople reveal their bizarre local mythology, Stephen slowly discovers that Devon's gang is up to something more sinister than just drinking in the cemetery, but it may be bigger and darker than he can imagine. Stephen is a well-developed character, with the right amount of snark, lust, and angst for an honest portrayal of a 16 year old. The dark, mysterious tone combined with a surprise ending bolster the book's thematic warning on the danger of belief. Instantly engaging-with plenty of suspense surrounding the town's secret-this supernatural mystery will please fans of Brewer's previous vampire hunter series (Dutton) and new readers looking for less paranormal, and more quiet horror.-Hannah Farmer, Austin Public Library, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2014
Stephen's family returns to his father's hometown in search of a fresh start, but the town's dark history threatens to swallow them whole.Stephen's father swore he'd never return to the tiny, backwater town of Spencer, Michigan, but excessive hospital bills have forced his hand. So Stephen finds himself living with his grumpy grandmother and distracted father, worrying about his sick mother who remains back home. He distracts himself with beautiful local girl Cara and befriends her twin brother, Devon. He also investigates the town's mysterious legends, most of which involve murders and gruesome winged beasts. The author expertly sets the tone of a small claustrophobic town where everyone knows everyone else's business and no one wants outsiders digging too deep. Nagging dread permeates the narrative, casting a shadow over even some of Stephen's happier moments. His budding romance with Cara is smartly paced, resulting in a solid couple that feels fresh and rounded when compared to other teen couples in horror books. The novel's final pages will surely shock readers: The author takes great glee in not just presenting a great reveal toward the end, but also twisting the knife. Keen-eyed readers may spot the twist, but few will predict just how far it goes. A slick, spooky, chilling mystery. (Horror. 12-16)

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December 1, 2014
Grades 9-12 After his mother is institutionalized with a sudden mental illness, Stephen moves with his father from Denver to Spencer, Michigan, population 816. At first, Stephen thinks that Spencer's inhabitants are hicks, the town is rundown and boring, and his father has spinelessly abandoned his mother, and he is counting the days till his eighteenth birthdayand escape. A charismatic set of twins makes life more interesting, though, and Stephen falls hard for beautiful Cara and befriends her brother, Devon, and his crew of followers. Through them, Stephen learns of the village legendthe Winged Oneswho bring bad times to Spencer until they are appeased by a human sacrifice. Rumor or truth? The tension builds from the first scene, but stock characters abound, and few, if any, clues are provided for a pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you ending. In addition, Brewer's treatment of mental illness is unfortunate: Stephen's mother comes down with delusions suddenly, like a case of measles. Still, fans of Brewer's Slayer Chronicles will be creating demand for this new supernatural thriller. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: An all-in marketing campaign, including plenty of social media outreach, will put this on the radar of readers beyond Brewer's already extensive fan base.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Stephen moves to uber-rural Michigan, where his increasingly sinister new friends believe in the local legend of the "Winged Ones," monsters who periodically demand human sacrifice. Brewer effectively mines the gray area between supernatural and psychological explanations for each strange occurrence, but the stereotypical depiction of rural residents as either ignorant bigots or psychopathic nonconformists mars the narrative.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)