★ “Compulsively readable. A memorable new voice.”—Publishers Weekly
★ “Part mystery, part magical realism, part story of personal growth, and in large part simply about a funny teenager making light of his and his family’s pain, this short novel is engaging from start to finish.”—School Library Journal
★ “Lucas’ pitch-perfect voice and authentic family relationships, the mild psychic element, and the poignant, coming-of-age mystery will stay with the reader long after the book ends. Valentine’s debut novel shines richly.”—Booklist
“Charmingly told, this mystery manages to be both frothy and nourishing.”—Kirkus Reviews
Me, the Missing, and the Dead
Jenny Valentine
HarperTeen; Reprint edition / 2010
Me: Lucas Swain—I'm nearly sixteen years old and live in London. I was fairly normal until the night I found Violet. Then everything changed.
The missing: Dad. He disappeared five years ago. Nobody knows what happened to him, and nobody cares except me. It's enough to drive you crazy.
The dead: That's Violet . . . in the urn. Speaking of crazy—I know she's trying to tell me something, and I think it's about my father. . . .
I may have met Violet after she died. But it didn't stop me from getting to know her. . . .