The Body Finder #2: Desires of the Dead Review

Title: The Body Finder #2: Desires of the Dead

Author: Kimberly Derting

Date of Publication: February 15, 2011

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-Book

Synopsis: Violet can sense the echoes of the dead, unable to rest until they are at peace. Preferring to keep her ability to herself Violet knows she's made a mistake when she reports the body of a young boy dumped in a shipping container. When the FBI hunts her down asking how she knew he was there Violet struggles to keep her ability a secret or become the subject of numerous tests and study. With Jay busy spending time with his new friend Mike, Violet feels alone and unsure of where to turn next. With too much time on her hands and the FBI starting so share secrets of Mike's past with her Violet begins to dig into his past herself. However there is someone who doesn't want Violet to find out the truth behind Mike's missing mother and they will stop at nothing to keep her from finding out the truth.

My Review:

As much a love story as it is murder mystery Desires of the Dead brought mystery, romance, and the supernatural together in one gripping novel. Between the intrigue of the mystery and the heartfelt romance I loved this book more and more with every page. A fast read but completely worth it, Desires of the Dead was a great addition to The Body Finder series.

Both Violet and Jay were really fleshed out in this novel. In the first novel they had been enjoyable characters but were lacking the spark that made them feel real. During the course of this novel both of them grew and evolved into unique characters with distinct personalities. Their relationship was fluffy and unrealistic but adorable at the same time, making me smile at their dedication to each other.

As with the first book Derting switched perspectives between Violet and another mystery character. As the novel progresses we learn more and more about this mystery character, eventually discovering their identity and thus discovering the identity of the killer. I absolutely love being able to see into the murderer's life and having the chance to piece together the clues myself.

The plot of this novel was a bit weaker than the plot of the first novel but still made for an enjoyable story. With improved writing and fully developed characters this novel is a huge improvement writing-wise over the first novel. Derting has a way of keeping the reader interested until the very last page and leave them begging for more when the book is finally over!

An all-around fun and exciting series I absolutely love these books. With enough romance and action to keep everyone happy I would definitely recommend this novel to young adult mystery fans!

4/5