Me, the Missing, and the Dead

Author Jenny Valentine earned a chorus of critical praise with this dark and humorous debut novel. Fifteenyear- old Lucas Swain hasn't seen his father for five years. One day, his dad just vanished-and nobody else seems too concerned. Things get even stranger when Lucas discovers an urn. The ashes inside are a woman named Violet, and she has messages from the beyond to share. "Everyday quirkiness brings the secondary characters to life as distinct individuals, and fortuitous turns in the plot lead to the answers to Lucas's critical questions. Charmingly told, this mystery manages to be both frothy and nourishing."-Kirkus Reviews