14 Ways to Die
Imagine staring in your own reality TV show in order to hunt down the serial killer who stalked and murdered your own mother, and you will find yourself in the heart of this fast paced YA thriller made for the social media age!
Ten years ago Jess lost her mother to the Magpie Man, an infamous serial killer who is still at large and planning to kill again. She's going to use her new platform as the star of a YouTube reality series to catch him. That is, if he doesn't catch her first.
Jess's online show means that everyone is talking about her mother's murder case. But fame comes with its downsides. The whole world is watching her every move. And it's hard to know who she can trust.
Could the Magpie Man be lurking closer to her than she thought? Is he watching her right now?
From the very beginning of 14 Ways to Die I was instantly drawn into Jess’s story. As a mother I couldn’t help but feel so heartbroken for her, having cruelly lost her own mother all those years ago. I wanted to jump into the pages and comfort her as she was consumed by her grief for all those years, without closure or resolve. Yet, Jess really lost both parents on the day her mother was murdered. Her father has given up on life, and the love she feels for him is achingly transparent.
It’s not just Jess that lost a loved one. The Magpie Man, has killed 12 other women, robbing other families of a mother, wife, sister, and/or daughter. By being in the public eye, she is reminding others that her mother and all the other women were living and breathing with loved ones of their own. Throughout all this, Jess’s strength radiates off the pages as she continuously brings this front and center on her reality show.
As the story progresses I definitely hoped that Jess would succeed in her quest to capture The Magpie Man. Thankfully she’s not alone in her journey. She has an army of followers tuning in as she uses her YouTube reality show to stream her pursuit for justice and the capture of a serial killer. As I was cheering for Jess I was also holding my breath as she put her own life on the line.
Overall, this was a fast and gripping story that I read in no time! I was constantly holding my breath as Jess time and time again put herself in harms way. The twists and turns in this story built up tension and kept me guessing till the very end.
P.S. Please do not shy away from this book because it is labeled as YA. As an adult I loved this fast paced mature plot and found myself engaging with all of the characters and emotions within the story as Jess and other characters deal with the grief and trauma of loosing someone they love.
Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for the gifted copy of this book.
