The Dead I Know

The Dead I Know

by Scot Gardner  

Plot:

When Aaron lands a job at the local morgue things seem to turn for the better. Nonetheless, Aaron is hiding his grandma's illness from himself and everyone else. However, things soon begin to go downhill. His grandma ends up in hospital and his neighbours are accusing him of murder, what else could go wrong? Well,   Aaron faces the challenges of his own subconscious mind everyday. With dangerous sleepwalking and recurring dreams he can't explain, will he be able to put the pieces together before it’s too late?

My thoughts:

I picked up this book merely because I was intrigued by what others had told me about it. When I first glanced at the summary I wasn’t impressed, but I soon took to the main character Aaron and I couldn't put it down. Readers will grow attached to Aaron and be rooting for him throughout the entire book. Why? Well, Aaron has a hard life at home which made me feel pity for him. No one is ever home, he is always looking out and running around after his grandmother, and lastly he appears to be lonely. As the book progressed all I could hope for was the best for him. The Dead I Know is like an onion. It has many layers and situations to it. Amongst the main idea of the book there are many other scenarios unfolding. I don't generally read books of this genre, however, this one was a good change. It has a mystery aspect that always kept me guessing and wondering what was going to happen next. Scot Gardner also adds quirky details to add suspense and reality into the book. For example, at the beginning of every chapter he includes a snippet of Aaron's crazy dreams. This book is a moderate and mature read written to be read by young adults. I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of fourteen. Although the book does have some humour it also contains some heavy adult situations (mental illnesses, relationships, etc.). If you get queasy when reading books about blood, detached body parts or death I would not recommend this book. As the book is about working for a morgue, he discusses many of the procedures and situations involved in preparing the body for the service.  

  

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good read and a change in pace. Anyone who enjoys mystery, reality and suspense should pick up The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner. If you liked The protected by Claire Zorn you would love The Dead I Know.

reviewed by R.S., Grade 10 Scona student