Every Breath - Softcover

Ellie Marney

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1743316429 ISBN 13: 9781743316429

Publisher: Murdoch Books, 2013

Synopsis

Rachel Watts has just moved to Melbourne from the country, but the city is the last place she wants to be.James Mycroft is her neighbour, an intriguingly troubled seventeen-year-old who's also a genius with a passion for forensics.Despite her misgivings, Rachel finds herself unable to resist Mycroft when he wants her help investigating a murder. He's even harder to resist when he's up close and personal - and on the hunt for a cold-blooded killer.When Rachel and Mycroft follows the murderer's trail, they find themselves in the lion's den - literally. A trip to the zoo will never have quite the same meaning again.Sizzling chemisty and urban intrigue combine in this thriller from a fresh, exciting new talent.'I loved this book. It's quirky and real, fast-paced and full of great characters. Mycroft and Watts are smart, sexy, flawed detectives. The tension between them is electric. I was hooked from the first page.' - Cath Crowley, author of Graffiti Moon

About this title

About the Author

Ellie Marney was born in Brisbane, and has lived in Indonesia, Singapore and India. Now she writes, teaches, talks about kids' literature at libraries and schools, and gardens when she can, while living in a country idyll (actually a very messy wooden house on ten acres with a dog and lots of chickens) near Castlemaine, in north-central Victoria. Her partner and four sons still love her, even though she often forgets things and lets the housework go.Ellie's short stories for adults have won awards and been published in various anthologies. Every Breath is her first novel for young adults.

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Seventeen-year-old neighbors Rachel Watts and James Mycroft find the murdered body of a homeless man they know. Mycroft is convinced that there is more to the murder than the police believe and persuades Watts to help him investigate. This story is, in part, a homage to Sherlock Holmes and follows all the traditions of a whodunit. However, it's also a tale of a friendship and developing romance of two grieving teenagers. Rachel hates the city of Melbourne and longs for her family's outback farm, lost to foreclosure. Mycroft lives with an uncaring aunt and is still suffering from the loss of his parents in a car crash. The book begins with the aftermath of a fight—Watts and friend Mai mopping up Mycroft's blood. It is a little confusing, as the fight is detailed, schoolteachers and main characters are introduced, and Mycroft comes off as a smart mouth. However, the author develops the characters into authentic, sympathetic individuals while keeping the mystery sustained and the plot moving forward. Somewhat graphic descriptions of the murdered body, swearing, and a subplot of child's sexual abuse make this a novel aimed at older teens. This is a well-written novel that should satisfy confident, thoughtful readers who don't mind Australian slang and brand names.—Michelle Anderson, Tauranga City Libraries, New Zealand

Edition details

• Publisher: Murdoch Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1743316429
• ISBN 13: 9781743316429
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 341