Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 16th March 2010
Series: The Body Finder #1
Source: eBook

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

Violet has the unique ability to sense and find dead bodies. I am a big fan of another book series where the delightful Harper Conelly also has the ability to find dead bodies. Bearing this in mind Kimberly Derting had a lot to live up to. Well I am happy that she managed to exceed my expectations! The story is light and fresh but still has enough tension to keep the crime aspect of the story thrilling and exciting.

Violet's unique talent is sensing dead people, but can also sense the same imprint in whoever took the life. The imprint comes to her in a number of different ways, it can be visual, a taste, a smell or a sound. These imprints can be so strong that it makes it impossible for Violet to ignore once she has stumbled upon one. I really liked this aspect of the story and I thought it was well thought out, especially the people surrounding her in her life carrying the imprints of animals they killed hunting or by accident or any imprint which may be a bit more sinister.

There were a number of other characters in the book that i really liked. For one her uncle (The Police Chief) was a well written character and you could see that there was a special bond between him and Violet. Also I loved the character of Jay! Oh so sweet Jay. Why can we not all have a boy best friend who are so lovely and protective at the same time?

I raced through this book, however as I have spells where I can't get enough crime novels, I had a very good idea "whodunit" quite a while before the end. The way the book is written however meant that I was not frustrated about this and it did not bother me much or ruin my enjoyment of the story in any way. Ms Derting, I tip my imaginary hat to you!