As Jericho Falls

SUSPENSE/THRILLER:  Fifteen-year-old Lauren lives in the mountain town of Jericho Falls, just about the most boring place on earth. Lauren doesn’t go to school. She spends all her time helping her parents. One day she goes to the town witch to ask her aid to cure her sister, when she hears rummaging from upstairs. In the attic of the house she finds a young boy, naked, and locked in a cage. The boy tells the tragic story of how he ended up there and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. Determined to help him, Lauren comes back time and again, teaching him how to read. The two of them connect in ways Lauren didn’t think would be possible…and before long, she finds herself falling for Jeremy. A plan hatches in her mind to open up the cage and run away with the boy she loves. But the mountain hasn’t betrayed all its secrets yet. 

While an interesting story, "As Jericho Falls" does little in terms of character development. Lauren is difficult to connect with. Her personality jumps about, often contradicting what she did earlier. The ending was predictable; with the clues so huge one simply couldn’t miss them. The writing left a lot to be desired as well. The pacing was awkward, going fast one moment and slow the next. Despite those flaws, however, the plot is still intriguing enough to keep the reader interested until the end. 

Majanka Verstraete