Cry blue murder by Kim Kane and Marion Roberts

University of Queensland Press, 2013. ISBN: 9780702239267.
(Age: Middle school) Recommended. Cry blue murder is a very inventive young adult novel told in a very non-traditional way, the story unfolds through a series of emails and documents which might be found in a lawyer's brief. Main characters Celia and Alice meet online after the disappearance of one of Celia's fellow students, Hallie Knight, and become quick friends in their shared speculation of the serial killer targeting a string of missing girls. Before long Hallie is found and becomes the only known survivor of a man dubbed 'The Cocoon Killer', unfortunately she also begins to loose her mind and is not able to assist the police in finding her captor. Meanwhile another girl is missing, soon to be found dead. This new tragedy draws the girls closer than ever - each fearing that they might be the next victim of 'The Cocoon Killer'.
Despite the chilling title this novel quickly looses its eeriness and falls into a lull while focusing on the dramas of every day life and the development of a close friendship between the girls. I found this novel to be an easy read, sharing important cyber safety messages in a very subtle way. I found myself mentally screaming at Celia as I read - unable to believe that she would ignore the most basic cyber-safety lessons all children today are taught at home and school.
I would recommend this novel for middle school students who don't like to read traditional novels. Its simple presentation of evidence motivates readers to draw their own conclusions about the serial killings of private school-girls.
Kayla Gaskell (Student)