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Overview
A creepy, campy new mystery series
Welcome to Nightshade, California—a small town full of secrets. It’s home to the psychic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom- shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case!
There’s a gorgeous new guy at Nightshade High: Duke Sherrad, a fortune-teller claiming to have descended from Gypsies. Even though she’s psychic herself, Daisy is skeptical of Duke’s powers. But when a teacher who was the subject of one of his predictions ends up dead, she begins to wonder if Duke is the real deal after all.
Maybe if Daisy can track down the teacher’s killer, she can find out the truth. The only trouble is, all signs point to the murderer being of the furry persuasion. Is Daisy any match for a werewolf? Maybe she is . . . in more ways than she bargained for!
Synopsis
Welcome to Nightshade, California-a small town full of secrets. It's home to the psychic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom- shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case! There's a gorgeous new guy at Nightshade High: Duke Sherrad, a fortune-teller claiming to have descended from Gypsies. Even though she's psychic herself, Daisy is skeptical of Duke's powers. But when a teacher who was the subject of one of his predictions ends up dead, she begins to wonder if Duke is the real deal after all. Maybe if Daisy can track down the teacher's killer, she can find out the truth. The only trouble is, all signs point to the murderer being of the furry persuasion. Is Daisy any match for a werewolf? Maybe she is . . . in more ways than she bargained for!
Children's Literature
When a gorgeous new student arrives at Nightshade High School, the gossip of the hallways shifts from the upcoming prom to rumors about the mystery student's upbringing and psychic powers. His charm and exaggerated stories, however, do not fool the one person he hopes to win over: Daisy Giordano, the daughter and sister of extremely talented, psychic women who help solve crimes and mysteries in their community. Daisy is skeptical of the new guy, Duke, but when her boyfriend suddenly begins to act weird, her initial impression of him changes. Things get creepy in Nightshade when a teacher, the subject of one of Duke's predictions, is murdered. After the incident, Daisy decides to takes matters into her own hands to solve the unexplainable murder, but her investigation reveals a turn of events even she could never have predicted. In Nightshade, werewolves roam amongst humans and psychic powers provide protection to the citizens, but despite this surreal atmosphere, no Nightshade citizen tolerates an act of murder. The science fictional and supernatural elements found throughout the novel successfully capture a fictional town and its interesting citizens. Perez includes situations with which the reader can identify; however, by placing them in an unfamiliar, spooky setting with werewolves and psychics, she manipulates perceptions about the events that take place throughout the novel. Although the science fiction and supernatural elements in the novel could turn away readers not enticed by mysterious and paranormal creatures, they provide unique and mysterious components to the setting and the characters that could change any opposed reader's mind. Reviewer: Courtney Elrod
Editorials
From the Publisher
"Hot on the heels of Dead Is the New Black (2008) comes another quick, lively romp through Nightshade USA, where a variety of preternaturals, paranormals, and regular folks coexist in continually tenuous accord. Caught somewhere between them all is Daisy Giordano, equal parts psychic, amateur detective, and teenage girl. Romance and murder are again high on Daisy’s list of priorities. New boyfriend Ryan is acting truly bizarre. Is he in love with her, or isn’t he? Will he ask her to the prom? Then there’s the strange death of a local high-school teacher. Did a werewolf do the deed? Add to that two new classmates: hottie Elise Wilder, who seems to have her eye on Ryan, and handsome fortune-teller Duke Sherrad, who wants Daisy for himself. Teens looking for a breezy read will find plenty to like here."— Stephanie Zvirin, Booklist OnlineChildren's Literature -
When a gorgeous new student arrives at Nightshade High School, the gossip of the hallways shifts from the upcoming prom to rumors about the mystery student's upbringing and psychic powers. His charm and exaggerated stories, however, do not fool the one person he hopes to win over: Daisy Giordano, the daughter and sister of extremely talented, psychic women who help solve crimes and mysteries in their community. Daisy is skeptical of the new guy, Duke, but when her boyfriend suddenly begins to act weird, her initial impression of him changes. Things get creepy in Nightshade when a teacher, the subject of one of Duke's predictions, is murdered. After the incident, Daisy decides to takes matters into her own hands to solve the unexplainable murder, but her investigation reveals a turn of events even she could never have predicted. In Nightshade, werewolves roam amongst humans and psychic powers provide protection to the citizens, but despite this surreal atmosphere, no Nightshade citizen tolerates an act of murder. The science fictional and supernatural elements found throughout the novel successfully capture a fictional town and its interesting citizens. Perez includes situations with which the reader can identify; however, by placing them in an unfamiliar, spooky setting with werewolves and psychics, she manipulates perceptions about the events that take place throughout the novel. Although the science fiction and supernatural elements in the novel could turn away readers not enticed by mysterious and paranormal creatures, they provide unique and mysterious components to the setting and the characters that could change any opposed reader's mind. Reviewer: Courtney ElrodSchool Library Journal
Gr 8 Up
This sequel to Dead Is the New Black (Harcourt, 2008) follows Daisy and her family, residents of Nightshade, CA, where the murder of a popular teacher has the town on alert. The underground "City Council" that governs all things supernatural is working on solving the crime along with Daisy's mom, a well-known psychic. The teen is learning how to use her new powers inherited from her mom and is bonding with her sisters. Trouble is brewing in the local shape-shifter community, but no one will tell Daisy what is going on. Then, during prom, the killer is revealed. A third book will clear up some loose ends. This paranormal teen drama is a quick, light read and is similar to Ellen Schreiber's "Vampire Kisses" series (HarperCollins). Fun for reluctant readers, but not satisfying for readers of more epic series like Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" (Little, Brown).-Corinda J. Humphrey, Los Angeles Public Library