Kill Me Now

School can be a difficult place and that does not stop when you get to the sixth form.  The central character in this story is called Guy, but because his father is the local undertaker, he has always had the nickname of ‘Reaper.’  He has also been the target of some of the other boys, including the ‘golden boy’ Riley.  So, when the latter turns up dead and one of his friends accuses Guy, it is up to Guy to try and prove his innocence.  However, things take an even stranger turn when pupils start receiving weird threatening messages accusing them of sinning; events become even darker as others are found dead.  The question is whether the killer can be found before any more people become victims.

Crime thrillers have become a very popular genre for young people, from middle grade to young adult; mix this with a hint of the supernatural and religion, then you have a dark mystery that can put shivers down your spine.  The author has given us a town and school where the church is central to lives and where the concept of sin is taken seriously by many.  There is a really strong sense of foreboding about what is happening and it even brings together very differing characters as they try to solve the mystery.  Against this backdrop we have Guy trying to survive school, whilst also helping out at the funeral parlour and coping with his mother’s cancer treatment.  Kill me Now is a tremendous addition to the genre, with many deaths, lots of twists and turns and a real feel of overwhelming danger, so that we are almost on the edge of a horror plot. It is highly recommended for the 14+ age group, although I am sure that some younger pupils will read it, despite the use of strong language.