The Madness Underneath

"Not many books are simultaneously hilarious and terrifying, but Maureen Johnson pulled off the trick in her previous book, The Name of the Star. In this latest installment, transplanted Louisiana teen Rory is trying to navigate a posh British boarding school. Luckily, Rory has a story for everything, makes friends easily and learns the word “snog” in record time. Unluckily, she chokes on a piece of meat, nearly dies, and discovers that she can see ghosts. After the explosive events of the first novel, neither Rory nor her friends can go back to their old lives. Johnson deepens her ghostly mythos, the story moves in unexpected but believable directions, and the ending walloped me in the teeth."