The Name of the Star  by Maureen Johnson


The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

My Book  Review
"The Name of the Star" is a great read, I loved it. What starts off as a fish out of water story about a girl from the Deep South coming to boarding school in London't East End turns out to be a supernatural thriller of the best possible kind. Rory is one of the most instantly likeable and realistic teen characters I've come across in ages, in fact I would happily have read about her simply going to Wexford and hooking up with some hot English boy but Maureen Johnson gives us much more than that. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes Johnson's trademark dry sense of humour and often unexpected comic turn of phrase because, man, does she have readable style but also to those who like a bit of grisly thrown in with their thrillers because the return of Jack the Ripper is never going to be pleasant! The East End setting is completely convincing and I say that as an East End girl who has spent many a night in The Ten Bells, it was so great to read about a less obviously touristy side of London. Finally, I'd recommend this to anyone looking to get into a new series because "The Name of the Star" isn't even out in the UK yet and I'm already desperate for the next one. Brilliant brilliant brilliant
Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.