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Release Date: September 29, 2011
Series: Shades of London #1
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rory Deveaux is just a typical American teen, anticipating a year of boys with accents and bizarre British customs as she settles in at her new London boarding school. But Rory's in for a lot more than she bargained for, as London finds itself in the grip of a brutal serial killer -- a man imitating the grisly murders of Jack the Ripper more than a century ago. A man no one can see. No one, that is, except Rory.

In The Name of the Star, Maureen Johnson's signature snappy style creates an unexpected blend of humor and horror, and readers will be surprised to find themselves laughing aloud in the midst of this gruesome nightmare. Jack the Ripper holds a morbid fascination for modern imaginations, a twisted awe at getting away with murder -- literally. Johnson strategically plays off this strange seductiveness to draw unsuspecting readers into a heart-pounding thriller laced with a deadly taste of déjà vu.

Rory is an utterly disarming heroine. With her easy southern charm, quirks and quips, her narration is delightful to read. Her fresh, light voice provides a striking counterpoint to the otherwise grim tale, and the outrageous stories she tells of her eccentric family back home will leave readers in fits of laughter. Rory is so full of life, readers will feel as though they've known her their whole lives. She's a believable blend of determination and occasional fear, optimism and wry wit. She's not perfect; sometimes she says or does dumb things, as humans are wont to do -- and her guileless, unassuming attitude makes her all the more winning. It's impossible not to cheer for Rory as she struggles with this unfathomable new world and determinedly faces off against an unstoppable, remorseless killer.

Despite her heartwarming and hilarious heroine, Johnson slices a sharp blade of terror through the novel. There is a terrible irony in the fact that the citizens of London known exactly when and where each murder will happen, but are powerless to stop it. By drawing on the sensationalism of Jack the Ripper, Johnson takes the latent fear and turns it into a bone-chilling nightmare. The horror and hopelessness increase with each grisly crime scene, and a sense of despair settles over the novel as London sits helplessly by. Readers will be on the edge of their seats with their hearts in their throats as this hair-raising thriller marches inexorably toward its terrifying conclusion.

Johnson brings each and every one of her secondary characters to life, from Rory's hilarious house mother and boisterous field hockey coach (an activity of which Rory is not a fan), to her smart and sweet crush/make-out pa

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Publisher: Putnam (September 29, 2011)
ARC: 370 Pages
Series: Shades of London #1
Genre: YA Paranormal (Ghosts)
Maureen Johnson's Website | Blog | Twitter

From Goodreads. 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.

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.

Review by Kate
THE NAME OF THE STAR, by Maureen Johnson, is a fantastic ghost story/mystery thriller involving one of the most notorious serial killers of all time, Jack the Ripper. Rory thinks that going to England for her senior year will be great, especially on a gorgeous campus but soon enough a copycat is reenacting the murders of the Ripper and leaving no evidence behind. Rory is the only witness to a strange man at the scene of one of the crimes but she seems to be the only one who saw him. Soon enough she is thrust into the dangerous world of the Shades with no turning back.

When I heard that this book was about Jack the Ripper I was excited because I think it is interesting reading about the psychology behind past serial killers and their crimes. But this book went well beyond my expectations. Johnson created characters that jumped right out of the pages and into my heart. Rory was a great main character and I became very attached to her situation. I loved her humor and blatant hatred for anything sporty. She cracked me up when complaining about her horrible hockey skills and it definitely made her seem very real.

Although it seemed that Rory didn't have much of a life back in the U.S. she definitely gained some really great friends and a possible romance at her new school. With her new friends she was able to cope with her new ghost-seeing status and help the Shades with a very dangerous case.

This book was beautifully crafted into a non-stop action and suspense story that I found I could not put down. Johnson created a magnificent start to a series that will definitely be a great competitor in the YA genre. I am very excited for the next in the series!! Oh and just stating now, I am definitely Team Stephen!!

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