Roxy, Mayhem’s
mother, married poorly the second time. Lyle, a pastor, seemed like a
good choice when he rescued them from a shelter, but he rapidly
turned to violence. When things get too bad, Mayhem and Roxy head for
Santa Maria where Roxy’s twin sister, Elle, runs the family home,
Brayburn Farm.
In Santa Maria,
Mayhem learns that her family are local celebrities, having started
the town. She also learns that something is different about her. She
befriends the children staying with Elle and together they discover a
serial killer taking girls like Mayhem from the local beach.
The book has some
good prose, but it also has flaws. The pace is slow and there are
lots of supernatural stories. Mayhem is trying to figure out who she
is and as the narrator, her personality infuses the narrative.
The setting in
California in the 80’s is accurate. Kids were into beach parties
and taking risks that perhaps they shouldn’t have. I found the
descriptions well done and added substance to the novel.
One of the hard
parts of the book is the description of abuse and violence. It
provides the impetus for Mayhem’s personality and her searching for
identity. The way she sticks with her mother although Roxy is
addicted to pain killers and alcohol and has to detox is positive.
However, in some ways the description of her life before Santa Maria
is a bit over the top with violence and fear.
I received this book
from St. Martin's Press for this review.
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