Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141319119 ISBN 13: 9780141319117

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2008

Black Rabbit Summer is an intense page-turner from award-winning, young adult writer Kevin Brooks. A group of old friends, affected by drugs, alcohol, and memories, find themselves in the middle of a crime scene. Pete Boland was busy doing nothing that summer. Long, stiflingly hot, lazy days stretched ahead of him. Then she called.It was Nicole.'Listen, Pete. . . you know that funfair, up at the recreation ground...I thought we could all meet up...you know, for old times sake.' But, where there are old times there are old tensions. And as secrets, bitterness and jealousies resurface, five old friends are plunged into the worst night of their lives. . .'A masterly writer, and this book would put many authors of 'grown up' detective fiction to shame' Mail on Sunday 'A compulsive atmospheric mystery' Sunday Times'Gripping, disturbing...brilliant' Sunday ExpressKevin Brooks is the award-winning author of nine gripping teenage novels, usually with a thrilling detective twist. His novels, Being, iBoy, Killing God (published as Dawn in the USA) and Naked are also available from Penguin. Kevin's brand new novel, The Bunker Diary, will be published in 2013. If you enjoyed Black Rabbit Summer and want to get inside more of your favourite books, then check out spinebreakers.co.uk for exclusive author interviews, competitions, and much more.

About the Author:

Kevin Brooks was born in Exeter, Devon, and he studied in Birmingham and London. He had a varied working life, with jobs in a crematorium, a zoo, a garage and a post office, before - happily - giving it all up to write books. Kevin is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels and now lives in North Yorkshire.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 9 Up—For Pete, the summer after high school graduation is quiet and a bit lonely since his friends have drifted apart. When "the old gang" decides to meet one last time, Pete, Raymond, Nicole, Eric, and Pauly get together for a night of reminiscing and hanging out at a carnival. But their differences are now too big to overcome and the friendly gathering falls apart after too much drinking, drugs, and sexual tension. They make their way individually to the carnival, where the night ends badly. A former school friend, now a famous celebrity, goes missing, as does Raymond. Could these incidents be related? Could someone Pete thought of as a friend be a criminal? Pete gets drawn into the investigation, which puts his policeman father in a difficult position, and tries to do right by both the authorities and his friends—which are at odds with one another. All of the action happens in less than a week, yet the pace seems slow at times. This may be because of the ultrarealistic dialogue: "What?" "Are you sure?" "Yeah...I guess...." Still, the descriptions of places and events are evocative, the characters realistic, and the suspense gripping. Brooks has created a police procedural as well as a coming-of-age story. The ending leaves a big piece missing from the puzzle and may frustrate some readers.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT
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