You'll want to hitch your wagon to THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star (Shade of London, #1)

by Maureen Johnson

Published September 29, 2011 by Putnam Juvenile

3.7 Stars

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.

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This was not my usual reading material (sorry, but serial killers FREAK me out), but this murder mystery was awesome! If you are into that feeling you get watching LOST, you know... where you feel you just stepped off your 13th turn on the tilt-a-whirl... you will LOVE this story. 

Rory is experiencing some really strange things now that she is in London. People don't seem like they say they are. But really.. if you are writing a murder mystery that is a prerequisite. The only sad note for me in this was the ending, it fell flat. The rest of the novel was a cornucopia of ideas and images. 

The villain was really sick. It is a fascinating study on what makes the mind crack. How evil can someone really go. It is not for the faint of heart. But I will say it is not a blood joy book. Its not glorifying the gore but rather trying to pick apart why and who and how to stop it from ever happening again.

I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone under 18 due to the violent ideas.