Review - Beach Read

I'm not usually one for scary books, but I was told that this novel was a "coming of age story" that just so happened to involve a murder. I am not quite sure that is the case, but I enjoyed the book nevertheless. It was pretty unsettling, though, and I am glad that I was reading it on a bright, sunny beach and not in my room on a dark, stormy night! Any movie or book that details some scary boogyman never really scares me, but if you throw in something spiritual or supernatural, I usually lose a bit of sleep over it.

The basic premise of Promise not to Tell is that Kate, the main character, goes back home to visit her aging mother in Vermont, and she becomes involved with a murder case that mirrors that of her childhood friend, Del. To complicate matters, Del has become somewhat of an urban legend as she is rumored to haunt the rural community where her murder occured, and Kate seems to received creepy messages from Del as she examines this new copy-cat crime. I can't say much more because the novel becomes a classic whodunnit with a great surprise ending. If you like suspenseful or scary stories and you are looking for a simple summertime read, I would suggest it.

Just read it with the lights on.