The Angel of Death
The Forensic Mysteries
Alane Ferguson

Puffin (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-241087-X (014241087X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-241087-5 (9780142410875)
Publication Date: February 2008
List Price: $6.99

Review: Do you like CSI, NCIS, Numbers or Law and Order? Then The Angel of Death by Alane Ferguson is the book for you. This book is a medical mystery about a young girl Cameryn whose dad is a coroner. She likes to go with him on calls because she wants to become a forensic scientist. The Angel of Death is the second book in a series of three to date.

Cameryn, a high school senior, goes to school with Kyle, who is also a senior. One day Kyle goes looking for his teacher and scout master Mr. Oakes, who is late for a camping trip. He goes to Mr. Oakes’ house and finds him dead. The weird thing about all this is that Mr. Oakes’ eyes are missing. Kyle who didn’t really know Cameryn before now must help her try to find the person behind Mr. Oakes’ baffling death. Cameryn is allowed to watch the autopsy performed on Mr. Oakes by her father and Dr. Moore. They conclude that her teacher had been on fire mysteriously from the inside, and that’s what killed him. But the weird part is that there is no evidence of the killer. Will they be able to find the killer? In addition Cameryn and Kyle start to date. Kyle is also helping Cameryn find the killer and telling them about Mr. Oakes’ personal life. Is Kyle who he says he is? Will Cameryn be able to deal with all that is going on, or will she break down?

What I really like about this story is that Cameryn is a normal kid with a life that is explained in detail. Some books you read you never know what the character is really like. One more thing I love about this book is that Cameryn has this mom she never got to know. Now her long lost mom is coming to see her and explain to her what happened and why she left. However, her dad has no idea that her mom is coming to visit Cameryn. In this book the characters are real, you think you are in the book with them, and you can feel for them. Alane Ferguson did a great job putting the characters together. The only thing that I didn’t like about the book was the way Mr. Oakes died. I think that a killer would have a hard time coming up with something like that. I feel this book could have been more believable with a different way of killing.

Out of 10 points I will give this book an 8.5. I think that the characters had great thought put into them when they were being made. I enjoyed how Cameryn gets so connected to the character Kyle. What I didn’t like was the way Mr. Oakes died, and that the plot spun around Cameryn. I think the plot was a little too focused on her, and all of her emotions, instead of the death of Mr. Oakes.

Review written by Tim, Age 13, Grade 8. Date of review: July 2009.

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