Where's My Bookmark: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

OMG, y'all! I started a new teen binge this weekend and made it past the halfway mark on Maureen Johnson's modern-day Jack the Ripper mystery, The Name of the Star. Honestly, I wanted to stay up until I finished last night, but I woke up at 2am with my lamp on and the book sharing my pillow :)

The Name of the Star is actually book three in the binge. I did finish two others this weekend, so it was a pretty awesome reading weekend. And I got to see Hunger Games -- so fantastic!

I love Jack the Ripper. It's one of those mysteries, which (as one of the characters in the book points out) has never been solved. And at this point, that's the big part of the appeal with Jack. I don't think anyone will ever "solve" it, though many have their own theories. I've read some really interesting ones and Jack's provided all kinds of fodder for books and movies for ages now. Which is pretty awesome, 'cause I'm really loving Johnson's twist on it!

Rory Deveaux is a Louisiana girl recently arrived in London; she'll be spending her last year of high school at Wexford. On the day of her arrival, everyone is talking about the new Ripper murder. A body has been found on the anniversary of the death of Mary Ann Nichols, bearing the same wounds and in the same location. Word is out that Jack is back! As each new anniversary approaches, London becomes more tense. Soon, the students at Wexford find themselves under lock and key in an attempt to protect them from the dangers surrounding the school grounds. And when Rory sees someone near the site where yet another body is found, she becomes the one and only witness. But why was Rory the only person to see him?

Maureen Johnson is one cool lady! Rory is a solid character who shines through Johnson's prose. And being a Louisiana girl myself, I love her all that much more! Yeah, I'm a little biased. Basically, anyone who can put together believable Louisiana settings and characters is a winner in my book.

I've got about 100 pages left to go at this point and really can't wait to finish. Thus far, the plot is fantastic. I'm afraid to give away spoilers, but the mystery is put together very well. And of course it's Jack!

I'd heard quite a bit about this one before I bought it for myself. This is my first Maureen Johnson book, and it was really Lori over at Pure Imagination who convinced me that I NEEDED this book :) Here's the link to her post on the book so you can see why.

I hope you guys had a fabulous reading weekend as well! I'll be finishing up The Name of the Star today!