Litani by Jess Lourey

Frankie's father has died, which means that the young teen has been sent away from their home in Pasadena, to live with her mom in the small Minnesota town of Litani.

She and her mom have never been close, which makes the move that much harder. But Frankie feels responsible for her father's death, so living with her closed-off mom is just part of the punishment she thinks she deserves. 

As soon as she arrives, Frankie is warned about dark things in Litani. Within just a few days, she's heard about dead animals and missing kids. Worse than that, she's heard about The Game. And whatever The Game might be, she knows it's something to be afraid of. 

As rumors of Satanic worship swirl around the small town, talk of Frankie's own father's past starts to make it's way to the girl. Frankie becomes determined to learn more about her family while also vowing to help make Litani safe for kids. But where does a fourteen year old start in an investigation that seemingly stumps the professionals?

Jess Lourey writes some incredibly disturbing stuff! In Litani, as with Unspeakable Things, the narrator is a young girl and it lends a wide-eyed innocence to the story that makes the content all that much more unsettling. 

Frankie is fourteen and—except for one visit that ended badly—this is her first time in Litani. But it's the town where her mother and father grew up. The town where they met. The town their families are from. Everyone knows who Frankie is as soon as she arrives. And they know things about her family that even she is unaware of. 

As soon becomes clear to Frankie, some very bad things are happening to the kids in Litani. But she doesn't quite understand what those bad things are. And because Frankie is young and has led a fairly sheltered life—not just because the story is set in 1984—she misses some of the hints about said bad things. Hints that the reader doesn't miss.

And I have to say that those things weigh heavy on your mind as you follow such a young main character through the narrative. 

Lourey does offer a slightly older foil who tries to open Frankie's eyes to some of the things she's not seeing. I'd say it helps the reader as well, but I think most readers (especially those familiar with Lourey's books) don't really need the help. 

Litani is not an easy read by way of theme. And it reminded me a lot of Clay McLeod Chapman's Whisper Down the Lane, in that it draws from the same fervor of the era and even mentions the very case the latter is based on. 

I enjoy Lourey's work because it is so gripping. And also incredibly layered. Yes, this is a dark tale in more ways than one. But it's also got a young heroine who is determined to be just that—a heroine. She has her own suffering but she wants to save everyone around her. Her story is not an easy one to read but she's easily the girl next door in every sense of the phrase: you quite literally do not know what the people around you are going through. 

Lourey is an absolute must read for me. If you can handle the darker aspects of real life, her thrillers are undeniably gripping and her talent is amazing! 

Order a copy from your favorite indie via Bookshop!

Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey

It's the last days of the school year and Cassie McDowell can't wait for summer to begin. Because this summer she's going to make Gabriel her boyfriend. 

He's the best looking and sweetest guy in her school and she has a plan to make him hers. 

But the summer starts off with news that someone is abducting and abusing local boys. Not only that, but Cassie's got her own troubles at home. Troubles she longs to get away from. Which is why she decides she's going to investigate and solve the case of the abused boys. And when Gabriel becomes the next victim, she's more determined than ever to save the boy she loves. 

Readers have been praising Unspeakable Things for a while now and it's been in my TBR just as long. But I did know that the subject matter was not exactly rosy, so I delayed diving in...until I read the sample at the end of Bloodline! 

Unspeakable Things is set in and on the outskirts of Lilydale in 1983, the same town but almost two decades later than Bloodline. 

Cass and her family live on a farm in the country (that's what we would have called it growing up). Her mother is a teacher and her father is an artist. They're known for their parties, which both Cass and her sister, Sephie, loathe. And for good reason, though we don't find out the details until much later. 

Cass is superstitious and somewhat fearful. She spends her nights under her bed (when she wants to sleep long) or in her closet (when she wants to sleep short). And it's clear from the start that her home life isn't exactly a happy or safe one. 

But the 80's setting means that Cass and her friends kind of roam wild. She goes anywhere her bike will take her and has the freedom, outside of finishing household/farm chores, to spend her time pretty much as she likes. Perfect for some tweenage detecting!

As mentioned, this is not a light read. Nor is it a YA book even though our narrator is on the cusp of turning 13. There's a lot of heavy material squeezed into this book, made more disturbing by the fact that it's relayed via the eyes of someone who understands too much. 

This is the kind of book that so perfectly showcases a writer's talent and I think it's clear that Lourey is an immensely gifted author! Overall, this is the story of a child experiencing something she should never have had to face. It's a gripping story, one I read in one sitting (which I know is terrible to say when you consider how much sweat and effort goes into writing a book!) but I just could not tear myself away from Cass's story until I found out how it would all turn out.  

I do want to note that because of the content, this is definitely not a book for everyone, but I thought the subject in question, which is in fact based on a series of crimes that occurred when the author herself was young, was handled well without being gratuitous or overly graphic.

Order a copy from your favorite indie via Bookshop!

Bloodline by Jess Lourey

Joan Harken and her boyfriend, Deck, have decided to move from the big city to Deck's tiny hometown of Lilydale. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your name and your secrets. But it's also the kind of place where Joan, pregnant and recovering from being mugged, can be safe. Nevermind the fact that it's 1968 and Deck has so far avoided the draft—moving home means a job and some protection by his father, the town's mayor, in that regard. 

But Joan, who never settled in one place for too long, finds the town stifling. First, Deck insists on telling everyone that they're married. Then, he spills the beans about their pregnancy. Soon it seems like every action on Joan's part is watched and judged. 

Then Joan hears about Paulie Aandeg, a little boy who went missing over two decades ago. Paulie's case was never solved. And though it's been quite some time, when another boy goes missing Joan can't help but think the two are connected. 

Funny story: back in 2008 I attended my very first con, Left Coast Crime, which was held that year in Denver (convenient!). And I remember Jess Lourey from that con! Craziness!

Anyway, Bloodline, wow! This latest from Lourey screams Rosemary's Baby meets The Stepford Wives!

Joan is smart and determined. She's also very career focused. But she's not going to let getting pregnant derail her plans. Nor is she going to let moving to Lilydale stand in the way of her chances. She gets a job at the local paper, taking on whatever assignments they want to give her. But it's clear that the job is meant to placate her. 

She's to be grateful for what they've given her. After all, a woman in the family way shouldn't be working!  And it becomes clear to both Joan and the reader that Lilydale is exactly the kind of town filled with exactly the kind of people who believe that!

I didn't know that Lilydale was also the setting for Lourey's previous title, Unspeakable Things. Don't worry, you don't have to have read it. But it is fun that Lourey's created this fictional town to encompass these two stories. 

Bloodline delves into the history of Lilydale—all the way back to its founding actually. And it's a town with dark secrets. 

I really enjoyed this one! The small town setting in 1968 was so perfect! As was Lourey's overall creepy vibe throughout the story. And the pacing...well, this is definitely one you won't want to put down. Not only did I read it pretty straight through (two sittings, I think), I dove straight into Unspeakable Things as soon as I was done (there was a sample chapter—I couldn't help it!). 

If Lourey's books are any insight into how my reading year is going to go, then I'm definitely (hopefully) in for a lot of great reads in 2021!

Order it from your favorite indie via Bookshop!