Pre-Teen/Teen

Kiss of Death

By: Lauren Henderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 2011
ISBN: 978-0-385-73779-1
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: May 2011

This is truly a great finale to the Scarlett Wakefield series that includes, Kiss Me Kill Me; Kisses and Lies; and Kiss in the Dark.

When we begin, Scarlett and her best friend Taylor are sitting among their class of girls from Wakefield Hall…and all they want is for death to come quickly. Their class has gone on a weeklong field trip to Edinburgh, and Scarlett can’t be happier. She needs more than anything to leave behind the tragedy of Dan McAndrew’s murder. The crime was, of course, solved, but the people around her back home seem to look at Scarlett as if she were somehow responsible.

In the dark they sit, listening to one of the worst concerts of their entire lives. The teen groups on the stage are so bad, she and Taylor can hardly hear anymore. What’s worse? The lights go up on stage and none other than Callum McAndrew - Dan’s twin - is in a kilt, and singing. Scarlett almost passes out. When she turns to the side, her eyes also fall on her - once best friends - Luce and Allison sitting with their class from St. Tabby’s.

For a little background, Scarlett once went to St. Tabby’s and got caught up with the popular crowd, leaving her friends far behind. On top of that, when Dan McAndrew dropped dead at her feet, the school asked Scarlett to leave because of all the publicity. That’s why Scarlett ended up having to attend the horrible Wakefield Hall, which is run by her Aunt who absolutely hates her.

When Scarlett, Taylor, and the other girls from Wakefield realize that they’ll have to spend their whole week with the St. Tabby girls, Scarlett wants to be sick. Not only is everything from her past coming back to get her, but she soon finds herself starring in accidents - such as being pushed over a stair railing and poisoned by an unknown assailant. Could it be her old friends looking for payback, or a twin brother wanting revenge? All Scarlett knows is Taylor is the only one she can trust, and she misses her boyfriend Jase with all her heart and can’t understand why he disappeared.

It is certainly no surprise that the fourth book in this entertaining, funny, romantic, mysterious series is even better than the first three. With this installment, Ms. Henderson has outdone herself by offering her fans a great ending to what will be, I’m sure, a much-missed series.

Quill Says: Great YA writing! It will be interesting to see what this incredible author does next.