Clarity

Harrington debuts with an auspicious kickoff to a series of mysteries with a psychic twist. Sixteen-year-old Clarity "Clare" Fern works in the family business doing psychic readings for summer tourists in their Cape Cod town. She can uncover memories and emotions by touching objects, her mother can read minds, and her brother is a medium. When a tourist girl is found murdered, Clare jumps at the invitation to help with the case: following the clues and working with the police is exciting, even if it requires her to spend time with her cheating ex-boyfriend and the yummy son of the town's new detective. When her brother becomes the prime suspect and two more people are killed, it will take all of Clare's smarts and abilities to uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim. Harrington's well-developed characters and tight plot are simultaneously charming, realistically complex, and intriguing. While recalling classic sleuth stories, Harrington creates a fiery and sharp-witted heroine who's more Veronica Mars than Nancy Drew (Nancy almost certainly never used the term "Skanky McSkankbag"). Clare is a teen detective for the 21st century. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)