Croak

In this spirited (no pun intended) debut, Damico playfully explores the nature of life and the afterlife. When 16-year-old Lex Bartleby’s anger management issues and violent impulses land her in one fight too many, she is sent to live with her uncle Mort in the Adirondacks for the summer, in the hopes that it will straighten her out. Instead, upon arriving in the tiny town of Croak, Lex discovers that she, like the tattooed and motorcycle-riding Mort, is a Grim, responsible for drawing out the souls of the recently deceased to facilitate their passing on to the afterlife. Initially dubious, she soon discovers a natural talent for the work. Lex and her new partner, Driggs, with whom she has a fiery love-hate relationship, stumble across bodies with no known cause of death, sparking an investigation into one of the greatest, dirtiest secrets of the Grim organization. The morbid subject matter is kept in check by entertaining characters, clever twists, and a sly, self-aware sense of humor that pervades this promising series launch. Ages 12–up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. (Mar.)