Game

Lyga’s engrossing follow-up to I Hunt Killers (2012) again focuses on 17-year-old Jazz, the son of the world’s most prolific serial killer, but expands his world by fleshing out previously minor characters. Jazz is called upon to help the NYPD hunt Hat-Dog, a brutal killer who might be connected to Jazz’s now-escaped father, Billy Dent. Meanwhile, Jazz’s girlfriend, Connie, starts receiving mysterious information about Jazz’s past. Her quest drags in Jazz’s hemophiliac best friend Howie, whose horndog behavior belies his deep understanding of his friend, as well as his talent for sneakiness. The gore and violence flow freely (references to disemboweling and enucleating abound); the main differentiator between this and adult thrillers is the age of the protagonists. As such, it’s a riveting story for any reader capable of handling the violence, as Lyga juggles multiple points of view and elegant shocks and twists. Readers might be frustrated by the multicliffhanger finale, but the main mystery wraps up smartly, and the character arcs are as fascinating as the gruesome murders. Ages 15–up. Agent: Kathleen Anderson, Anderson Literary Management. (Apr.)