Thicker than Water

What begins as a perfectly lovely contemporary teen romance with a dash of mystery devolves into a confusingly tangled tale. Even though Thomas hasn't been in Garretts Mill very long, he is already in a world of trouble, as he's the prime suspect in his mother's death. His life only gets more complicated when Charlotte, who has several relatives on the small town's police force, catches his eye at his mother's funeral. Thomas has the trust of his new stepfather, who is also a police officer, and Charlotte, but no one else. As Thomas and Charlotte come together, despite her family's dire warnings, to find out the truth about Thomas's mother, a strangely twisted tale of secrets, lies, and uncertainty threatens both Charlotte's life and Thomas's freedom. Alternating between the perspective of both teenagers, Kemmerer (the Elemental series) explores the dangers of stereotypes in young couplings, as well as the pitfalls and joys of close family relationships. A late-arriving paranormal twist, however, muddles things substantially, resolving nothing and raising many questions. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (Dec.)