Envy

Kicking off the Empty Coffin series, true crime writer Olsen (Closer Than Blood) makes his YA debut with a paranormally tinged thriller that doesn't read like it was written with a teenage audience in mind. In the wake of 15-year-old Katelyn Berkley's mysterious death, everyone in the small town of Port Gamble, Wash., is looking for answers, though the consensus is suicide. Unconvinced and anxious to learn the truth, teenage twin sisters Hayley and Taylor Ryan investigate, using both knowledge gleaned from their true crime writer father (who gets more than his share of attention) and their own psychic abilities. As they unravel the details that led to their friend's demise, they encounter uncomfortable revelations regarding people they've known all their lives. Meanwhile, a nosy journalist is digging deep into the Ryans' tragic past. While Olsen writes with authority, drawing inspiration from actual headlines and crimes, he does so at a distance, removed from any real connection to the characters. The result is a stark, emotionless narrative, a cynical rumination on the nature of evil and man's darkness. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Sept.)