Maddie Fynn knows the date each person will die. She sees the numbers hovering just above their foreheads. She doesn't know how or why, nor has her knowledge ever changed anyone's fate- a fact that haunts her regarding her father's death. Her mom has found solace in alcohol and so Maddie helps supplement the budget by doing death date readings for clients. Unfortunately, a recent reading now has landed Maddie and her best friend, Stubby, smack in the middle of an FBI investigation. Will Maddie be able to prove her innocence in time?

WHEN is a fascinating concept as Victoria Laurie hooks the reader from the very first page. We see Maddie's ability from different viewpoints, as some view her as a weirdo or witch while others see her as either a hero or a complete fraud. One of the things I particularly like about WHEN is that the ability itself is at the core of the mystery while Maddie remains a high school student caught in circumstances she barely understands herself.

In fact, it is the character of Maddie who really makes WHEN work so well. Maddie is a high school junior who has had to mature far too quickly. Victoria Laurie doesn't shy away from sensitive issues as we get true-to-life glimpses of life with an alcoholic parent as well as a look at the insidious nature of bullying. Maddie's determination to do well despite the multiple barriers she faces makes her a very likable, even heroic character.

WHEN is a phenomenal paranormal young adult thriller where a friendship, rather than a romance, is the center of the storyline. Victoria Laurie crafts a darned good mystery with characters who draw you into the story emotionally. WHEN is highly recommended!

Book Summary

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father's premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she's unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?