18004139Title: High and Dry

Author: Sarah Skilton

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication Date: April 2014

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/ Mystery

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

 

Synopsis can be found here.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

Charlie Dixon was framed. A girl named Maria is seen being dropped off to a local hospital, high on LSD. Maria is admitted and things take a turn for the worse. As for Charlie, he knows it wasn’t him driving his car, or wearing that cap. But who wants to frame him for this?  Meanwhile, school gets a little more interesting as his ex-girlfriend Bridget enlists his help to try to find a drive she left in the library. One that was stolen. But what was really on the drive? And can Charlie figure it out while trying to get his most recent girlfriend, Ellie, back? This is going to be one of Charlie Dixon’s most ridiculously crazy weeks. Hang on.

Now, I’m a fan of pulp fiction. I love a good Raymond Chandler story like the next one. So I was really excited to read High and Dry, the newest book by Sarah Skilton. I enjoyed Bruised, her debut, and am happy to say that High and Dry is clever, funny and pays great homage to the classic detective stories of our day.

Charlie is a pretty sad character when we first meet him. He’s drunk, pathetically so, and trying to get his girlfriend Ellie back, who dumped him for undisclosed reasons. As the plot thickens, Charlie goes further and further down the rabbit hole. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll keep it vague. I really liked all the twists and turns the plot took. While I didn’t have a great sense of all of the characters, it didn’t bother me. The story is totally plot driven and as long as you know Ellie, Charlie and Bridget, then I think you’re okay.

The backstory is carefully laid out. I really liked all of the tension that is already in the air when the story begins. However it is a slow build. I liked the book okay for maybe the first half, and then the second half is when things start to get really interesting!

High and Dry is fun, easy to read and reminds me of some good crime noir with savory characters, hidden agendas and suspicious dames.

Try it out.

Rating 8 Cookie Worthy