Every Breath

September 1, 2014
James Mycroft (whose surname matches that of Sherlock Holmes' "much-smarter brother") is a chain-smoking modern teenager obsessed with forensics in this fresh Aussie reboot of the popular detective franchise. The first thing debut author Marney does right is withstand the temptation to overexplain the Holmes connection. Narrator Rachel Watts states early on in the story that she and her neighbor Mycroft "are on a strictly last-name basis....He said if Sherlock had Watson, it was only fair that Mycroft should have Watts." From there, the plot thickens and darkens when Mycroft and Watts discover their homeless friend Dave's dead body outside the zoo, where Mycroft's aunt works. As they work to unravel the mystery of Dave's murder, they struggle to come to terms with their troubled backgrounds while slowly falling for each other. Mycroft was the only survivor of a horrific car accident that killed his parents, while Watts is trying to process the loss of her family's beloved farm and subsequent move to a busy suburb of Melbourne. All their satisfying, realistic sleuthing builds to a smashing climax that literally places them both in the zoo's lion den, which finally forces them to admit how much they truly care for each other. Readers will be elated to find out that a sequel is on its way from Down Under. A smart, contemporary take on a timely classic that is sure to please Sherlock aficionados of all ages. (Mystery. 13 & up)

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October 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old neighbors Rachel Watts and James Mycroft find the murdered body of a homeless man they know. Mycroft is convinced that there is more to the murder than the police believe and persuades Watts to help him investigate. This story is, in part, a homage to Sherlock Holmes and follows all the traditions of a whodunit. However, it's also a tale of a friendship and developing romance of two grieving teenagers. Rachel hates the city of Melbourne and longs for her family's outback farm, lost to foreclosure. Mycroft lives with an uncaring aunt and is still suffering from the loss of his parents in a car crash. The book begins with the aftermath of a fight-Watts and friend Mai mopping up Mycroft's blood. It is a little confusing, as the fight is detailed, schoolteachers and main characters are introduced, and Mycroft comes off as a smart mouth. However, the author develops the characters into authentic, sympathetic individuals while keeping the mystery sustained and the plot moving forward. Somewhat graphic descriptions of the murdered body, swearing, and a subplot of child's sexual abuse make this a novel aimed at older teens. This is a well-written novel that should satisfy confident, thoughtful readers who don't mind Australian slang and brand names.-Michelle Anderson, Tauranga City Libraries, New Zealand

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 James Mycroft is about the last person Rachel should be getting close to. Immensely troubled and constantly suspended, he is obsessed with forensics and considers himself an amateur Sherlock Holmes. When Homeless Dave, a local man befriended by the teens, turns up murdered, Mycroft is determined to solve the case, but he needs Rachel's help to do it. It isn't until Mycroft is arrested as a suspect that Rachel realizes that she might be in too deep to get herself out. This fast-paced mystery can feel crowded at times, but fans of the genre will appreciate the many twists and turns that come before the final show-stopping reveal. Some readers may struggle to decipher the heavy Australian slang, but the Melbourne setting is vividly conveyed, including a realistically diverse cast of teens and adults. Strength of family and friends is a strong underlying theme, and the romantic tension between Rachel and Mycroft sizzles on the pages. Inventive and unusual, this will appeal to readers with a taste for darker stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

June 28, 2013
Picking up on the current Sherlock Holmes zeitgeist, Every Breath is the story of two teenagers playing at detective, trying to solve the death of their friend Homeless Dave. Rather than Holmes and Watson we get Mycroft and Watts, best friends drawn to each other because they have both lost everything—Mycroft his parents and Watts her family home in the country. As they are pulled deeper into the mysteries surrounding Dave’s murder, they also discover a growing attraction to each other, so like all good stories about death it’s about love too. Mycroft and Watts are fast-talking, flawed, bright characters. The requisite banter is threaded through with the language of crime procedurals—lividity and rigor mortis and blood spatter patterns—which is charming in its novelty. Ellie Marney’s YA novel explores the isolation and the desperation to escape later teenage years, and is moodily underscored by a cold and gloomy Melbourne. The writing is pacy and engaging but doesn’t shy away from darkness. Reminiscent of Lili Wilkinson’s A Pocketful of Eyes, although slightly grimmer in tone, Every Breath will be enjoyed by readers aged 13 and up. It is the first book of a trilogy.

Cordelia Rice works at Thorpe-Bowker. She is a former bookseller and previously worked at the Centre for Youth Literature