What a wonderful story! The characters are well-drawn, the action is fast-paced & the perpetrator is a total surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel because everything that was being done or thought of was explained fully so I didn't have to guess as to the motives of the protagonist, Natalie Lockhart, or the actions taken by the BLPD. There are a few unresolved issues left by the author (i.e., who are the rest of the Missing Nine? what is the significance of the crows? will Natalie finally get together with Luke?) but all in all, it's a marvelous tale. The 61 chapters (plus an epilogue) are very short so they propel you forward. You won't be able to put the book down until the very last word!! It will be interesting to see if Natalie & Luke appear in future tales from Alice Blanchard...