Kiss Me Kill Me

Kiss Me Kill Me

by Lauren Henderson

Delacorte Press, 2008

ISBN 9780385734875

260 pages

3.5 (out of 5) STARS

Plot Summary

When 16-year-old Scarlett Wakefield transfers from St. Tabby’s to Wakefield Hall Collegiate, she is relieved that no one knows her dark, haunting secret.

A few months ago, Scarlett was invited to an elite party with a guest list full of the hottest names in British society, including Dan McAndrew. Before the party, Scarlett had only imagined what it would be like to have her first kiss with Dan, but on the penthouse terrace, Dan leaned in close and she no longer had to wonder. Their kiss was beautiful and perfect and magical, and then . . .

Dan McAndrew took his last breath as she held him in her arms. No one knows how or why Dan died, and everyone at St. Tabby’s believes Scarlett had something to do with it. But now that she’s safely hidden away at Wakefield Hall, Scarlett would rather forget that it ever happened.

Only she can’t.

Especially when she receives an anonymous note that will set her on the path to clearing her name and finding out what really happened to the first and last boy she kissed.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2005138.Kiss_Me_Kill_Me

Critical Evaluation

This book was great. It is an odd combination of mystery, romance, and maybe even moving into chick lit. That being said, I greatly enjoyed it. Scarlett is very funny. She reminds me a bit of Angus in Angus, Thongs, and Full-frontal snogging by Louise Rennison. This book contained the time honored teen traditional of ditching your real friends for 'cooler' friends and then bad things start to happen.

Reader's Annotation

Scarlett has her very first kiss with the handsome Dan, but then he dies in her arms.

Information about the author

Lauren Henderson was born in London and educated at Cambridge, where she studied English literature. She worked as a journalist for newspapers and music magazines before moving to Tuscany to write books, work as a waitress, learn Italian and party through the rest of her twenties. Finally, after eight years, she dragged herself away and, lured by “Sex and the City”, moved to Manhattan. She has now moved back to settle in London, long-suffering husband and an unfeasibly large cat in tow. Lauren’s interests include trapeze, pole-dancing, watching “America’s Next Top Model” on TV, and cocktail-drinking.

Lauren has been described in the press as both the Dorothy Parker and the Betty Boop of the British crime novel. She also writes for many UK-based publications, including Grazia and Cosmopolitan and several national newspapers.

http://www.laurenhenderson.net/lauren.html

Genre

mystery. romance. humor.

Curriculum Ties

allergies. interpersonal relationships.

Booktalking ideas

*If something awful happened to you, but it wasn't your fault. Would you still want to change schools?

Reading level

ages 14 and up

Challenges Issues

N/A

Why included?

I found this book on a list of recommended teen reads from my local library.