Friday, December 5, 2014

Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga


Release Date: April 16, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Jasper Dent series, Book 2

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Jasper Dent and the people of Lob's Nod spent months recovering from an attack by a serial killer known as the Impressionist. Thanks to Jasper's unique status as being the only son of Billy Dent, one of the most notorious serial killers in his own right, the town was saved with only a few casualties along the way. The aftermath left Jasper reeling as information about his past, as well as his father, found ways to slip out of their cages.

When a new, vicious killer began stalking the streets of New York, Jasper was called in to help with the search. Although he hoped to escape the clutches of his father's legacy, what he found in the latest case only confirmed how far-reaching Billy's influence truly was. Jasper was now in a race to solve the New York case, but to figure out the strange clues to his past before something bad happened to him or those he loved the most.

Review:
I found this book on NetGalley shortly after finishing the author's first book in the series. I was interested in what happened in Jasper's world since the events of the previous book, so I requested the book. Needless to say, there was quite a lot that going on for many within Jasper's circle of friends and not just to Jasper alone. This book didn't start immediately after the conclusion of I Hunt Killers, but some months after all hell broke loose in the little town of Lob's Nod.

The main trio of teenagers were once again in the middle of the action as a serial killer in New York baffled the police and FBI alike. As a last resort, one of the detectives made his case for Jasper's help in stopping the guy before a state-wide panic ensued. While the previous focused more on Jasper, his background and how the other people around town interacted with him, this book split the main focus on several of the players. Of course, we were shown more insights into the way Jasper navigated the world, but the author also presented more of Connie's home life and way of thinking and Howie's deep devotion to Jasper. Other characters introduced in this book include more of Jasper's strange family, law enforcement officials who were affected by Billy's crimes, and an ever-widening circle of killers who all seem to be linked.

After the book began with a pair of gruesome  murders and introduced the reader to whatever game was being played as well as the unknown players. The level of brutality and a strange level of creativity grew as the book continued. Even things taking place in Jasper's town seemed to be a beehive of activity that only settled down as the crimes elsewhere picked up. As the leads were followed and the case drew to a close, there was a sense that everything happened at a fever pitch until that final reveal. Conflict upon conflict upon conflict drove the story forward as everyone battled something whether it was an inner war or battling with someone else. There were a few moments where I couldn't believe the character made that particular decision. (Now, you know that I don't give spoilers if I can help it! Go read the book!)

In all honesty, this book was a really entertaining read for me. Even though I knew from the get-go that the killers were playing some sort of game, I didn't put it all together which game they were playing before Jasper did. Man, it was a bit of a shock when I did. That twist put a smile on my face because once it was out, you could flip back to the beginning and see it. What happened to the other characters and the other revelations the book offered really made me wonder how the end was going to answer all the questions from this book and the previous one. The ending both frustrated me and had me wanting to know where it was going. If you're looking for a special kind of twisted way of thinking mixed with the worries and problems that fill a teen boy's mind, then you need to pick up a copy of this book.

Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores in either hardcover or digital versions including Kindle. Clicking the link below will open the book's Amazon page.
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga

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