Book Review: The Secret Hour

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Secret Hour     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Scott Westerfeld
Class/Genre:   Fiction   Fantasy   Horror   Young Adult
Series: Midnighters # 1
Eos, Mar 2004, $15.99, 304 pp.

Fifteen year old Jessica Day moves with her mom from Chicago to Bixby, Oklahoma where she attends the local high school. She looks like she belongs with the in-crowd, but the most isolated outsiders, the midnighters (Rex, Dess, Melissa, and Jonathan) are also fascinated by the newcomer as they sense she shares the Focus that only occurs for those born at midnight.

Jessica awakens at midnight noticing that her family seems frozen in time and so does everyone else. She explores this magical twenty-fifth hour in the day only to learn that ancient creatures roam the town and the midnight quartet also travel in this eerie otherworldly zone. As the cretins of the night try to kill the newcomer, the quartet try to keep Jessica safe while struggling to learn why she is a target.

The first tale of the Midnighters is a great horror story that is aimed at young adults, but will be enjoyed by readers of all ages. The story line is fast-paced and somehow Scott Westerfield makes his blue-lighted midnight realm seem real and the talents of his heroes genuine. This is a winner worth reading especially by the Potter crowd who will find a new genre in which to appreciate the written word. If this is any indication, the next two novels in this trilogy will be awesome.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner