When

by Victoria Laurie

Overview

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior cursed with an eerie intuitive ability that's out of her control—one that entangles her in a homicide investigation
  For as long as she can remember, Maddie has seen a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father's premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually deathdates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.
 
Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching deathdate of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she's unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.
 
Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, as more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781484701492
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/06/2016
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	104,426
Product dimensions:	5.62(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.88(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Victoria Laurie is a New York Times bestselling adult mystery author and a former professional psychic intuitive. Both careers have served her beautifully in crafting her young adult debut, When. She lives and writes in Michigan.

Editorial Reviews

"Laurie's debut for teens is quite an accomplishment...The character development is just as riveting as the plot in this well-constructed thriller."— Kirkus Reviews

"The novel packs in plenty of fast-paced, nail-biting fun, perfect for fans of Barnes' The Naturals series."— Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

"This excellent book is a must-have for all libraries, especially where suspense and teen-life fiction is hot. This novel will provide crossover appeal to both older teens and adults."— VOYA

From the Publisher

11/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Maddie has always seen the date people will die, but does not realize what she is seeing until one day, in first grade, her father is killed on a date she told him about two years prior. The tragedy sends Maddie's life spinning out of control: her mother can no longer function without alcohol, they leave the city to live in a small community, Maddie's ability challenges her facility to make friends, and her mother cannot hold down a job. They survive on her father's wrongful death settlement. Maddie, now 16, also makes ends meet by charging a small fee to tell people their death dates. A mother comes for a reading for her youngest son, but Maddie notices that the woman's older son will die in a week instead. The customer accuses Maddie of fraud. When the older boy goes missing a week later, FBI agents show up at the protagonist's school because they suspect Maddie and her best friend, Stubby, of foul play. Soon, more children go missing and turn up dead. This fast-paced story is a little far-fetched: the FBI agents arrest and badly beat Stubby, Maddie suffers unbelievable bullying from classmates and school administrators, all while her mother goes on drinking. At times, the teen seems younger than her years. The plot is filled with false turns, which will keep readers engaged until the surprising ending.—Lisa Nabel, Dayton Metro Library, OH

School Library Journal

2014-10-01
If you could know the date of your death, would you? For Maddie, there's no choice: For her whole life, she's had the ability to see the date of anyone's death, hovering just over the forehead. But her gift hasn't helped her much—it didn't prevent her police-officer father from being killed in the line of duty, and it hasn't stopped her grief-stricken mother from descending into alcoholism. Now, Maddie does her best to blend in, uses her ability to make some extra money for herself and her mother, and spends time with her best friend, Stubs. But then a client's son disappears and is later found dead on the date that Maddie predicted he would die. Suspicion falls squarely on Maddie, especially when another teenager is murdered in similar fashion—and Stubs becomes caught up in the investigation too. The tension inexorably mounts as Maddie faces heartbreaking choices. Readers will root for Maddie not only to find the killer, but to gain a little happiness, too. Laurie's debut for teens is quite an accomplishment: Maddie's voice rings true, and her character development is handled well. Some adult characters are less well-rounded, yet the compelling plot overcomes these flaws. The character development is just as riveting as the plot in this well-constructed thriller. (Paranormal thriller. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews