"I received a call from the police this morning. I'm sorry to hear of your loss."

"What exactly is my loss?" spat Lindsey Salmon, sister of victim Susie Salmon.

What is Susie a victim of, you wonder? Rape and murder. One December afternoon in 1973 Susie was on her way home from school, but never made it. This is a story that will open your eyes to the horrible things that happen in the world.

Susie narrates the novel from heaven and tells of her broken family, murderer and hopeless times. It describes how the loss of one person can change so many lives. For example, Susie makes a lasting impression on fellow eighth-grader Ruth Connors, though the impression is not made until after Susie's death. Ruth thinks of Susie every day and makes unexpected associations because of her death. To find out more, you will have to read the book.

This book kept me guessing. It is a real page-turner. If you want an interesting and unusual murder story, I suggest The Lovely Bones. It is full of action and rarely boring. It is, however, hard to read about her neighbor, Mr. Harvey and the details of Susie's murder.