Review of "Haunted Waters"

"You guys are either very lucky or you have somebody upstairs looking out for you."

     For the twin protagonists of Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry's Haunted Waters, nothing seems worse than losing their dad. Then moving to Colorado. Then watching their mom remarry, moving in with their new stepdad and stepsister, and running into a cruel bully at school. But when they accidentally take a picture of the people who've stolen a valuable gold nugget, Ashley and Bryce realize that the trials they've faced can't possibly compare to someone trying to kill them. It will take more courage, faith, and strength to figure out who's hunting them than the Timberlines think they have. Yet if they're to return to the everyday trials of living with a stepfather and standing up to bullies, they have no other choice. It's do or die--and the twins won't be the only ones who pay the price of their mistakes.

     It's interesting to note that Haunted Waters doesn't start out as a mystery. Instead, it opens with a later scene viewed through the eyes of an antagonist, then launches into the story of two ordinary teenagers struggling to deal with a new school, new lifestyle, and new belief system. They alternate between teasing their stepsister about her scary boyfriend, worrying about dodging mean kids at school, and feeling guilty that they just can't seem to "connect" with their stepfather, Sam. Then, in an attempt to forge that connection, Sam takes them on a trip to a vug. Before they make it to the attraction, however, they're forced to leave--and are thrown into a turbulent world where danger is around every corner. By setting the scene so thoroughly before beginning the main plot, Jenkins and Fabry allow readers to truly connect with their characters in a way that would otherwise be prohibited by action.

     On the flip side, there's certainly a lot of action and suspense in Bryce and Ashley's lives. From break-ins to car chases to confrontations at school, these two are never far from their next adventure. And when they're not fleeing from danger, they're driving around in ATVs and trying to figure out what their mysterious stepfather is hiding. Additionally, each protagonist faces a personal challenge of their own. For Bryce, it's a mean-spirited classmate who wants to ride his ATV. Meanwhile, Ashley must decide what to do when a close friend tries to rope her into something that goes against her conscience. These subplots do more than fill in the gaps between major scenes; they lend just enough reality to the story to make it believable.

     As far as violence and language goes, there isn't much to be concerned about in this novel. If there's any cursing at all, it's very rare and mild, and there's more panicked evasion than actual fighting. Although there is one scene that involves a car crash, a lake, and a terrified family, there is no gore and not much in the way of death. Grief is a huge player in the cast's character development, and is portrayed pretty realistically. Christianity also has a strong presence, as the Timberlines pray for their friends and family, and for their own safety as well. There are conversations about what faith really means and how to live by it; however, this rarely becomes preachy. And then there's the end--a cliffhanger that's built toward throughout the narrative but nevertheless shocking, and not in a positive way. Readers fond of series will definitely be scrambling for the next installment.

     I would recommend this book to kids and families interested in a fun mystery story featuring normal kids thrown into an extraordinary quest for truth and survival. Ashley and Bryce are well-written and relatable, their family is believably complicated in a way that benefits the plot, and the problems they run into are simultaneously mundane and incredible. Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry have crafted an absorbing world and plot for the first installment of their Red Rock Mysteries series, and they aren't done yet. The cliffhanger at the end is sudden and mindblowing, and will undoubtedly leave readers desperate for a sequel. Because of all this, Haunted Waters deserves four stars.