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A review by charm_city_sinner
December Park by Ronald Malfi
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
It's no secret I've been on a big @ronaldmalfi kick this year. @books_nooks_spooks demanded I read Black Mouth, and after that there was no going back. December Park was my most recent Malfi book and if you're looking for a dark, coming of age book, look no further.
A small Maryland town is growing increasingly on edge after a succession of kids turns up missing, but things really start to boil over when the body of a missing girl is pulled from the woods. Local teen (and son of a police detective) Angelo Mazzone and his group of friends find themselves playing the part of amateur sleuths, chasing after the person believed to be responsible for it all, a figure the media calls "The Piper."
The story takes place over the course of a year, and hits hard with themes of friendship, family, small-town vibes, loss, and grief. Malfi is incredibly gifted when it comes to blending amazing characters with just enough dark ambiguity to keep you on your toes and invested. Also, the ending was AMAZING and I totally didn't see it coming. This one is definitely a must read.
I can't wait to keep working my way through his catalog, and I'm SUPER excited to read his new book, Senseless, which drops next spring. Malfi and I got to hang out in Annapolis one last time before I made the move to Scotland, and hearing him talk about this one, it was clear that he's got plenty of surprises in store for us!
A small Maryland town is growing increasingly on edge after a succession of kids turns up missing, but things really start to boil over when the body of a missing girl is pulled from the woods. Local teen (and son of a police detective) Angelo Mazzone and his group of friends find themselves playing the part of amateur sleuths, chasing after the person believed to be responsible for it all, a figure the media calls "The Piper."
The story takes place over the course of a year, and hits hard with themes of friendship, family, small-town vibes, loss, and grief. Malfi is incredibly gifted when it comes to blending amazing characters with just enough dark ambiguity to keep you on your toes and invested. Also, the ending was AMAZING and I totally didn't see it coming. This one is definitely a must read.
I can't wait to keep working my way through his catalog, and I'm SUPER excited to read his new book, Senseless, which drops next spring. Malfi and I got to hang out in Annapolis one last time before I made the move to Scotland, and hearing him talk about this one, it was clear that he's got plenty of surprises in store for us!