Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler

This mysterious tale introduces the reader to Dusty, a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in a small British town with her recently divorced dad. It is wintertime, and everything is covered in snow and ice, giving the novel a physical and emotional atmosphere of desolation. Dusty is home alone when she receives a phone call from a boy who knows things about her, and Dusty is convinced that this strange boy is the key to solving the mystery behind her missing brother, Josh. However, the more Dusty tries to follow or speak to the boy, who remains unnamed, the more mysterious her world becomes. More often than not, she meets up with danger, keeping the novel moving steadily through each suspenseful chapter. The mystery of the boy is never quite concluded, but Dusty does find out what has happened to Josh, even if these issues are not quite resolved. While the descriptions of Dusty’s bleak surroundings sometimes distract from the pace of the action, they do provide depth to the emotion of the book. Frozen Fire is mysterious, suspenseful, and fantastical, if a bit on the weird side. Readers who like something different, rather than the standard YA fare, will gravitate toward the ideas presented in this story.

Recommended to high school readers.
Call number: YA BOWLER (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian