Perception by Kim Harrington
Clarity (Clare) Fern is a junior in high school, and unused to the attention she’s been getting now that everyone knows she has a psychic gift. By touching an object, Clare can sometimes see visions of people in the past who have touched it. Clare has two boys interested in her: Justin, her ex-boyfriend, and Gabriel, the new boy who seems to understand her. But when someone starts leaving her notes and flowers, it seems Clare has a secret admirer as well. But when a missing schoolmate shows up dead, Clare wonders if her secret admirer has sinister intentions.
Clare is a quiet and reserved girl, confused about her feelings for the young men in her life and worried about her brother’s stranger behavior at home. Clare comes from a family of psychics, both her mother and brother run a business taking full advantage of their gifts. This is a sequel to the series debut, Clarity. So, there are many references to the first novel that weren’t fully explained. I haven’t read Clarity yet, but Perception worked really well as a standalone story. I wasn’t lost at all, yet I’m intrigued enough to want to go back and read the first now.
Blending paranormal fantasy and murder mystery, Perception is a spine-tingling adventure that I couldn’t put down. Of course, being of the YA genre, there is a bit of romance and teenage angst, but the teen drama pales in comparison to the intensity of Clare’s creepy stalker. Full of suspense and plot twists, mystery readers of all ages should enjoy this exciting novel.