Author Origin: Born in Connecticut, USA. Moved to Canada at age 4. Lives near Toronto, Ontario.
Page Count:238
Genre: Fiction/ Mystery
Difficulty: Easy
Grade Level: 9-12
Key Talking Points: A flawed protagonist, ethics/ right vs wrong, the existence of psychics
Sensitive Subject Matter: death/murder, attempted suicide, drug abuse
A lot of the Can Lit I've read recently is from up-and-comers, so it was time for a tried and true "pumper"; as in, an author that can pump out the best sellers. I wanted a fast and fun read for these dog days of summer, something I could just motor through and stay hooked into the whole way, and this book did all of that and more. I am going to do my best to keep this one spoiler free, because the mystery is so delicious.
Summary: Keisha Ceylon makes her living as a scam artist, although her business card calls her a "Psychic Finder of Lost Souls" (57). She plays into the stereotypes people have about tarot card readers, palm readers, and clairvoyants by dressing eclectically and telling people what they want to hear. Her biggest paydays come from identifying families in desperation due to missing loved ones. She offers to help find them, or at least point them in the right direction, or any direction, by sharing her "visions" for a steep price. Keisha has a son she is devoted to, and a live-in boyfriend that is pushing his luck. She works to support them both, and so when she watches an emotional plea for the return of a missing wife and mother on the local news, she sees big dollar signs. Unfortunately, what she doesn't see until it is too late is that the guesses she is making in her "visions" for this case get a little too close to the truth. You would think that would be a good thing, but think again.
Keisha is a protagonist with a lot of flaws, and this makes her very interesting. Morally, most readers will disagree with Keisha's line of work and the majority of her choices throughout the story. You care about what is happening to her, but you also are shaking your head at her, right up until the end. Normally this would distance me from the text, but in this case I enjoyed it; it just suited her character so well. Her flaws seemed natural, explained through what we learn of her backstory, and inherently human. Personal gain trumps altruism. That's just the way most people work.
Teacher Note: Besides a character study of Keisha, this novel also works very well to show aspiring writers how you can write where not a single detail is wasted. All of the people, places, and things in this novel become tied in, in one way or another. It is masterful and so gratifying to witness as a reader.
In addition, this novel offers some interesting avenues for an application of feminist theory and psychoanalytic theory. You could look at the representation of women overall in the novel, as well as examining Keisha's choices at a subconscious level using Jung or Freud. Also, at my school, we explore media conventions through a comparison of book-to-movie conversions, and since this novel is also a film, that could be another way to unpack it. I do think this novel is a little easy for a high level of study, but if used for a weaker reader, or used to apply more critical lenses, it could increase its applicability for senior students.
Final Thought: It is rare that a mystery/crime novel can keep me completely in the dark as to the direction of the plot and the outcome of the story, but this one did. I am a CSI, Criminal Minds, Law and Order junkie, and I am annoyingly good at spoiling movies and tv shows for those around me by knowing who-dunnit. However, this novel was surprising and satisfying. I often had no idea what was going to happen. When I thought I knew, I later realized that I had fallen into Barclay's trap and believed exactly what he wanted me to. I was duped. I could almost sense him laughing at me: silly reader, I have you in the palm of my hand. He did. I loved it.
📚 Ms. CAN Lit
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