In Vesper, a new “young adult” novel by author Jeff Samson, we are introduced to Emily Webb—a sixteen year old, self proclaimed “entertainment geek”. Emily works hard to make herself invisible among the usual crops of jocks, cheerleaders and “it” people at her high school, so when she suddenly starts taking nightly walks on the wild side, things start to get a bit hairy. (There is a pun there you will understand when you read the book.)
“Emily Webb is a geek—and happy that way. She’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for parties. And she definitely doesn’t start fights or flirt with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that…the same night a classmate—also named Emily—is mysteriously found murdered.
The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing this. Every night, she gets wilder until it’s not just her personality that changes; she’s also becoming strong, fast and utterly fearless. Has she been bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human?”
Jeff Sampson knocks this debut novel in the “Deviants” series out of the park from page one, with a story driven by quick pacing, witty dialog and loads of mystery that both the young adults for which the book is intended and older readers, like myself, will find hard to put down.
Reviewed by: Teresa St. Mary
