Creeptastic Reads: Interview with Kim Harrington

I've read most of Kim Harrington's books (just need to catch up on her newest release) and I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Check out my review of The Dead and Buried right here! That said, you can imagine my excitement to have her on the blog today!

The Interview:

Hi Kim!

I'm a pretty big fan of scary books, but as I was reading The Dead and Buried I found myself leaving the lights on at night. You wrote some amazingly terrifying scenes! What was the scariest story you stumbled upon while researching for any of your books?

Because I wrote a scary book, people love to tell me their own personal ghost stories. And I’ve heard some terrifying ones! The worst was a friend who woke up and saw someone ghostly at the foot of her bed. Yikes.

What is one of your favorite things to do to get into the fall spirit?

I love decorating the house for Halloween. Pumpkins, ghosts, light-up crystal balls--the cheesier the better.

You've written different takes on the mystery genre, from horror to thriller to psychic detective (my personal favorite). What was your favorite style to write? Do you have any idea what your next project might fall under?

I’ve loved writing it all. Sometimes when I write something a little lighter and funnier, I feel the need to write something dark next. And then after that, I want a lighter touch again. It’s fun to switch gears. I really enjoyed writing FORGET ME. The fast pace of the thriller plot and the humor between a couple of the main characters was a great combo for me. I have two projects that I’m hoping will sell next, both very different in tone. Crossing my fingers!

The first book in your Sleuth or Dare series took me back to my childhood. What did you draw from in order to write a mystery that worked for kids? Any particular books that inspired the feel of the series? I know it took me back to my Bailey School Kids days.

To create the SLEUTH OR DARE books, I took a lot of time to think about what kind of book I would have loved to read at that age. And then I wrote it. So I basically wrote for Lil’ Kim. ;)

I know you enjoy the topic of space exploration, especially the different moons. Would you ever write a book that took place in space? I would love to read a horror novel set in space!

You know me well! I would love that. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I’ve played with a couple ideas but none of them were fresh enough for me to get excited about. Someday, though. Someday.

Can you share some of the books on your fall TBR?

BLACK ICE by Becca Fitzpatrick sounds great! And I recently vacationed in Grand Teton National Park, so the setting hooked me already.

Finally, if all your main characters suddenly came to together on the big screen in a horror movie, which one do you think would be the first to reach their untimely demise? Which one would you be rooting for until the end? (I know this must be tough, they're your babies)

Wow, what a fun question! Faye from THE DEAD AND BURIED would probably die in Act One. Sorry, Faye! And the last one standing would have to be Clarity “Clare” Fern because she’s so tough and she has that extra gift up her sleeve that could help her out.

 Thanks for being part of Creeptastic Reads!

About Kim Harrington:

Kim Harrington is the author of Clarity,Perception, The Dead and Buried, and Forget Me for teens and the Sleuth or Dare series for kids. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. When not writing, she's most likely reading, watching one of her favorite TV shows, or fantasizing about her next vacation. Her first book, Clarity, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, was a 2012 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, sold to nine countries, and was optioned for television by Warner Brothers.

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Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.
Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.
Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

First, I want to talk about how I did not expect this book to be as creepy as it actually was. There was a particular part of the book where I wanted to hide under my covers until it was light out again. I don't suggest reading this one in the middle of the night unless you really enjoy getting spooked.

The story jump starts when Jade finally finds out that she's living in a murder house and confronts her parents about it. From there she starts noticing all the weird things going on around the house and paying attention to her little brother and the fact that he's saying that he sees a girl in his room. I guessed the culprit within the first half of the book but I still needed to know why they did it. The story was addicting enough to keep me reading even though I knew who the killer was.

The writing was captivating and I really enjoyed how the book was set up. At the beginning of some of the chapters there were excerpts from the diary of our resident dead girl, Kayla Sloane. This adds another level to the story. When Kayla writes in her diary she uses numbers instead of names to represent the people she's talking about, so you don't know who she's referring to at first. It makes the mystery that much more alluring because all you can do is guess.

The main character, Jade, has just moved into a new town and started a new school and is nervous to be the new girl. That taken into account she's still a very unique and peculiar character. Jade collects stones because her mother used to collect them and there seems to be one for everything; memory and clear thinking, banishing evil, controlling the weather, keeping you sober, protecting against psychic attack or even drowning. Throughout the novel you see the role they play in the story line and in Jade's life. The stones aren't just pretty, they're useful. Even thought she's at a new school, Jade doesn't mind speaking her mind and she doesn't let what other people think or say about her faze her at all. If someone has something to say she takes it in but still does her own thing and what she believes is best for her family. 

Family always comes first and to Jade this means protecting her half brother, Colby. He is just the most adorable five year old. You can really tell that Jade and him have this connection. For Colby's young age, he worries so much about his sister. Their relationship seems mainly based on honesty. As for her parents, I feel like most of the parents I've read about in YA lately have been incompetent. This was no exception. The father was absent for most of the novel and the stepmother. UGH. She paid no attention to all the warnings Jade was trying to give her.

"What's that smell? Oh yeah, testosterone"

There were two dreamy guys, Donovan and Kane, but that does not exclude them from being suspects. They each have their motivations for killing Kayla Slone so you need to choose wisely who you want to trust, or even if you want to trust any of them at all. Her new friend, Alexa is a bit weirder than weird. She focuses on school a bit too much and lacks any sense of emotion towards others, which might make her the perfect sociopathic suspect.

If you're looking for a good mystery/horror, pick up The Dead and Buried. It kept me up way past my bedtime and even though it had me hiding from every shadow, the writing is sprinkled with moments of humor that briefly lighten the mood. If you want to be spooked, go ahead, read it in the middle of the night, but if you're a scaredy cat, then I suggest you read it in the middle of the day, with the lights on. This is a mystery you won't want to miss.

Rating: 4/5