Chibbaro, Julie. Deadly: How do you catch an invisible killer?

Chibbaro, Julie. Deadly: How do you catch an invisible killer?
Atheneum see Simon & Schuster 2011 304p 16.99
978-0-68985-738-6 jr/sr Typhoid epidemic in New York , 1906 VG-BN


16-year-old Prudence has already seen more than enough death in 1906 when she joins the staff of the New York Department of Health and Sanitation and becomes in the investigation of the typhoid epidemic. Advance reading copy of a 2011 copyright novel, this book will probably be nominated for next year’s Best Books for Young Adults. Reminiscent of Anderson’s Fever 1793, this story weaves historical facts and personages (especially Typhoid Mary), into an engrossing narrative of turn of the century New York. The diary format of the novel makes it especially poignant, and the issues of a woman’s place in society, the typhoid epidemic, class prejudice and journalistic sensationalism are all woven seamlessly into the narrative. A thriller, a coming of age novel, and first-rate historical fiction. The only slight flaw in the otherwise engrossing novel is the inclusion of line drawings in the text, supposedly done by the diarist. One would hope that, since this is an uncorrected proof, that when the novel is printed, they place these drawings in the text in such a way as to make them believable as the scribblings of the diarist. Historical Naismith, Pat