Capetta, Amy Rose. Echo
After Echo. Candlewick Press 2017 421p $17.99 ISBN 978-0-7636-9164-6 hs/adult
Mysery/Suspense E-BN
Zara knows she is meant to
be on stage. In her senior year of high school, she lands the leading role of
Echo in the off-Broadway Greek tragedy Echo and Ariston. The writing is
exquisitely filled with imagery of the theater, from the soft folds and smell
of the curtain to the cluttered prop storage rooms, from the sparse costume
design rooms to the dark spaces in the catwalks. Her first trip inside the
theater finds her with a dead body on her hands and the curse of the Aurelia
seems to be coming to life -- three deaths will occur before opening night. The
lecherous director intimidates her, and the lead actor, a famous teen star
portraying Ariston, is himself a puzzle. She finds herself falling in love, not
with Ariston, but with Eli, the lighting director. Her confidence soon fades as
she wonders if she is in over her head, with her life possibly in danger. The
taut suspense waiting for the next death and the clues to the identity of the
real killer will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last
few pages. For any fan of theater, this book will have special appeal.
Relationships among the actors and those behind the scenes complicate both the
love story and the mystery. For any
mystery or theater lover, this is a must read. Riveting reading.
A must-purchase for
high-school libraries, especially where theater has a strong presence. For
mystery lovers, the twists and turns will surprise even the most veteran sleuth
of a reader.
Summary: Zara lands a
leading part in an off-Broadway Greek tragedy and her confidence diminishes
under the tutelage of a harsh lecher of a director. The curse of the Aurelia
Theater comes to life as people die. Outstanding imagery, taut suspense. Gr 9+
Romance-Fiction,
Theater-Fiction --Lois
McNicol
