“Maggie Gardiner stood with a camera in one hand and a crime scene kit in the other, surveying the lifeless body and the hallway around it. Simple, as crime scenes went. No furniture, no wet grass or old clothes, no useless debris to be sorted from vital clues. Empty steps and what remained of a child who had suffered the misfortune to land on her head instead of her feet.”

Suffer the Children
By Lisa Black
Source: Advance review copy

Forensic expert, Maggie Gardiner, is called to Firebird, a secure facility for juvenile offenders in Cleveland after one of the residents is found dead. Rachel was a 15-year-old girl with behavioral issues but Maggie is there to find out if this was an accident or foul play. Homicide detective Jack Renner is also on the scene to conduct the investigation.

While conducting interviews with some of the people that came in contact with Rachel, they realize that despite the reason why the juveniles are at Firebird, they are also victims themselves of the system that didn’t help them. Most of the kids were in abusive situations and have repeated the pattern of abuse.

Despite Firebird being a secure facility and the staff having set up a system where the kids can’t move about freely, another death is reported and even Maggie and Jack are attacked by one of the children. No matter, Maggie is determined to see through the investigation and find out who was responsible.

Meanwhile while all of this is going on, Maggie’s ex-husband thinks he know who Jack Renner really is. Jack can’t afford to have the truth come out about his background and at this point neither can Maggie. As usual, the author does a great job of setting up the details involving the crime. These two are becoming my favorite duo in a mystery series but there is the issue of Jack’s past. This is the fourth book in the series and while you could certainly read on its own, I highly recommend you start from the beginning. Now, I’m looking forward to the next one.

“One year after the fire, my doctor removes my mask and tells me to get a life. He doesn’t use those exact words, of course, because he’s paid to flash around lots of medical-degree terms like reintegration and isolation, but basically, the Committee on Ava’s Life had a big meeting and decided I have wallowed long enough. My postern pity party is over.”

Scars Like Wings
By Erin Stewart
Source: Advance review copy

Ava has spent the last year trying to adjust to her new reality. Her parents and cousin died in a home fire and she was left with noticeable scars. She now lives with her uncle and aunt and would like nothing more than to just retreat into her world but the adults have decided it’s time to give school a try and start living again.

Ava agrees to go back to school for two weeks. Surely that will satisfy them and she can show them it’s not that easy and it’s better to stay home. Any new school is hard for a teenager but for Ava she just knows it will be torture. That is until she meets a feisty girl in a wheelchair, Piper, who is also a burn survivor.

Pretty soon Ava is dealing with the typical teenager angst type things like mean girls, starting to have feelings for a boy, and realizing that everyone wants to fit in. It’s when she joins the theater group that she feels a bit like she could capture some of her old life. Maybe this time it will be behind the curtains but she’ll give it a try.

This was such a good book. It was funny and emotional. I felt so sad for the trauma Ava had to go through as well as Piper who eventually shares what happened to her. I loved the friendship that developed between the two girls and how they learned to be there for one another. Yes, the book did manage to make me teary at one point but I dare you not to get teary-eyed when you read this one. I hope you’ll check it out.