Once Jennifer Marsh had been liberated from Riverside High School, she vowed never to return. Now her dearest friend and writer’s group partner, Leigh Ann, is doing everything in her power to convince Jennifer to attend their class reunion. Jennifer resists until she receives a note from Danny Buckner, her date from the disastrous senior prom. Danny writes: “something’s come back up, something that I thought was long over and done.” And he needs her help.

Although she hasn’t seen Danny since graduation, if she were totally honest with herself Jennifer would admit she never really got over him and the fiasco that left her abandoned at the prom. Danny, the big man on campus and someone Jennifer had admired from afar, had singled her out as his prom date. This didn’t sit well with Danny’s regular girlfriend, snooty cheerleader Sheena Cassidy. Sheena’s revenge made Jennifer’s life a living nightmare for the rest of her high school days.

Intrigued by Danny’s cryptic note, Jennifer reluctantly attends the reunion and it’s everything she feared it would be and more. Especially when Danny turns up murdered and Sheena, now Mrs. Danny Buckner, steamrolls Jennifer into helping her find the murderer.

Dying To Remember is a fast paced read and one I felt compelled to finish in one sitting. Although it was obvious the murderer was a member of the small high school reunion group, I was kept guessing right up until the end.

I was especially impressed by author Judy Fitzwater’s ability to bring to life the awkward teenage years. I could feel Jennifer’s misery as she tried to fit in with the popular kids, who gloried in making Jennifer’s life a living hell.

Fitzwater writes strong secondary characters. In this book nasty Sheena Cassidy came alive in one sentence and I immediately recognized a character I would love to hate. I’m sure there’s a Sheena in everyone’s high school.

For fans of the series, struggling author Jennifer is still trying to get published and the members of her writer’s group are back, stepping in to help when the going gets tough. Boyfriend Sam is back too, although he seems a bit too perfect for words. I would have liked to see him get a little more jealous over Jennifer’s lingering feelings for Danny.

Dying To Remember is a strong addition to the Jennifer Marsh mysteries and fans of the series are in for a treat.

--Karen Lynch