Monday, May 4, 2020

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers
Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 3, 2012

Format: eBook
Price: $8.99
Page Count: 368
ISBN-13: 9780316201742

Reading Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)
Lexile: 750
Interest Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)

Annotation: Jasper "Jazz" Dent, son of the world's most infamous serial killer Billy Dent, helps the police hunt down the new serial killer in town.

Plot and Content Summary: Jazz wants to be nothing like his father, locked up in jail for murdering over 100 women. But in his mind, it would be so easy for him—his father taught him all he needed to know. To atone for his father's sins, he insists on helping the police with their new investigation. There's a new serial killer on the loose, and it looks like his crimes are similar to Billy Dent's. He drags his easily-bruisable best friend, Howie, into his schemes, and, of course, does whatever it takes to solve the case.

Evaluation: Aside from the mystery aspect of who the new serial killer is, what is most fascinating is the way we get to be in Jazz's mind. Growing up, his dad taught him all the ways to murder someone and cover up the tracks. He is destined to be a serial killer—and often thinks about how killing someone would feel—but fights again these urges because, like he often chants, "people matter."

Jazz's relationships with his best friend, Howie, who is the total opposite of him, and his girlfriend, Connie, develops so well—I love how much the two of them humanize Jazz and brings out the softer side of him. Howie and Jazz are a hoot together, and it is refreshing to see Connie challenge Jazz.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: One situation I think I Hunt Killers features well is absent adult role models. Jazz's father is in jail and we are not quite certain what happened to his mother, so he lives with his grandma. However, Jazz's grandma has issues of her own, so Jazz is her caretaker instead of the other way around. There isn't any Jazz can turn to for support, aside from friends his age, and this could be comforting for anyone who can relate.

Issues Present: I Hunt Killers has been banned for being too violent for its target audience, and I can't disagree with that. There are a lot of gruesome scenes. However, this does not mean it should be removed from the library. Teens are already being exposed to violence in many different ways outside of books—the news, movies, real life, etc. This book allows them to grapple with and experience the consequences of violence.

Book Talk Ideas:
  • What is Jazz's relationship with his father like? How does it affect the way he lives?
  • How do Howie and Connie show us who Jazz really is?
  • Why does Jazz constantly repeat to himself, "people matter?"
  • With the way this book ended, what do you think really happened with the serial killer and the bigger issue?

Genre/Subgenres: Thrillers and suspense

Readalikes: Breaker by Kat Ellis; The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey; Still Waters by Ash Parsons; The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes; Acceleration by Graham McNamee; The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

References
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