Henry Franks: A Novel by Peter Adam Salomon

Henry Franks: A Novel

by Peter Adam Salomon

For Henry Franks, Death is Everywhere. It claimed his mother a year ago, in an accident that robbed him of his memory and left him covered with horrific scars. It's in his skin, leaving him numb to pain no matter how hard he tries to hurt himself. It obsesses his distant father, who buries himself in his work at the morgue. And it's stalking the streets, where a serial killer's path of destruction reveals the dark truth of Henry's past. AGES: 12 to 18 AUTHOR: Peter Adam Salomon is a member of the Horror Writers Association, the Authors Guild, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. He has served as a judge for the Savannah Children's Book Festival Young Writers Contest, and on the executive committee of the Boston and New Orleans chapters of Mensa.

Reviewed by layawaydragon on

5 of 5 stars

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I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

I could hear the scratching wind, see the swinging moss, feel the heat create sweat on my brow, and fell in love with a monster.

Though, it all depends on how you define a monster. That's what this book is about. I don't want to spoil anything, but this book is thrilling and makes you think. It's thoroughly enjoyable, mysterious, dark, twisting, and so goddamn good. It stays good if you can't read it in a single sitting, and it certainly lingers when you've finished reading it.

I'm all about characters, building them, progress them, and making them come to life.I like to guess, wonder and try to figure out the mystery but I do not like it when I can see it coming so early.
I love the visualization, the feeling, the little details. I see things in my mind as I read and it's so vital that an author shows instead of tells, so that way I can really get into a book.

Basically, that's Henry Franks. It has everything I love, and I can't see a single downside. It's like the perfect book for me and I'm so thankful to have won it, to get to read it. I had an inkling where the book was going to go, but it didn't turn out exactly like I expected. I was gripped by the story and was attached to all the characters, in different ways. I could really see and feel the setting, and the characters.


I always say, adults should read young adult books too. It's not just for children, it's not junior books. There are so many great books that people miss out on just because of the genre. This is on my list of favorites. This book will get recommended by me for everyone. This is an example book of a great YA fiction.
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As for what the other reviewers said, I do agree the ending unfolded so quickly. I was torn from wanting to read as quickly as possible due to the adrenalin pumping climax, and having to go back to re-read to keep everything straight. That of course, just might be my own hastened reading. I don't really have a problem with the quick ending, it was building the whole book and don't see how else it could have come out, except as a flood. That's just all IMHO of course.

With the paperback ARC I received I didn't have any format problems with the newspaper clippings. If there were other errors, I was so engrossed with the story I didn't get into my usual nit-picking mode. That was refreshing for me.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 19 September, 2012: Finished reading
  • 19 September, 2012: Reviewed