Goddess, Goddess, count to five. In the morning, who’s alive?
The Bad Ones, hailing from Melissa Albert, she of the Hazel Wood series of YA fantasy tomes, is a standalone tale. In a sleepy backwater, four people mysteriously vanish in the same evening, leading the best friend of one of the disappeared, Nora, to make her own investigation and delve into the town’s dark secrets.
The premise is effective enough, following in the mode of so many a young-adult Twin Peaks homage – serene small town, festering underbelly, investigation afoot – but the supernatural twists at play (evident from the prologue, so not a spoiler, particularly given the book’s stunningly gothic front cover which highlights a stone angel crying tears of liquid light), make it an intriguing read. Albert’s attention to detail help populate and realise the world – the town of Palmetto is full to the brim with ancillary characters who live their own lives and are affected by the ripples of the disappearances, all while the story is anchored by Nora, a likeable and engaging heroine.
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Albert also manages to avoid the pitfalls of some of the other horror-mystery titles in recent years by serving both character and plot, ensuring that The Bad Ones becomes neither a leaden character study with stagnant plot, nor a fast-moving story with players one doesn’t particularly care about. The use of flashbacks and third-person narration is a little cliche, if anything, but it helps to differentiate timelines and build tension towards the solving of the central, looming mystery (along with a half a dozen smaller ones), which evokes a combination of the best of the Southern Gothic and folk horror genres.
Managing a delicate tonal balance, The Bad Ones is an effortlessly creepy tale from Albert and a seasonal chiller to boot for all discerning YA readers looking for the next best horror-mystery to keep you awake all night. Just make sure you say your prayers and give thanks to the goddess…
The Bad Ones is out now from Penguin.
