From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—A trip with friends to an Idaho state fair places Hannah O'Leary in the hot seat during a hypnotist's act and later puts her in the hospital following a car accident in which her friend is killed. That night, Hannah is the sole witness to a strange mist and insects overrunning her steering wheel. Are these hallucinations? Or is something sinister and supernatural to blame? Plagued by unexplained events, worried she'll be diagnosed schizophrenic like her father, and vilified at school, Hannah falls in with endearing classmate (and potential love interest) Eugene "Plug." Along with his art class crew, Plug tries to help the protagonist slowly piece together the true cause of her hallucinations before she loses more than her mind. Kelly's premise of mixing hypnotism and the occult is promising. Unfortunately, the malevolent spirit aspect doesn't gel and seems unnecessary and tacked on. The psychological elements and mystery bring the real tension. The book's final third barrels to a dramatic finale. Characters can be clichéd but, in some cases, likable regardless. Hannah fluctuates between sympathetic and exasperating. The work contains violence, sexual situations, and an allusion to molestation. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries where psychological thrillers and mysteries are popular.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

Review

"Unlocked is a suspenseful thriller all the way to the very climatic ending! This good vs. evil story had me guessing the ending until the final pages. Kelly is very descriptive in her writing and details that I felt I was there right along with the main characters. Think that carnival side shows are harmless? Think again!" - Julie Hatcher, librarian

"Highly recommended for its taut storytelling, chilling horror elements, strong characters, and realistic representation of high school life." - Joshua David Bellin, author of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS

"The use of an unreliable narrator really made this story pop ... I also liked how realistic this book was in ... the diverse characters ... accurate portrayals of Native Americans and people of Latin American descent. It's also a helpful book for dealing with the stigma that often comes with mental illness ... a complex story with an interesting twist at the end." -Karen McCoy, librarian

"Compelling, edge-of-your-seat thriller that grabbed me from the start. ... The plot is filled with clever twists that build suspense and keep the pages turning as the characters hurtle towards an unexpected conclusion." -Youth Services Book Reviews

"Steeped in supernatural horror and gothic suspense tropes ... a dark, paranoid tale of a teenager girl who must navigate the terrifying fallout of a seemingly inconsequential action." --THE BIG THRILL (The Magazine of The International Thriller Writers)

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