by
Michael J Bowler
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GENRE: Mystery/Thriller
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BLURB:
Leonardo
Cantrell is a painfully shy sixteen-year-old who cannot look people in the eye.
One night while he’s volunteering at a homeless shelter, an old man forces eye
contact and gives Leo the power to see Death.
His best, and only,
friend—J.C. Rivera—thinks this new power is cool until Leo accidentally looks
into J.C.’s eyes and “sees” his murder, a murder that will occur in less than
two weeks. Stunned and shaken, the two boys sift through clues in Leo’s
“vision” in a desperate effort to find the killer and stop him before he can
strike.
Aided by feisty
new-girl-at-school, Laura, the boys uncover evidence suggesting the identity of
the murderer. However, their plan to trap the would-be killer goes horribly
awry and reveals a truth that could kill them all.
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EXCERPT
After lunch, we head to a nearby McDonald’s and buy bags of
hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and fries to give out on the streets. I make
momentary eye contact with each person I hand a bag to because I want them
to know they’re human like me. But I
can’t hold it for more than a second until, beneath the dim shade of the
freeway overpass on Main Street, this one man grasps my arm as he takes his
bag. He’s a regular named Hank, an older guy with a limp who always wears a
dirty Dodgers cap and mismatched clothes
I’m sure he found in a dumpster.
“Thank you, Leo.” Hank’s voice is strained, but sincere.
I force myself to look into his grateful eyes and our gazes
lock. I can’t seem to look away. It’s
like I’m being drawn into Hank’s very
soul. Then I see it! Gasping, I lurch back and yank my arm away from him.
He recoils, looking stung by my action, and I want to
apologize, but no words come. I’m paralyzed by what I just saw and can only
offer him a silent nod.
Gripping the bag with gnarled fingers, Hank lurches down
Main Street until he reaches the corner and turns out of sight.
J.C. steps around in front of me. “Hey, Leo, you okay? You
look like you saw a ghost.”
“I know… when he’s… going to… die.” I barely get the words
out.
J.C. stares at me. “Huh?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Michael J.
Bowler is an award-winning author who grew up in Northern California. He
majored in English/Theatre at Santa Clara University, earned a master’s in film
production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English
from LMU, and a master's in Special Education from Cal State University
Dominguez Hills. Michael taught high school in Hawthorne, California, both in
general education and to students with learning disabilities. When Michael is
not writing, you can find him volunteering as a youth mentor with the Big
Brothers Big Sisters program and raising his newly adopted son. He is a
passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California,
and hopes his books can show young people they are not alone in their struggles.
Social Media:
FB:
michaeljbowlerauthor
Instagram:
michaeljbowler
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My review:
4.25 stars
I Know When You’re Going to Die by Michael J. Bowler
follows sixteen-year-old Leonardo (Leo) Cantrell as he navigates life more interested in serving the less fortunate than keeping up with
the latest fashion trends. An unexpected “gift” results in his being able to foretell
a person’s death after looking into their eyes. Facing bullies at school and
trying to come to terms with his newfound power, Leo must discover a way to
change the outcome of his visions or risk losing his best friend permanently.
This young adult story provides a unique twist on the angst
of teen existence as Leo battles not only peer pressure, bullying, entitlement,
abandonment, and discriminatory behavior, but also has to deal with the
horrendous responsibility conferred upon him by an elderly man. The story is
told in first person point of view in the present tense, so it was a little challenging
for me to get used to at first, but eventually I became caught up in the
action. One of the things I was fascinated by was the glimpse of my city
through Leo’s eyes. Of course, I have never traveled in those “entitled” circles,
but I have definitely driven down some of the streets mentioned, so it was fun
to read about the kids’ adventures in familiar areas.
I like the thought-provoking question of cause and effect
and the twists and turns of Leo’s adventures, but I would have liked to have a little
more depth to the characters. Those who are squeamish should be warned that
there is a bit of carnage and death in the story, plus some spookiness, but the
action escalates and keeps one enthralled and cheering for the good guys to
win.
A copy of this story was provided for review
