Review: Looking for JJ

Looking for JJ is the story of a child murderer without the sensationalising. It opens with teenaged Alice reading an article about Jennifer Jones, child murderer, who is due to be released from jail. Why is Alice so obsessed with Jennifer Jones? Does she know what happened that day so many years ago when a young girl died? Was Alice there? What pushes a child to go too far like this? What happens to that person as they grow up? I was creeped out from the first page but needed to know.

In this fictional account, Anne Cassidy lets us into the mind and heart of an ordinary girl whose life might not be quite as ordinary as outsiders believe. As Alice’s story unravels, my preconceived ideas about young children committing serious crimes did too. Looking for JJ grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t leave me alone.

It’s a perfect read for lovers of mystery, crime and suspense.

If you love Looking for JJ, make sure you also grab a copy of the sequel, Finding Jennifer Jones.

Title: Looking for JJ
Author: Anne Cassidy
Publisher: Scholastic, $16.99 RRP
Publication Date: 2004, re released August 2013
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 97814076138091
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction