The Butterfly Clues

Jun 14, 2012 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

okay, if i had to rate the ending on this one, it would be an easy 2 stars.

it was a little too "what about prom, blaine?" for me.

the rest of it was good, if not amaaaazing.

you know the story - girl with ocd (tippity tapping, magic word muttering, irresistible kleptomania, hoarding) deals with the death of her brother, the retreat of her mother into a bedroom-cave of pills and denial, and her father into a workaholic tornado, by exploring the outskirts of cleveland, and finds herself caught up...more

42 likes · like · see review

Dec 15, 2011 jo mo rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, arc, artsy-character, dramarama, school-life, egalley, young-adult, thriller, authors-to-watch, abuse, oddities, reviews, love-the-prose, 2-stars

lo's brother died and the whole family still hasn't coped with the loss. falling into this dark abyss, where they distance themselves from each other more and more. when one day, she gets tangled in the murder of a stripper, things start to change. (pene)lo(pe) obsessively tries to solve the case, as the police doesn't even really try to look behind the curtains, which in turn makes her the target of the killer who's still on the loose. of course lo finds out more than she bargained for.

what se...more

lo's brother died and the whole family still hasn't coped with the loss. falling into this dark abyss, where they distance themselves from each other more and more. when one day, she gets tangled in the murder of a stripper, things start to change. (pene)lo(pe) obsessively tries to solve the case, as the police doesn't even really try to look behind the curtains, which in turn makes her the target of the killer who's still on the loose. of course lo finds out more than she bargained for.

what sets this book apart is most notably that the author made her main character a person with an anxiety disorder (ocd). for those who lost a loved one, there's the familiar pattern of not knowing how to handle the grief, guilt, anger and depression. growing apart as a family. and finding a way back.

"after school, i've been picking bus lines at random, finding new places to explore. mostly i go to other parts of the suburbs, find the high school or the baseball hat store at the mall or a restaurant my brother might have liked"

overall, the book was surprising in its subtle writing, which i appreciated a lot and made my rating higher. she didn't try to make a melodrama out of a drama, which happens more often to authors and their books than i'd like to admit.

random quote
"i barely know anything about him, but he seems so familiar --as though i could flip through childhood photo albums and he'd be in every picture."

i'm having (fondly remembered) flashbacks:

"a warmth fills me, like it used to on saturday mornings when i was a kid and i'd wake before anyone else to watch cartoons, wrapped in my fuzzy pale blue blanket, waiting for everyone else to wake up, too"

random quote
"a rush fills my whole body as i do, clears up my head, makes me feel instantly like everything in the whole world is okay, like the universe and solar system and every big, holy planet and blade of grass and flake of fresh-fallen snow are rotating and growing and falling just for me right now. when i find where it belongs, where it fits, everything will be whole: i will plug up the emptiness, the swirling, sucking drain of the universe spinning into chaos."

(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, netgalley-arc, mystery, reviewed, 2011-reads, 2011-reviews, coverlove, arc

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

The Butterfly Clues has a lot going for it - an engaging and different heroine, a convoluted murder mystery and a teenage romance with real chemistry and feeling that doesn't become saccharine or overwrought. With an intriguing beginning and a simple, easy, almost sparse style of writing, this is a novel that sneaks up on you and can be devoured in several enveloping stints of reading. With much more emotion and feeling than I had expected, Ellison...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

The Butterfly Clues has a lot going for it - an engaging and different heroine, a convoluted murder mystery and a teenage romance with real chemistry and feeling that doesn't become saccharine or overwrought. With an intriguing beginning and a simple, easy, almost sparse style of writing, this is a novel that sneaks up on you and can be devoured in several enveloping stints of reading. With much more emotion and feeling than I had expected, Ellison wove a spellbinding tale of Penelope "Lo" Marin and the multiple mysteries surrounding her melancholy existence. This more than exceeded my expectations: I was looking for a quick read time-filler and I found a heartfelt mystery with a great, intrepid lead character. Though not perfect - I called the murderer pretty early on in the story - I will definitely be on the lookout for more novels by this author.

Lo is definitely a likeable protagonist: I felt an affinity and rapport with her from the first page. Highly individualistic, Lo has enough personality to fill the pages she graces. The first person is an excellent medium for Penelope Marin (I want to add the extra two on here for her sanity: Penelope Marin, Penelope Marin) to express her story, from her very distinct perspective. She suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and certain things (like saying her name three times in a row, or tap tap tap bananaing before entering a new room to ensure her safety) and rituals are the cornerstone of her life. A mysteriously dead brother named Oren, and two extremely removed parents create loneliness and sadness in abundance for Lo ("I've learned to live without anyone" she says early on), and sympathizing/empathizing with her was never an issue for me. Though Lo has her less-than-perfect side (one of her compulsions is an unswervable need to steal an object when she feels threatened/lonely/scared) she always remains relatable. Moving a lot has a left a feeling of impermanence for most of Lo's life, and her theft is an attempt to feel attached to something if not someplace. Ellison does a great job of humanizing Lo's multiple issues and odd compulsions without judgment. She's definitely human and real, showcasing common teen issues ("I didn't think anyone really saw anything I did, barring incidents of incredible embarrassment,") along with her less common problems (Oren, parents, witnessing a murder.)

Sadly the other characters, though mostly likeable, had none of the verve of Lo. The closest to matching her fire is Flynt, her mysterious, apparently vagrant love interest. While I do weary of the hackneyed and overplayed "sexy boy with a dangerous but mysterious past" in YA fiction, Flynt was a well-drawn "loose" personality, nicely contrasting with Lo's rigid routines and rules. The dynamic between the two works really very well: she only relaxes around Flynt, and he can be serious with her. While a love triangle is hinted at among them and another teenage character, it's quite obvious that the only match for Lo is with Flynt and the author doesn't descend into melodrama and angst for Lo to figure that out: she's self-aware and smart enough to make her own decisions. Tellingly of her parents, Lo's mother doesn't even appear for about 170 pages and event hen she's more of a shadow than a character. I can understand that the mom is grieving over her lost son, Lo's brother Oren, but the depth to which she abandons her daughter is astonishing and sad. I couldn't find much initial liking for Lo's father as well: burying himself in his work, and his uncontrollable anger with Lo over her unavoidable counting make for a less than perfect dad. I will say that I did find some redemption and hope for a few characters I'd given up on, later on down the line.

While the plotting can be a bit obvious and hard-to-believe lucky (Lo's discoveries of the butterfly/horse almost immediately after the report? Unlikely), I found myself not minding overmuch. Ellison reaches a bit for some connections in her story, but in the end the payout reaps the benefits and more than makes up for any lack of subtlety. I guess I would say: the end more than justifies the means the author went to in order to achieve it. The disparate and compelling storylines keep the suspense high and my interest higher for the entirety of the story. I found myself postively racing through the final quarter of this novel: eager for resolution for Lo, for Flynt, for Oren and even for the murdered girl at the center of the mystery. I was never bored, and always guessing how the author would tie up all the loose ends. I did think the author had too many threads going at the same time, but I will say I was proved wrong in the end. Ms. Ellison manages to combine multiple disparate and seemingly random elements into a wrenching and touching finale. I was surprised by the strength of the emotions I had while reading this book, particularly the end. It was an impressive end to a book that captivated me from the beginning. I also have to add - how striking is that cover? It does a nice job - very evocative - of advertising the novel. Pick this one up.
(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 27, 2012 Kara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, depressing, net-galley, the-tough-stuff, thriller, young-adult, ohio, for-review

I love starting a book when I have literally no expectations. I went into this one with an open mind and ready to rock. And by the way, this is totally not the type of book I would choose to read, but I am really trying to widen my scope when it comes to my reading preferences. And I'm glad I read this one. This book was a complete trip. Like I seriously cannot find the words to say what I want to say. It was a thriller, sure, but it was also a psychological mind screw. It was sort of literary a...more
I love starting a book when I have literally no expectations. I went into this one with an open mind and ready to rock. And by the way, this is totally not the type of book I would choose to read, but I am really trying to widen my scope when it comes to my reading preferences. And I'm glad I read this one. This book was a complete trip. Like I seriously cannot find the words to say what I want to say. It was a thriller, sure, but it was also a psychological mind screw. It was sort of literary as well. I'm not sure even the author knew what she was doing.

It's not like it was hard to figure out who the killer was. The clues were there all along, but this was one suspenseful ride. And I really enjoyed it! It was scary, because this was real life. These things could actually happen. They do happen. In crime-infested cities. Every day. Regular citizens don't just go randomly hunting for killers. That's not exactly what I am talking about. But the whole murder of an innocent girl, strip-clubs. Areas of town that time has forgotten. Places that the police don't even care about patrolling anymore. It happens. And it's frightening.

This was not a happy book. Obviously. And there were still some things after it ended that I am unsure about. Like for instance, if I was a teenage girl I could totally not date a homeless guy. Call it shallow, call it what you want, but I just don't think it's a good idea. I mean what does that guy have to offer a girl? What kind of life would they have if they got married? Seriously. He might be a nice guy, and he was, but really? Be his friend. At least until he gets his life together. That's no way for anyone to live. I feel bad for saying this, but what kind of parent would let their daughter date a homeless dude? I know I wouldn't. And that really has nothing to do with my like or dislike of the book, it's just a personal feeling that I had to get out there. Because real life just doesn't work that way.

As far as the book itself, I don't really think this book is going to sell well, or appeal to the masses. But. It needed to be published. Why? Because it was different, original, and had something to say. Something that made me want to open up and talk about society. And real life. And I am glad there are still publishers out there that will publish books like this. No, it wasn't perfect. Not by any means. But it made you think. What is the true value of a person? Who or what dictates how valuable we are in society? Money? Where we live? Our possessions? Who we know? Why should the murder of a stripper be any less important than any other crime? This book was kind of mentally confusing. And I still don't really understand what I am trying to say. Just read it. If you find the time, pick it up. It'll make you think. That is for certain.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 30, 2011 Karl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought the book has potential. The story was original, and the characters interesting. However, parts were corny and stupid. The artsy homeless guy was particularly unbelievable to me. I got so sick of "tap tap tap, banana" that I almost threw the book out. So either the author brilliantly conveyed the emotion of OCD, or he was just annoying.

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i thought that this was a awesome book that always had somthing going on

1 like · like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Suzanne Sullivan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What the synopsis should have told you is that in addition to being a hoarder, Lo has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the severe kind with rituals and everything. I had to start this book twice before I could really get into it. All the tap tap tap banana that Lo has to put herself through just to function made me feel like I had OCD myself. If you can get past this, Lo's story is quite good. Despite her oddities, Lo is a likable character who like many of us, just wants to be "normal" what...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Isabella rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ideally, I'd give it 3 and a half stars, but half stars aren't available on goodreads, unfortunately.
Anyway, I liked the book overall. I found myself getting into it as it wore on. As always, my review is going to end up as a lengthy catalog of the good and bad (in my opinion) of this book.
The Good:
Penelope (Lo). Our protagonist. She's OCD. I loved that. It was wonderfully interesting to read about her patterns, her "tap, tap, tap, banana", her obsession with 3, 6, and 9 (and multiples of those...more Ideally, I'd give it 3 and a half stars, but half stars aren't available on goodreads, unfortunately.
Anyway, I liked the book overall. I found myself getting into it as it wore on. As always, my review is going to end up as a lengthy catalog of the good and bad (in my opinion) of this book.
The Good:
Penelope (Lo). Our protagonist. She's OCD. I loved that. It was wonderfully interesting to read about her patterns, her "tap, tap, tap, banana", her obsession with 3, 6, and 9 (and multiples of those numbers)...it was a kind of character that I haven't really seen before, and I found her fascinating. I'm really picky about my characters, but Lo definitely didn't fit the "too perfect" category, which I think is awesome compared to many of the YA Protagonists on the shelves nowadays.
Other good: (Spoilers Below) I got into it near the end--it became more engaging, and I found myself really wanting to turn the pages when she was kidnapped and when she found out about Sapphire and Bird. I liked how Orem was Bird, I liked the idea of the novel--it was an interesting premise--and I liked Lo's dad. I liked how he was trying to be normal and have a normal family, but couldn't connect to Lo. In the end, when it's so obvious how hard he was trying, and how much he loved her...well, I just thought it was really sweet. I also liked how her mom stayed in loony land, because it added a more realistic layer, rather than just a perfectly rainbows-and-butterflies ending.
The Less Good: (also contains spoilers)
Prom Scene was a total cliche. And I was slightly annoyed by the saving-Lo-scene at the end, because the story of Officer Gardiner seemed a little thin to me. Flynt himself was such a hipster, it was almost annoying. But he kind of grew on me. Except that we was always just too...well, it's hard to describe, but too...artsy? Perfectly artsy? I don't have a problem with an artsy guy, but something about Flynt was kind of irritating the whole time. But then again, I am really, really picky about my characters. I thought that the mystery was alright, but after reading many Agatha Christie's, I knew early on that it wasn't a book focused as much on the mystery itself. I mean, it was, in a way, but it was really focused more on Flynt and Lo, and Lo's OCD, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I only mention it in this section because the mystery itself wasn't that hard to guess (I probably could have figured it out had I been guessing), and I wasn't really thinking about guessing who the murderer was. I know that may not seem to make sense, but it's just that, as much as the book was focused on Sapphire, it wasn't focused as much on clues and nuances, the way a really good mystery often is (read: the way Agatha Christie's mysteries are). The stripper scenes were kind of awkward and perhaps unrealistic, but not terrible. Likewise, the scenes with high school drama weren't my favorite parts of the book, but weren't really bad, either. Nothing in the book stuck out to me as terrible, but some of it was kind of "meh".

Overall, I liked the book. My favorite thing was definitely Lo herself, but there were other parts that I did and didn't like. 3.5 stars would have been ideal, but I'm bumping it down to 3 in the end because I don't necessarily think it's as good as my other 4-star books. I would recommend it to fans of YA Urban Fiction. (less)

like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark, mystery, not-graphic, ya

I think I might have had more trouble suspending my disbelief about this character's actions and motivations had she not been so convincingly portrayed with OCD. If she had been just any average girl from an average part of town I wouldn't have bought the fact that she kept running around the worst parts of Cleveland with the homeless, strippers, and criminals, breaking into crime scenes and doing all kinds of crazy stuff, but I could actually buy into the idea that this particular character wou...more I think I might have had more trouble suspending my disbelief about this character's actions and motivations had she not been so convincingly portrayed with OCD. If she had been just any average girl from an average part of town I wouldn't have bought the fact that she kept running around the worst parts of Cleveland with the homeless, strippers, and criminals, breaking into crime scenes and doing all kinds of crazy stuff, but I could actually buy into the idea that this particular character would become so obsessed with a murder that she would feel compelled to keep investigating, even after being warned away by a mutilated cat left on her porch with a note and worse. But I was still annoyed that she was so unbelievably stupid at times, which made it hard for me to empathize. Some readers, I'm sure, are annoyed by the omnipresent reminders of her OCD ticks and the small ways they constantly control her, but I felt that was realistically necessary and thus a strength. And some of the reactions she received from both peers and adults felt agonizingly realistic in a positive way. No, it was her larger choices that, while perhaps believable, kept the book from being enjoyable for me because I just couldn't imagine her actually managing to pull off all the things she got away with. The reactions of other characters to those choices, of the very environment itself to her presence, were what I found hard to swallow a bit too often.

On the positive side, it certainly made for a tense and suspenseful mystery story, and I enjoyed that aspect quite a lot. Along with the chance to experience the world from an OCD perspective and see different aspects of life than I normally do. I'm not sure it offered an insightful examination of the human condition, but it made for some good escapist fun that had real weight and depth to it. It's well worth reading it that's what you're looking for.

I feel oddly comfortable here, among my own kind--the weird and the forgotten, the invisible and ignored. At school, I'm the girl who eats plain grape jelly sandwiches wrapped in tinfoil, alone on the front lawn, or in the library when it gets too cold outside. I'm the girl who can't enter or exit the bus, school, class, without tapping and banana-ing, the girl who doesn't raise her hand when she knows the answer because if she did, she'd have to put it back against her desk and raise it again and repeat. Three times, or six, or nine--depending on a whole host of other factors she could not control--how many words were in the question, how any other people had raised their hands, how many times the person in front of me had scratched the top of her head. I'm the girl who cannot shower after gym class because she'd have to do that, too, at least three times and, by the time she finished, the school day would have ended.(less)

like · see review

Jan 17, 2013 Autumn rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: not-recommended

I hated Lo. Plain and simple. Ms. Ellison is a literary genius because I found myself responding so emotionally to the way she carved out this character. Her (Lo's) habits, her personality, her blinding obsession to Sapphire's murder only served to anger and confuse [me]. Crippled with a severe form of OCD (and possibly many other disorders, given her nature), Lo, née Penelope, was an painfully annoying and obtrusive character. The tapping, the mumbling, the never-ending outbursts, tantrums, an...more

like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: addiction, animals, bullies, death, families, friendship, jobs, mysteries, homelessness, school, special-ed, writing

I like a lot of things about this book: the cover (WOW!), Neverland and its residents, and the main character, Penelope (Lo) Marin. The book hooked me from its opening pages as Lo is foraging around a seedy side of Cleveland while a murder is occurring. Her fear is very real-- as are the descriptions of Lo's counting and tapping behaviors to allow her to get through her days. It seems that she's struggled with OCD much of her life, a struggle heightened with the death of her older brother. Unexp...more

like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Sorra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was...Well, it was interesting.

I thought the protagonist, Lo, was okay. I sort of liked her, but I felt like she was just shaped by her OCD and outcastiness, not actually having a personality.

The whole romance part wasn't so great. It's totally unrealistic that two boys would fall in love with Lo. I mean, she described herself as ugly, outcasted, and OCD. Sadly, not many people would fall in love with a girl like that in real life. Plus, I really liked Jeremy as a character and I wis...more

like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Peg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: disabilities, highly-recommended, mystery, realistic, sj, thriller, young-adult

Lo can't help herself--her compulsive behaviors isolate her at school and at home, where her family has pretty much fallen apart since the disappearance and death of her older brother. Since his death, her compulsions have increased, causing a highly increased need to do things in patterns and to collect things. She roams the city, always a seeker, and finds herself in Neverland, a tough neighborhood of Cleveland. She is a random witness to a murder, then finds herself feeling mysteriously conne...more

like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-pub, 2012reads, youngadult, strongfemalecharacters, mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really enjoyed this although it has some flaws; it's a solid mystery with complex characters which I always like, but the ending did not hold up. The resolution of the mystery was ok, although a little convenient in terms of the rescue. But everything after that. Lo’s father who has clearly never accepted Lo's rituals suddenly has a complete turn around? Jeremy and Keri end up together because Lo suggested it to Jeremy? In fact, I really think the book would have been stronger if the entire sc...more I really enjoyed this although it has some flaws; it's a solid mystery with complex characters which I always like, but the ending did not hold up. The resolution of the mystery was ok, although a little convenient in terms of the rescue. But everything after that. Lo’s father who has clearly never accepted Lo's rituals suddenly has a complete turn around? Jeremy and Keri end up together because Lo suggested it to Jeremy? In fact, I really think the book would have been stronger if the entire school subplot had been excised. I never felt invested in that because Lo wasn’t invested – the only reason it seemed to be in there was to provide the one red herring attack and to show how alienated Lo feels from her peers. Heck, except for Keri, I couldn’t even remember which of the other girls was which.

While I wish Flynt was real, he’s a completely preposterous character. And I couldn’t believe the strippers would all just talk to Lo about Sapphire and let Lo take her stuff! Seriously? I don’t know any strippers and haven’t been to a strip club ever so I cannot speak from personal experience, but I have friends who have, and from what I understand this is a pretty idealized version of that life – or maybe not idealized so much as glossed over. So maybe I could see the strippers talking to Lo, but I can’t imagine none of them would have protested the removal of Sapphire’s things by a stranger they know nothing about.

The amount of coincidences is pretty far-fetched as well – I can see Lo believing that the universe meant for her and Sapphire to connect, but are we supposed to as well? Because I as a reader did not feel enough setup for that little bit of magical realism/destiny/etc. at all and from the way I read it, we are intended to believe that's part of how everything came together.

The real accomplishment here is the character of Lo. She feels like a living, breathing person I might meet. Ellison brings to life this complex girl trying to deal with her overwhelming grief at losing her entire family (and this is a very real portrayal of grief in my opinion – you don’t just lose the one person, your entire family has to rebuild itself around the hole and sometimes they can’t and even if they can your relationships never look or feel the same) and caught up in something scary that, because of who she is, she can’t let go. I particularly love how Ellison made us feel how clearly Lo felt the loss of her mother, the parent who understood her and helped Lo cope with her compulsive urges, but without hitting us over the head with it. Instead Ellison shows us concrete differences in Lo’s life – how she and her respective parents deal with food and meals for example before and after Oren's death.

Lots to like here, but room for improvement as well. I'll be interested to see what Ellison does next.(less)

like · see review

Aug 30, 2012 Christin (Portrait of a Book) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 100in2012, 2012-debut, book-portrait-review, dac2012, mystery, young-adult

I'll admit it - I first wanted to read this book because of the cover alone. In a sea of books with covers full of pretty girls in elegant dresses, this book stood out. (In fact, I did a whole feature on this book because of it's cover - you can see that here.) However, once I started reading, it became clear that this book stood out for many more reasons, including great writing and an engrossing story.

If Penelope "Lo" Marin had to be described in one word, it would be this: obsessive. She coll...more I'll admit it - I first wanted to read this book because of the cover alone. In a sea of books with covers full of pretty girls in elegant dresses, this book stood out. (In fact, I did a whole feature on this book because of it's cover - you can see that here.) However, once I started reading, it became clear that this book stood out for many more reasons, including great writing and an engrossing story.

If Penelope "Lo" Marin had to be described in one word, it would be this: obsessive. She collects beautiful trinkets, stealing them when she has to, and arranging them all just so in her room. She suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and feels an urge to tap and whisper to herself (in multiples of three, of course) to make everything alright. And finally, when she learns that a young girl named Sapphire has been murdered when it was almost her instead, Lo won't rest until she finds out who the murderer is. However, finding the murderer takes Lo to a new world, an area of the city known as Neverland. There Lo meets Flynt, a street artist who has the possibility of becoming so much more than just a tour guide. Even with Flynt's help, tracking a murderer isn't easy, despite her clues. But these clues could reveal more to her than she ever imagined...

I know what you're thinking - another murder mystery that can be easily solved. Think again. The Butterfly Clues might be a mystery, but it is more than that: It is truly a story of the characters. Almost everyone that we meet has their own story to tell, and I love that we get to learn them all through Lo's memory and investigation even if we don't meet them directly. Lo herself is such a memorable character. Not only is she forced to deal with constant relocation and the death of a sibling, but also she suffers from OCD; I'm sure I will remember her constant "tap, tap, tap, banana" for a long time. Because Lo is on her own and an outcast, she views the world differently, and this was refreshing to read. I also loved getting to know Sapphire. Her journal entries added so much to the story, making my heart break for her and for her life cut short. Finally there is Flynt...but I think I will leave you to find out for yourself about him.

Even though Lo's OCD habits took some adjusting to and the mystery could be predicted, there were definitely still surprises. Beyond that, though, the story was very well-written with both wonderful descriptions and insights. The dark, seedy world of this book came to life and made me fear for Lo's safety, and yet the characters and their stories were still moving. The mystery might be solved, but the characters' lives weren't, and I would have loved to know what the future had in store for them.

The Butterfly Clues was a fantastic debut novel from Kate Ellison, providing just what you would want in a murder mystery and more. I'll look forward to reading more from this author!(less)

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Audiobook:

The audiobook was even better than the book! The reader Therese Plummer was fantastic! She didn't have to grow on me, as most audio readers do. She was brilliant from the very beginning. She could read each character with such a unique voice. Plus at one point Therese totally broke out into song. She nailed the bluesy old song, that a 40 year old homeless man was singing, while he sat on the corner of the street. This was so unexpected, when she started to sing, I stopped what I was d...more Audiobook:

The audiobook was even better than the book! The reader Therese Plummer was fantastic! She didn't have to grow on me, as most audio readers do. She was brilliant from the very beginning. She could read each character with such a unique voice. Plus at one point Therese totally broke out into song. She nailed the bluesy old song, that a 40 year old homeless man was singing, while he sat on the corner of the street. This was so unexpected, when she started to sing, I stopped what I was doing a just stared, big eyed at my PC. This is not one of my favorite books of all time, but it might be one of my favorite audiobooks of all time!

Review:

I read this book almost just because of the cover. I love the cover, simple yet very eye catching. Kate Ellion's debut novel The Butterfly Clues is an amazing book! I loved it from beginning to end. Sometimes, murder mysteries are just so so for me. Not this one, it was a little freaky and it wasn't predictable. Yay.

Penelope "Lo" was very strange, which was kinda a breath of fresh air. Normally the main character kicks butt, or is beautiful, perfect. Lo was very obsessive compulsive. She had to taptaptapbanana to open a door or to get out of a chair. Lo had to put her peas in piles of six before she could eat them. Rearrange her bedroom every-time she felt the least bit off or anxious. It was so interesting to read from Lo's point of view. The character development of Lo was perfect. Flint, Jeremy, Sapphire and many others were strong and awesome characters as well.

This book is dark, seductive, mysterious, and mostly awesome. It's so different than anything you'll ever read. I can't even tell if there is going to be a sequel, gosh I hope so.

I going to taptaptapbanana outta here, hoping you'll check out one of these options for The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison.

-Amy

Profanity: Strong/Heavy
Sexual: Extreme (rape of a stripper)
Violence: Extreme (rape/murder)
Other: The book takes places in/around a strip bar/Gentlemans club(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 04, 2012 Kat Heckenbach rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The too much: Lo's OCD is an interesting element, but the author makes it intrusive to the story. Rather than sympathize with her, I became annoyed with her. Also, the compulsive stealing, and the obsession with Sapphire. (Why not make her a pyromaniac, too, to round it all out?) Flynt's evasiveness and overly friendly personality. The dark, oh-so-intense voice of Lo. It all started grating on me.

The too little: A reason to care about Sapphire. Lo sees one story and is consumed with a need to di...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 29, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: death-dying, horror-thriller, mental-illness, mystery, teen-fiction

Penelope "Lo" Marin has not been the same since her brother died. Not that she was ever "normal" to begin with. She's always had her rituals, the ones that make it OK for her to face her day. But when Oren died, Lo got much, much worse. She's now taken to exploring parts of the city and stealing objects that call to her. On one of these expeditions, she is nearly killed by a loose bullet being fired in a nearby house. As it turns out, that particular bullet had already taken the life of another...more

like · see review

Apr 30, 2012 Midnight rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: debut-authors-2012

I found myself on the verge of murdering Penolope Marin thanks to the surfeit of descriptions about her weird quirks.

But I suppose this is selfishness on my part as well, for expecting people to conform to my standards of normalcy when the poor lass is doing nothing to harm me or the world at that apart from drive me nuts with her inexplicable urges. I get that her obsession with patterns and numbers is thanks to her need to restore equilibrium in the world, to find some anchor in the chaos that...more I found myself on the verge of murdering Penolope Marin thanks to the surfeit of descriptions about her weird quirks.

But I suppose this is selfishness on my part as well, for expecting people to conform to my standards of normalcy when the poor lass is doing nothing to harm me or the world at that apart from drive me nuts with her inexplicable urges. I get that her obsession with patterns and numbers is thanks to her need to restore equilibrium in the world, to find some anchor in the chaos that the world presents when you are of age to understand that everything doesn't run on clockwork.

The book has beautiful sentences and writing though and I love the minor characters in the book, who shine with vibrant personalities of their own. The prose is candid and does not attempt to hide the gruesomeness of Neverland where the book is set. Make no bones about it, things are ugly and you shouldn't look to the prose for comfort that things will turn out well because they won't.

Lost love and chances are well dealt with in this book, which is impressive for a debut writer. She really does know what she is writing about, which is more than I can say for some writers. I can feel the grief Penolope feels for her brother Oren emanating off the pages and some inexplicable sorrow for the nameless kids Sapphire and Flynt are based off living somewhere in the world right now as I type this, vanishing into oblivion because no one cared to know them beyond the grimy facades they presented, choosing to look at their exteriors to form a judgement out of convenience's sake.

This book is a 3.5 thanks to the over-emphasis on Penolope's habits (which became kind of a drag over time and for which I really wanted to hit her hard but I think that's kind of my own issue). The plot is highly riveting though so I do recommend this book to people who want something different from the dystopian/paranormal novels that have been flooding the YA market of late.

Postscript: I do get that Penolope's OCD makes her character all the more compelling, especially when she knows she has to run but can't do so due to her urges. Kind of like getting an asthma attack when you need to flee if we define it in "normal" terms. But still, there are only so many times you can write "tap tap tap banana" within driving a reader to the brink of annoyance.(less)

like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've never been one for murder mysteries and whodunnits. Well, except for Midsommer Murders, and I think my enjoyment of that is more associative as it reminds me of pleasant Sunday evenings with my parents. So it's fairly surprising that I should enjoy a book which is basically a light murder mystery for a YA audience.

Lo, the first person protagonist of The Butterfly Clues, really appealed to me. If you look at some of the reviews of this book around the internet, it seems like she's a charact...more I've never been one for murder mysteries and whodunnits. Well, except for Midsommer Murders, and I think my enjoyment of that is more associative as it reminds me of pleasant Sunday evenings with my parents. So it's fairly surprising that I should enjoy a book which is basically a light murder mystery for a YA audience.

Lo, the first person protagonist of The Butterfly Clues, really appealed to me. If you look at some of the reviews of this book around the internet, it seems like she's a character you either like or loathe. This is mostly because of her OCD. Lo has an obsession with the number 3 and its multiples. They are her "safe" numbers. Her illness has also resulted in her becoming a hoarder and a bit of a klepto to boot. Her illness also means she can never pass through any doorway without tapping three times and then saying "banana". She... has problems.

It seems like a lot of readers found her annoying because of her constant counting and her repetitive, obsessive-compulsive nature. A lot of readers seemed to miss the point that Lo felt the same way! It was meant to be irksome, almost an inconvenience to the reader, because that allows us to empathise with her. Imagine not being able to run from a killer until you've touched your toes three times! Scary. I suppose I might be over-estimating authorial intention, but I hope not!

One of the reasons that I think the counting and the "tap tap tap Banana" thing didn't get to me was no doubt due to the narrating skills of Therese Plummer. Some books are just meant to be read aloud and this is one of them. Plummer's narration really puts the reader inside the often-messed-up head of Penelope Merrin. The only flaw I found with her narration was that every guy in the book sounded the same. It didn't prove too confusing as, by lucky chance, Lo seemed to share scenes with only one fella at a time. The similarity was just something I noticed in passing.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Predictability in Books. The Butterfly Clues was predictable, at least as far as I was concerned, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. At the end of the day, knowing who the murderer was all along, or finding out more about Lo's brother, even knowing how her relationship with the quirky street artist, Flynt, was all secondary to the more intriguing development of Lo's obsessive nature.

This is a great example of a book which has a fairly obvious destination, but also a well-crafted journey! And that's what matters, right?(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love books that demonstrate frailty. Not desperation, or heartbreak…those are a dime a dozen, but true, genuine, all together skrewed-up-ed-ness. The truth of reality is that we are not all perfect, as a matter of fact we are all irrevocably flawed in one way or another. This is what makes us so damn interesting. We all have habits, quirks, rules that we live our lives by, knowingly or unknowingly…it’s just a fact of life. It is, (in short) our existence.

For Lo it numbers, and kleptomania.

“Pe...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Jodi Papazian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-reads

It took me awhile to get through this book. I never reached the point where I was so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. I was not able to form much of an interest in Lo, the main character, which is likely why the story dragged for me.
After Lo witnesses a crime, she becomes obsessed with the victim, Sapphire. Lo decides that she was meant to solve Sapphire's murder and risks her life (on a nightly basis) to gather clues. Hindering Lo's abilities is her severe OCD and her uncontrollable urg...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Stephanie D. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison has some very distinctive elements that appealed to me, chief of them an obsessive-compulsive/kleptomaniac protagonist, "Lo." Written from a first person POV, the parts where the narrative delves deep into Lo's obsessive rituals, worries, fears, and compulsions are the most impressive. Lo's condition is one that I haven't seen before in young adult so in this psychological aspect The Butterfly Clues stands out in a very crowded genre.

"Here's the thing: I don't...more The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison has some very distinctive elements that appealed to me, chief of them an obsessive-compulsive/kleptomaniac protagonist, "Lo." Written from a first person POV, the parts where the narrative delves deep into Lo's obsessive rituals, worries, fears, and compulsions are the most impressive. Lo's condition is one that I haven't seen before in young adult so in this psychological aspect The Butterfly Clues stands out in a very crowded genre.

"Here's the thing: I don't choose to take things. I have to. I've always had to do certain things, since the day I turned seven and began to insist that I wanted to stray six. I didn't know why, but seven felt off, somehow, made me feel like the world was tilting too much to one side. It wasn't so bad at first. Just little things--like the way the food looked on my plate, or needing to eat peas before chicken, or needing to put the left shoe on before the right. I started taking little things---a toothbrush or a candy bar from a store, discarded ticket stubs from the movie theater, stickers from the kids at school.

"But since Oren disappeared, it has gotten worse. A lot worse. Now, when the urge comes on, it's like this superhuman force that grips my body and won't let go until I have the thing I've spotted, the thing I need. And it's not the taking or the stealing I crave, it's the having and the keeping. Forever. With me. Safe."

When The Butterfly Clues begins, Lo is in the throes of her disorder. Although the narrative hints that her brother's, Oren's, disappearance over a year ago precipitated her condition into manifesting as full blown kleptomania and hoarding, the reader is kept in suspense as to what exactly happened. Only the aftermath is apparent: a stressed out, absent father; a heavily sedated mother; and Lo, a daughter left helpless and alone in the grip of her own demons. The exposition is subtly and expertly revealed, along with the parallel story of who killed Sapphire.

Mirroring Lo's free fall into her obsessive-compulsive ways is her descent into the underworld of drug addicts, runaways, thieves, and strip clubs called "Neverland." Ellison balances its allure, in the form of a free spirit, Flynt, with its dangers, such as Sapphire's murder. I was intrigued with Lo's exploration of Neverland and charmed by Flynt; however, I was frustrated by how Ellison depicted Lo's clumsy and unrealistic investigation of the murder, which involved posing (while underage) as a stripper in a nightclub, interrogating other strippers, finding evidence in plain view which the cops apparently did not locate. I knew who the killer was the moment he/she came on the scene.

As a mystery/thriller, The Butterfly Clues, was not very compelling; it fares better as a psychological portrait of a teenage girl trying to cope with tragedy while battling OCD.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 05, 2012 Kavanand rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sixteen-year-old Lo's family has fallen apart since the death of her brother a year earlier. Her father works all the time, her mother rarely leaves her bedroom, and Lo's obsessive compulsive disorder is threatening to overwhelm her. Her life is built around numeric rituals, like repeating things three times and tapping on her leg nine, nine, and then six times. She also hoards objects in her room and keeps everything arranged in a precise order. Through her obsessive collecting, she ends up wit...more Sixteen-year-old Lo's family has fallen apart since the death of her brother a year earlier. Her father works all the time, her mother rarely leaves her bedroom, and Lo's obsessive compulsive disorder is threatening to overwhelm her. Her life is built around numeric rituals, like repeating things three times and tapping on her leg nine, nine, and then six times. She also hoards objects in her room and keeps everything arranged in a precise order. Through her obsessive collecting, she ends up with some items that belonged to a young woman named Sapphire who was murdered in a rough neighborhood called Neverland. Lo becomes obsessed with the dead girl and with solving her murder. Her quest takes her into Neverland, putting her in grave danger and bringing her close to a mysterious street artist named Flynt.

The Butterfly Clues is a really interesting look at obsessive compulsive disorder. Lo is a fascinating heroine. She's had obsessive compulsive disorder since she was a young child, but in the past year, it's completely taken over her life. Her relationships with her parents have completely broken down, she has no friends, and her grief for her brother is overwhelming. Kate Ellison really brings this character to life. Some of the OCD parts are a bit hard to read, but it's also easy to understand why her disorder has taken over her life since she needs something she can control and these rituals bring her some comfort. Her relationship with Flynt becomes a bright spot in her life even as she struggles with whether she can really trust him.

I found the mystery a bit predictable, although this didn't bother me as it's Lo's journey that is the most interesting part of the story. There were some parts of the book that strained credulity. Lo continually puts herself in danger (for example, making multiple trips to the creepy strip club where Sapphire worked). But even though there were scenes that made me want to shake some sense into Lo, I also understood where she was coming from; she feels a connection to the dead girl, and her need to uncover the truth of Sapphire's death becomes a full-blown compulsion. There was a subplot involving some of Lo's fellow students that felt a bit tacked on and didn't add anything to the story. But these are minor complaints, and overall, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to fans of contemporary YA.

I received an ARC from Amazon Vine. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 29, 2011 Valen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Cover: The cover is amazing! I really love it and whoever designed it did a brilliant job! It also actually has something to do with the story itself. 5 out of 5!!

Teaser Quote: "I think you're being slightly paranoid." Graham exchanges a look with Pike . . . "Have you ever experienced delusions? Hallucinations of any kind?" She pauses, asks in a gentle sing-song voice of principals and priests. " Have you ever heard any voices?"

"No - no!" The words push forward, my fists pound the table. " I...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, realistic, mystery

Interesting book about a girl with OCD who becomes obsessed with solving the murder of a teenage exotic dancer whom she has never met, helped along the way by an eccentric artsy street boy named Flynt. The writing style wasn't my favorite, as it was kind of flowery and introspective and very repetitive-- each instance of OCD behavioral ritual that the main character, 17 year old Penelope (known as Lo) feels compelled to perform (such as tapping her thighs three times and saying "banana" EVERY ti...more Interesting book about a girl with OCD who becomes obsessed with solving the murder of a teenage exotic dancer whom she has never met, helped along the way by an eccentric artsy street boy named Flynt. The writing style wasn't my favorite, as it was kind of flowery and introspective and very repetitive-- each instance of OCD behavioral ritual that the main character, 17 year old Penelope (known as Lo) feels compelled to perform (such as tapping her thighs three times and saying "banana" EVERY time she is about to enter or exit a door), just made me cringe and feel so sorry for her. I also wondered about the setting: the book takes place in Cleveland and in Lakewood, which would normally make me cheer for another book set in my neck of the woods, but there were streets that sounded made-up to me--or like they were random stabs at a map from an outsider (Euclid is an Avenue, not a Street!)-- and an inner city neighborhood that everyone in the book calls "Neverland" but definitely is not a real Cleveland neighborhood nickname. Not to be too critical, but incorrect details like that just brought me out of the story and distracted me. Since the author lives in Brooklyn, I wondered why she didn't just set it there or in a fictitious city. She definitely conveyed the feel of a blighted urban landscape, though, and the colorful characters who inhabit it. (Maybe I'm just being picky for Cleveland realism like Jeannine Garsee shows in her books.) Meanwhile, the mystery is not too compelling, as we only have a couple of people who could be suspects. Dunno if a teen would figure it out as soon as I did, but a smart one might. The main focus however is on Lo's journey through her condition and how she tries to cope with it, while mourning the loss of her older brother, and the fact that her mother has medicated herself into a stupor and checked out of parental responsibility ever since the brother died. Her father's barely home and when he is, he doesn't understand her OCD at all and gets furious at her. There's some violence and language, I would recommend for 9th grade and up.(less)

like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, mystery-suspense, young-adult, contemporary

In this book, Penelope "Lo" Marin suffers from OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder. I think that many people have very mild cases of OCD, not as drastic as Lo's was, but still, they have some obsession with neatness in them. I know I do. You dont know how many times I've had to go back and change or even out something because of my mild OCD. This cover also is just great. I really like how it ties into the story and the title of to, since it's dealing with a murder case and the butterfly neckl...more In this book, Penelope "Lo" Marin suffers from OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder. I think that many people have very mild cases of OCD, not as drastic as Lo's was, but still, they have some obsession with neatness in them. I know I do. You dont know how many times I've had to go back and change or even out something because of my mild OCD. This cover also is just great. I really like how it ties into the story and the title of to, since it's dealing with a murder case and the butterfly necklace she's given that belongs to the victim that starts the chain of events. Lo sort of finds a new hobby after finding this necklace, and it's trying to figure out who killed this girl that she's never even met before. I couldn't believe that Lo would even do that, let alone keep going and trying harder after she's threatened and almost killed.

Lo's entire life here is dominated by this OCD, and not only does she has this disorder, she's also obsessed wih stealing and she's like a hoarder, keeping everything she steals. She stole a necklace from a vendor at the flea market which then got her into lots of trouble, but she also steals an umbrella. From an elderly woman. I found that a little sad, since Lo was willing to do that. The fact that Lo had OCD didn't bother me too much, only near the beginning, because while she always had to make things even and she liked to make things by intervals of three, she hated making things even by twos and fours and eights and so on. This seems like standard behavior, since it reminds me of me sometimes, when I have to have things evened out and I always start something over sometimes after being interrupted. But again, I'm pretty sure everybody suffers from a small amount of OCD.

This whole concept was really intriguing. Usually a main character might have some disorder, but they usually never have OCD. That's really hard to write about, and it can swerve a reader's interest. I didn't feel too disinterested, so congratulations to Kate for doing that, but I have to admit, I do think that the OCD got in the way at times. Lo always has this ritual where she goes tap tap tap banana before entering a door, and it got SOOOOOOO annoying! As you can see from my status updates below, the main thing I complain about is the tap tap tap banana bit. If I had to hear it one more time, I swear, I was hurling the book. I was just about ready to hurl this book. But, I think that Lo was a strong character, considering what she'd been through, after her brother's death and her parents' depression afterwards.

The huge thing that irked me and I still can't let go of it is the fact that Lo hates doing her "sequences," let's call them, by two, four, eight, and so on. Lo is basically paranoid that multiples of three are the safest, and I'm fine with Lo thinking that, since it comes with the territory of havine OCD. But in this one scene, where Flynt touchs her knees each twice, Lo doesn't freak out. Instead, she breathes a sigh of relief and goes, "Good. Even." Pages later, Lo is fighting with her dad and freaking out over how two is the worst of numbers. Maybe I read it wrong, but I can't let it go.

Let's talk the love interest. He had dreadlocks. And his street name was Flynt. His real name isn't revealed until the bitter end. But I thought he was a great match for Lo, and he kept her grounded. Lo never actually told Flynt about her OCD, but Flynt sort of pieced it together, and was really nice about it. Lo and Flynt went through a slightly rocky relationship before smoothing it all out, but it was what made it all the more interesting. I don't really like Flynt's image, though, because I always thought about him as more of a floppy-haired kind of guy, not a dreadlocks guy. But I could be wrong.

The secrets and tension building through this book, Flynt adding to some of it, was really great. It was enough to keep me edged at my seat, and I definitely think that the author did a great job with keepin a good mystery and suspense without making it really tacky like a Scooby Doo episode. I was kept guessing until the very end, and everything in this book was so well arranged that you never saw any of the plot twists coming until they actually came. And there were so many suspects of who murdered the girl in question. First, the bouncer at the club she worked at, then Flynt himself, then Lo's own brother, and then there was the true murderer, who may or may not have been in this list.

You'll just have to read this book and find out who killed the victim. I definitely liked it, except for a few problems, as mentioned in my review. and dont forget to read my Goodreads progress updates below. They're definitely something…(less)

like · see review

Feb 04, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Penelope (aka "Lo") enjoys collecting things, especially timeless items that others have thrown aside. She's developed a sort of OCD-like kleptomania due to her many moves across the country throughout her life -and things only got worse after her brother died. Then she finds the gorgeous butterfly pendant of a murdered girl at a local flea market and she finds herself pulled into the mystery of the girl's murder, which is strangely entwined with the death of her brother.

Butterfly Clues really h...more Penelope (aka "Lo") enjoys collecting things, especially timeless items that others have thrown aside. She's developed a sort of OCD-like kleptomania due to her many moves across the country throughout her life -and things only got worse after her brother died. Then she finds the gorgeous butterfly pendant of a murdered girl at a local flea market and she finds herself pulled into the mystery of the girl's murder, which is strangely entwined with the death of her brother.

Butterfly Clues really had its ups and downs for me. Some elements just really worked well for me, while others completely fell flat. First, the pacing here was really excellent. I felt like Ellison really kept the heat up for virtually the entire novel, which gave it a stronger sense of urgency that pulled me through the book. The mystery, though was, at times, really enthralling, but at other times, just didn't seem to make much sense -as if the author forgot where she was going or had to force things in so that the overall plot made sense.

Then, there was the writing style and the characters. For some, Ellison's writing style would seem overworked and unneeded, but I thought it worked well for this type of approach and really helped the reader to get into Lo's head and try to understand her character better. Which brings me to the character of Lo herself: because of her incredible OCD-ness, Lo is an incredibly difficult character for readers to connect and empathize with. Now, I did appreciate her more adult-oriented issues, and I understand that Ellison wanted to write so that it genuinely felt like it was coming from Lo's point of view, but at times it just drove me insane and made Lo just not feel human enough. And, I will say, after reading this book, I will probably never look at bananas the same way again.

Butterfly Clues is a tough one for me to recommend...or not recommend. I feel like there were some concepts here that had a lot of potential and could really go somewhere, but many of them just didn't. And many of the remaining elements, unfortunately, just fell flat. I would hope that some of these issues would be smoothed out in the final version of the book (note: I read an ARC), but who knows for sure. I will admit that I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, but I wasn't expecting much from it initially.(less)

like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 cubierocks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-am-disappoint, awesome-love-interest, girls-who-are-all-talk, meh, obvious-twists, should-not-have-judged-by-the-cover, the-start-was-the-only-good-thing, book-reviews, ticked-me-off, books-for-diane-belmont-to-read, books-for-rachel-smith-to-read

The Butterfly Clues was a big risk for me. I usually stick to Agatha Christie when it comes to mysteries, but I was a sucker for the interesting cover and description. I was really feeling this book, ya' know?

However, this risk did not pay off. Ultimately I found The Butterfly Clues slow, irritating, and somewhat predictable. Though, I have to give kudos to the author, who gave it a try.

Things I Like

Lo's got sort of a hoarding problem-though her instability is mentioned constantly in the book,...more

like · see review

Jul 07, 2012 Karen Maurer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book is a suspenseful murder mystery and an exploration of grief and the way people deal with it.

Penelope's story opens in Neverland, the seamy underside of Cleveland. You never thought of Cleveland as having seams, right? Penelope is looking for some last trace of her brother, and for pretty things to add to her vast collection of obsessively ordered keepsakes. And suddenly a shot bursts through a window right above Penelope's head. A girl, a young stripper, is the victim of that shooting....more

like · see review

title link	preview: The Butterfly Clues
avg rating	preview: The Butterfly Clues Goodreads rating: 3.62 (966 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12960439-the-butterfly-clues?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328321492l/12960439.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12960439-the-butterfly-clues?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison[/url]

The Butterfly Clues

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (12)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Kate Ellison

Books by Kate Ellison

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Butterfly Clues

Quotes from The Butterfly Clues