Looking for JJ is a cleverly-written book by Anne Cassidy, very emotionally moving. It is about a girl called Alice Tully, a teenager who has everything she could ever want, a loving boyfriend, a decent job and very good friends, but she can’t forget what happened at Berwick Waters six years ago …She had killed Michelle, who was a girl of the same age as her and her best friend. That was when she was Jennifer Jones.

 

Having been released from prison she is given a new identity, and life is perfect for her. Then things start going wrong: will the press ever leave Alice Tully alone? Will she ever live a normal life? Read this exciting and thrilling book to find out!

 

The thing I like most about Looking for JJ is the clever and interesting plot. It weaves in and out of Alice’s life and really makes you feel sympathy for her. Also I really like the ending because it has a surprise twist to it.

 

Although I thoroughly enjoyed it, I don’t recommend it to younger readers, as they will probably not understand the plot.

 

Here is an extract from Looking for JJ:

 

Silence filled up the air and Jennifer stood uncertainly, blinking back the tears, looking around at the trees and the water and the rocks. She saw the cat then, creeping out of the bushes, standing for a moment over the empty tin box. A wild cat. Its bones shining through its thin coat, like a skeleton in the sunlight, raising a single paw and licking it with relish. It was a witness. It had seen everything.

 

This is a brilliant book and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 12, who enjoys reading books. In my opinion this is probably the second- best book out of the six shortlisted for the Carnegie award. I still think The Star of Kazan is better.

 

I rate this book 8.5 out of ten.