The Dead Kids Club

I love when a book stops me in my tracks and makes me think about the hypothetical “what ifs.” What would I do if someone murdered my child? How would I feel if it was an accident? What if it was due to negligence? What if that person faced no consequences? Hosek quite skillfully led me straight into confronting the ambiguous gray area of justice versus revenge. I repeatedly asked myself, and even others, where does justice end and revenge begin? I even went so far as to read essays on the topic, in which others attempted to draw clear distinctions between the two. I would argue that it’s not as straightforward as one might think. If you doubt this, then read The Dead Kids Club.

As I read, one thought kept returning…”This would make such a good TV series!” The plot moves quickly but is still fleshed out with appropriate detail and narrative. The dialogue is believable and authentic to the characters and situations. And I never really felt like I knew what was coming next. I thought of each chapter as a “scene,” and I could almost hear the director yelling, “Action!” I discovered Hosek’s past career as a TV writer only after reading his biography. Suddenly, it all made sense. I understood why this book could easily be translated into film or television.