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Harum Scarum (2008)

by Felicity Young

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822,144,902 (4.75)1
When the body of 11-year-old Bianca Webster is found dumped it is soon clear to DS Stevie Hooper that the murder is connected to paedophile Internet site, the Dream Team. Another murder leads her to suspect that she might have a vigilante on her hands. Cyber Technology spins at the heart of this thriller; Katy Enigma, Lolita, Harum Scarum; just who or what lies beneath these Internet nicknames? Stevie Hooper finds herself racing against time to discover the identities before another child is taken.… (more)
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Opening Sentence: '...Night...'

Another great story from Felicity Young the second in her DS Stephanie (Stevie) Hooper series set in Perth, Western Australia. The first was AN EASEFUL DEATH. You do not need to have read the first to understand the intricacy's of the relationships, there is enough background info given here for understanding without spoiling.

Stevie Hooper is now in charge of the Cyber Predator Team , part of the Sex Crimes unit. The team's job is to track down paedophiles who stalk children in internet chat rooms and visit local schools talking to children about cyber safety. It is very hard for Stevie and her team to do their arrests within the guidelines of the law, when emotions take over in the heat of the moment she doesn't want anything to happen that would cause the case against the subjects of their investigations to be thrown out of court. Her best friend, Tasha, is having a particular problem and is walking very close to the line.

Stevie's boyfriend, Monty McGuire, heads up Perth's Serious Crime Squad, is investigating the discovery of a floating body in the Swan River which is difficult to identify as the face is mutilated and the fingertips have been severed. The two manage to keep their working life separate - but the disappearance of an 11 year old girl, and the eventual discovery of her body, brings Monty and Stevie together into a joint operation directed by Monty. It soon becomes apparent that this death could be linked to the internet, and to the body in the river.

This is a very, very good story with credible characters. I was shocked at the identity of Harum Scarum and how chilling this character actually is. Can't reveal more than this - you will have to read the book to understand what I mean.

I loved the way that Felicity Young highlights one of the major parenting issues of today - the way that children use internet chat rooms, and how vulnerable they are in this arena. She also cleverly melds this with the long existing problem of child abuse. This combination of the threat to children from paedophiles, as well as that of neglect from their own parents, reveals the way that children are growing up and complicates the risks that they are exposed to. ( )
  sally906 | May 29, 2009 |
The body of the floater in the Swan River doesn't have a lot to identify it- ­ the face is mutilated, the fingertips gone - ­ but Monty McGuire, head of Perth's Serious Crime Squad is pretty sure his team is well on the way to identifying it.

D.S. Stevie Hooper and lifelong friend Tash are now both members of the Cyber Predator Team, charged with tracking down paedophiles who stalk children in internet chat rooms. Part of their job also is to visit schools talking to children about cyber safety. Stevie heads the team but there are times when she finds Tash, an impulsive risk taker, hard to manage.

The disappearance of an 11 year old girl, and the eventual finding of her body in a dumpster, brings Monty and Stevie, already lovers and parents of six year old Izzy, together into a joint operation directed by Monty.

There's a lot to like about this book apart from the fact that it is well crafted and Felicity Young is a more than accomplished writer. It explores themes that are issues for many parents in the western world ­ the way children use internet chat rooms and cyber technology in general; the threat to children from paedophiles; and effects of a society in which most parents work, on the way their children are growing up and the risks they are exposed to.

HARUM SCARUM further develops the relationship between Monty and Stevie, following on from AN EASEFUL DEATH, the first in the Stevie Hooper series. As with both her earlier novels Young clearly locates her story within a West Australian landscape.

I found HARUM SCARUM an enjoyable read with considerable credibility. The glossary of internet slang provided at the beginning was useful in interpreting the chat room conversations. Perhaps some of the threads of the novel finally converged a little too coincidentally, some problems were resolved a little too easily, but this is fiction, and you can do things here that may not happen in real life. The book seems to close a chapter in Stevie's life and I'm ready for the next to open.

HARUM SCARUM is Felicity Young's third published novel in 4 years and the second Stevie Hooper novel. AN EASEFUL DEATH, the first Stevie Hooper novel, was published in 2007. Young’s website is at http://www.felicityyoung.com/.

HARUM SCARUM is available through Fremantle Press: http://www.fremantlepress.com.au/ ( )
  smik |
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When the body of 11-year-old Bianca Webster is found dumped it is soon clear to DS Stevie Hooper that the murder is connected to paedophile Internet site, the Dream Team. Another murder leads her to suspect that she might have a vigilante on her hands. Cyber Technology spins at the heart of this thriller; Katy Enigma, Lolita, Harum Scarum; just who or what lies beneath these Internet nicknames? Stevie Hooper finds herself racing against time to discover the identities before another child is taken.

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Penguin Australia

An edition of this book was published by Penguin Australia.

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