Title: The Color of Bee Larkham’s Murder
Author: Sarah J Harris
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

[Synopsis]

Whatever happens, don’t tell anyone what you did to Bee Larkham…

Jasper is not ordinary.
In fact, he would say he is extraordinary…

Synaesthesia paints the sounds of his world in a kaleidoscope of colours that no one else can see. But on Friday, he discovered a new colour – the colour of murder.

He’s sure something has happened to his neighbour, Bee Larkham, but no-one else seems to be taking it as seriously as they should be. The knife and the screams are all mixed up in his head and he’s scared that he can’t quite remember anything clearly.

But where is Bee? Why hasn’t she come home yet? Jasper must uncover the truth about that night – including his own role in what happened…

[My Review]

This is a charming, unique story about Jasper, a boy with synesthesia – so he can can ‘see’ colours from sounds. It’s not a condition that I have any prior knowledge of so this made for interesting reading.

Jasper is a frustrating character in many ways, especially as the novel is narrated by him throughout – there are many points where you know you’re not getting the full picture but it’s just because Jasper doesn’t understand himself. You want to reach into the novel and ask the ‘grown ups’ what’s really happened, because they see things not necessarily in a more ‘truthful’ way, but in a way that most of us, as readers, can better understand.

I love the crime element to the novel – that kept me reading on when I might have got a little bored otherwise. I did really enjoy the story, but I felt it was a little long at some points. Wanting to find out what had really happened to Bee Larkham, and how they’d all got to the point they were at, was what kept me interested.

Most other reviews have raved about this book and, though I did enjoy it, I wasn’t blown away – however I can really appreciate the amazing writing of Sarah J Harris; it’s a beautifully written novel and definitely a unique premise too.

[Rating: 3/5]

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.

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