THE HAPPY PLACE

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Happy Place

Every night, Joey asked his mother to read The Happy Place as he fell asleep at night. Little did he know that his favorite childhood book may be the one thing that could stop a killer. The lives of everyone in Pine Acres, Connecticut are about to change as a serial killer stalks the night. He seeks entrance into a land where happiness is eternal to gain his revenge. And he will murder anyone who stands in his way. It's up to Joey and his friends to stop the killer before it's too late. But they cannot use hate or violence. To do so would ruin everything and help the killer in his revenge.

The Happy Place is a solid mystery novel, with fantastical twists and turns that heighten the reading experience. It explores positive and negative emotions, and the effects they have on a person's life. You'll enter a world where emotions have power. Seeing the physical manifestations of hate and anger brings to light the impact these emotions can have on those that surround you. It's not just yourself you hurt when you're negative. Readers will also see how happiness can wash away sorrow and help heal a person's soul.

The only downfall I found was the amount of filler when Joey finds the other world. There are quite a few chapters of exposition where everything is laid out and explained. This was a lot of information to take in at one time and would have been better shown in small chunks to allow the reader time to understand each piece. To have Joey explore the land and see things for himself would have been much more interesting to the reader.

But aside from the filler, The Happy Place is full of mystery and adventure. And don't be surprised if you find yourself snickering at a few of the one-liners Joey's friends come up with. I recommend this to readers who enjoy mystery novels with a hint of fantasy.