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Book review: 'The Perfect Stranger' is the perfect summer thriller
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Author Megan Miranda's new book "The Perfect Stranger." - photo by Herb Scribner
Despite its imperfections, you should get to know The Perfect Stranger this summer.

The new thriller from Megan Miranda, author of last years hit All the Missing Girls, tells the story of Leah Stephens, a former star reporter from Boston who relocates to work as a high school teacher in the western Pennsylvania backwoods with her longtime (and mysterious) friend Emmy.

Once Emmy disappears, Leah goes on a massive hunt to find her, involving herself in a romantic relationship with a police officer and questioning her sanity in the process.

The Perfect Stranger is a page-turner. Like similar books of the time The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, Mirandas novel follows an imperfect and often unreliable feminine hero through her murder mystery investigation.

Readers of this book should plan to ignore friends, family or anyone or anything that may get in the way of one more page, one more chapter. This is not a book that lingers; it quickly hurdles its readers to its thrilling final moments.

But Mirandas story doesnt always know what it wants to be.

At times, "Strangers" feels like a pseudo-sequel to Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train," where a female protagonist (Leah) can't figure out why someone might have killed the object of her infatuation (Emmy), just as Hawkins' character Rachel experiences in her novel.

At other times, the book comes off like an adult-influenced version of 13 Reasons Why. High school teen gossip influences the story's mystery, with some students withholding information or manipulating Leah.

And then at the conclusion, The Perfect Stranger teeters close to Dennis Lehane's 2003 best-seller Shutter Island, where Miranda appears to toy with a similar narrative risk involving insanity. Ultimately, Miranda plays it safe with the books final moments and she finishes the book without too many lingering questions.

Which is to say, the climax in "The Perfect Stranger" feels like a rushed decision. The plotting that takes readers to Miranda's conclusion is logical, sure, but by the final page, it is also fairly forgettable. It may be the perfect ending, but in an imperfect way too tidy, too complete.

Miranda's references intended or not to contemporary fiction and TV shows may cause readers to wonder where "The Perfect Stranger" fits among other similar works. But this complaint will be drowned out by the sound of pages swooshing by as readers clamor to get to the book's end. Mirandas descriptions, character development and story captivate in what can only be described as the beginning of a bright future for the young adult thriller author.

Content advisory: This book contains a handful of sex scenes between Leah and the police officer. Violence and mature language pepper the entire work. There's also reference to rape and sexual assault.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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