Murray, a loner who communes with the dead in the town cemetery, hears the voice of a murdered cheerleader and tries to convince the adults that he knows what happened to her. But who beleives him? He's  a loser. Can he even beleive in himself? Also comes Pearl, the daughter of the cemetery caretaker, who befriends Murray and tries to enter his world. Together they may prove the astonishing possibility that Nikki is closer than anyone thinks.

"This superb debut novel concerns two very different individuals trying to discover the fate of a high school cheerleader who disappeared from a small California town. When Nikki vanishes without a trace, her disappearance devastates the community. In brief, compulsively readable chapters, the author shifts the perspective among various interested parties. Murray, a loner in high school who quietly converses with the spirits of dead children and adolescents in the local cemetery, hears a new voice pleading for help, and wonders whether it could be Nikki. Deputy sheriff Gates thinks that a troubled 22-year-old who has come through social services may know more than anyone suspects. Throughout this suspenseful book, Murray and Gates work separately to discover Nikki's fate, confronting some of their own demons in the process. As the author traces their encounters with a wide variety of people, each of whom brings them a little closer to discovering the girl's fate, he also demonstrates how each exchange alters not only Murray and Gates but those with whom they are in contact. Even the people in supporting roles are extremely well developed, especially the cemetery caretaker and his daughter, both of whom play crucial roles in Murray's maturation. Readers will find themselves rooting for these characters. The unexpected twist at the end may well take readers aback, but will leave them with the impression that the community will recover — and serves as a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Ages 12-up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"A page-turning mystery with plenty of likely characters to point to as the killer." Children's Literature

"Although the premise is interesting, the writing is not sophisticated enough to handle the subject matter. The language would be suitable for young middle schoolers if only it was not talking about rape, drug addiction, alcoholism, and murder." VOYA

"This will be an easy sell to mystery readers, and will have lots of appeal to those familiar with that genre only through television or movies." School Library Journal

"Though the story ends in an unusual and slightly awkward fashion, the realistic complexities explored are ripe for discussion." Kirkus Reviews

"Dead Connection is a smart, funny, very clever page turner; unique and fun to read. As much as I wanted the mystery solved, I didn't want it to end. You're going to like this book." Chris Crutcher

Murray is a loner who talks to the dead and comforts them in their lonely graves. When Nikki, a murdered cheerleader, asks for help, Murray and Pearl, the daughter of the cemetery caretaker, try to prove that Nikki is closer than anyone thinks.