Death of a Kleptomaniac by Kristen Tracy

At sixteen, Molly is a girl who’s just started living—at last she’s popular. But for a girl who has everything, Molly feels like she never has enough. So she steals. At least there’s plenty of time to fix this last little problem.
Except Fate has other plans for Molly. Like death.
Suddenly dead and in denial, how can Molly move on when life was just looking up? Can she abandon her earthly ties or will she jeopardize her soul to stay close to her loved ones?
From critically acclaimed author Kristen Tracy, Death of a Kleptomaniac is the heartfelt story of one girl’s search for redemption, a family’s encounter with grief, and love’s power to rise above even the most final of boundaries.

Goodreads Summary


Molly is a teen in her prime until an accident takes her life.  One might think that someone so young can't have any serious regrets, but Molly has a few secrets.  She has stolen many, many items over the years from strangers, friends, and family.  She must visit those who grieve for her and look deep inside to discover just why she is a kleptomaniac and how she ended up where she is.  She might have been a relatively popular girl in life, but she isn't that happy when she dies. 

Molly's character is very self-centered and acts as if her head is full of fluff in the first couple of chapters.  Her character gains substance later on in the novel.  It's hard to describe how the author portrays visiting grieving relatives and friends, but it is very realistic.  Even the grieving process is realistic, Molly doesn't even know she died at first.  The other characters have a sort of depth to them.  The reader only experiences them through Molly's eyes, but they offer insight into how people may react to one's own untimely demise. 

The plot isn't the most original, but Kristen Tracy portrays an interesting opinion and look at kleptomania.  Something happens that may result in the loss of Molly's eternal soul, or something to that effect, that is interesting, but almost doesn't feel like it fits into the plot.  Overall, this book is worth a read and Molly is a different protagonist than the typical ones.  Death of a Kleptomaniac is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

3 1/2 Stars

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