Darkest Hour (The Mediator) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jenny Carroll (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mediator | Publication Date: December 1, 2001

Summer of Terror

It's Suze's sixteenth summer, but instead of spending it at the beach, she's trapped working as a baby-sitter at a swanky resort. Never mind that one of her charges turns out to be a budding mediator himself, or that his older brother has major boyfriend potential. Suze has way more important things to deal with, like the discovery of a grave in her own backyard.

Does it belong to Jesse, the hot cowboy ghost with whom she shares a bedroom? Is that why he's suddenly nowhere to be found? Or is Jesse's disappearance due to something much more nefarious...even diabolic? Suze is as determined to find Jesse as she is to avenge his murder...even if she must risk certain death herself.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grades 7-10--The fourth installment in this series finds Suze spending her summer baby-sitting at the Pebble Beach Hotel and Golf Resort in California. Her stepbrother and stepfather discover a skeleton while digging a hole in their backyard. Suze is a typical 16-year-old-except that she can see and communicate with ghosts. Her troubles include tending to a shy baby-sitting charge; wondering if she can possibly feel "the L word" for Jesse, the hot 150-year-old ghost that shares her bedroom; and having the ghost of Jesse's fianc‚e hold a knife to her throat. Carroll's creative storytelling ability is proven in a dramatic exorcism scene and in an encounter with a purgatory guard who is a Russell Crowe look-alike. Although almost every male in this book is a "hottie" and coincidences abound (her baby-sitting charge is a mediator, as is her high school principal, Father Dominic), the plot development is steady and, if not always believable, it is satisfying. Readers familiar with this series will love the evolving romance with Jesse and solving the identity of the skeleton and the murderer. Despite occasional copyediting mistakes, this entertaining read will thrill fans of R. L. Stine's "Fear Street" series and the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" books (both Archway).
Debbie Stewart, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to her adult contemporary fiction, she is the author of the bestselling young adult fiction series The Princess Diaries. She lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671788477
• ISBN-13: 978-0671788476
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,609,874 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very important book in the series, November 27, 2001

By 

Nancy E. "Nancy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darkest Hour (The Mediator) (Mass Market Paperback)

(...)Suze, a 16-year-old Mediator, is looking foreward to a summer of fun in the sun. Unfortunatly for her both her step father and a couple of ghosts have other plans for her. Her stepfather has made her sign up for a summer job, babysitting kids at a rich country club. Suze hates it, considering the kid she usually sits has something against ever leaving the house or moving away from the TV screen. She's shocked when she finds out the same kid she's babysitting is a mediator, an a very scared one at that. Her other problem arises when the ghost of her not so alive roomate Jesse (who she is secretly obsessed over) ex-fiance, Maria, wakes her up with a knife with threats. Suze finds her self thrown into a strange mystery that took place over 150 years ago. She soon realizes that in solving this mystery she may lose someone she cares about very much, Jesse.

I was shocked with this book. Once again Jenny Carroll manages to mingle humor with horror and mystery to create a great book that's even better than the last! Darkest Hour is a very important book in the series that I reccomend to any fans of the series. It's the best so far. I can't wait till Jenny writes another tale of Suze. The ending is quite a cliffhanger. Have fun!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We find out about Jesse!, May 14, 2005

By 

hiphopgirl_1000 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darkest Hour (The Mediator, Book 4) (Paperback)

It's Suze's sixteen summer---her first in sunny California---but instead of relaxing and getting a tan, she's stuck working as a baby-sister at a hotel resort, not to mention the boy she is babysitting, Jack, turns out to be a young, budding mediator and that his older brother Paul does have some boyfriend potential. Things start going from okay to bad when Suze is awakened by Maria de Silva---the ex-finacee of the 150 year old hot ghost that shares Suze's bedroom, Jesse---with a knife to Suze's neck, telling Suze to stop her stepdad, Andy, from digging up Jesse's body from her own backyard. Suze has a good idea that when the body of Jesse is discovered she might lose him forever, but she isn't about to help Maria de Silva. Suze knows, however, Maria de Silva will do anything to stop the digging, even if it does mean killing Suze. As Suze digs deeper into the mystery surprising things happen in a world that Suze can't control, but even though helping Jesse might risk certain death onto herself, Suze is ready for the challenge.

Wow! What can I say? The best Mediator book yet with revelations at every corner that are more shocking that before. This is definitely a pivatol book in the series and a turning point. The cliffhanger ending makes you want the next book, Haunted, like crazy.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here he is.... Paul, August 12, 2004

By 

Megan E. McLaughlin (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Darkest Hour (The Mediator) (Mass Market Paperback)

Ahhhhh, the introduction of Paul. Calling all Mediator fans who have only read Haunted because they did not know there were other books in the series (made the same mistake myself no worries) this is EXTREMELY important to read and will explain questions about Paul brought up in Haunted. Definitely for all Suze/Jesse fans or fans of the series. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series the order goes:
1.Shadowland 2.Ninth Key 3.Reunion 4.Darkest Hour 5.Haunted
Unless you buy them used you cant get any of the books except for Haunted until December when they will be re-released under Meg Cabots name instead of her Pen name, Jenny Carrol. Enjoy!!