M.I.N.D.: Mental Invasive Neurological Disorder

A high school sophomore gains the inexplicable ability to "jump" into other people's bodies, which comes in handy as she attempts to solve a crime in her Connecticut hometown. When Cassie Stewart was 10, her father drowned in a boating accident and she developed epilepsy. Though she hasn't had an episode in two years, her mother is overprotective to the point of smothering. Then Cassie almost dies%E2%80%94again%E2%80%94when her school bus crashes, putting her former best friend Amanda into a coma. After the crash, Cassie starts having out-of-body experiences%E2%80%94a clever narrative trick to help Cassie gain otherwise inaccessible information, but newcomer Harris rarely uses Cassie's gift for much more than cheap thrills (as when Cassie jumps into the body of a skydiver whose parachute doesn't open). When Cassie becomes obsessed with piecing together a hit-and-run accident that might have connections to Amanda, her attempts to play detective feel at odds with the somewhat meek protagonist Harris has drawn. Inconsistent characters, a tired trope that sees a mental condition as a source of paranormal power, and a lackluster whodunit make for a disappointing read. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (Oct.)