Jinxed

In this trilogy opener, a ruthless killer stalks the students of an elite performing arts school on a secluded island and ties each of their murders to a superstition. Layna Curtis, a scholarship student who never knew her parents, is at the heart of the deaths, as the killer picks off her friends one by one in increasingly gruesome ways. When Layna discovers that the events might be tied to the mystery surrounding her long-dead mother, she realizes that she's the final, ultimate target, and she must do whatever it takes to stay alive. Hutson, who's written extensively on films such as Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, creates a gore-filled, coincidence-heavy throwback to the classic teen slasher flick genre. A "gotcha!" ending sets things up for the next installment. Graphically detailed descriptions of people burning to death or being hacked to pieces make it clear that this work of horror isn't for the faint of heart. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Mar.)