Quick Take - The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin is by far one of my favorite books of the year. Josh Berk makes the main character Will Halpin witty, observant, and just generally the type of guy who, were he not deaf, most of us would easily become friends with. Okay, so he's a little pudgy. And the deaf part, but that just makes Will all the more interesting, particularly when he and the friend he reluctantly made Devon Smiley decide to investigate the murder of one of their classmates. Everyone is a suspect in Will's world, at least all those present, but he's smart and knows how to narrow down the list. Because, really, he sees a lot more than he lets on.

Will's back story is all the more interesting because of problems at home. His father has been hiding something and, as it turns out, that something deeply impacts Will and Devon's investigation and leads Will directly to the killer. Along the way he and Devon manage to cause a little trouble and get in a little trouble, but it only makes the pair sound more adventurous.

Berk's writing of Will is obviously well researched and he makes Will relatable even though Berk himself is perfectly good of hearing. Will's deafness only adds another dimension to an already intriguing character and makes the ride of reading the book more fun. A must read book of the year in the Young Adult genre.