Bayou Dogs: The Haunting of Derek Stone Book II

by: Tony Abbott

Published by: Scholastic (March 2009)

Reviewed by Stephanie Boyd

Derek Stone and his brother Ronny–or Ronny’s body with the spirit of Virgil Black inhabiting it–are trying to stop the invasion of the dead that began with the train wreck Derek and his family were involved in. Most of the dead who have come back are not good spirits but an army of evil set on taking over the world. These evil dead are chasing Derek, wanting something he knows or possesses, and they seem determined to add his body to their army. Is the answer at Bayou Malpierre, the place where Derek almost drowned as a four-year-old?

Bayou Dogs is the second book of The Haunting of Derek Stone series by Tony Abbott. This series is written for nine- to thirteen-year-olds and that age seems appropriate if the child likes to read scary stories. This is a series that needs to be read in order as the story is building from book to book. I recommend you start with City of the Dead, the first title in this series if you haven’t already read it.

This book picks up where the first book left off with Derek and Ronny/Virgil running from the dead and heading to Bayou Malpierre to hopefully find some answers and meet up with their dad. The dad reappeared in the story at the end of the first book and told them to meet him at a place only they would know about–so the man appears to be their dad in the body– but with all the dead taking over the bodies from the train wreck–the reader is not certain.

Once again the evil dead have their own plan and seem to know exactly how to find Derek. Derek will have to be quick and smart to avoid being killed. Bayou Dogs does not come to a conclusive end and the reader will have to read the third book to find out what happens next.

This is not a series for the faint-hearted; this is a series for kids who love horror and cliff hanger endings!

Armchair Interviews says: Heed this reviewers age-appropriate and scare level comments.

Author’s Web site: http://www.TonyAbbottBooks.com