Title: Order in the Court (Survivors Club #2)
Author: Casey Lawrence
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (a division of Dreamspinner Press)
Publication date: August 4, 2016
Length: 164 pages
Corey Nguyen watched her three best friends fall victim to a killer, but it’s becoming clear her ordeal won’t end there. While trying to be a college student, have some kind of social life, and just be normal again, she learns the murderer is demanding a trial. He claims he’s innocent and was forced into confessing—which means Corey will have to testify to what she saw.
The idea of facing the killer in court worsens Corey’s anxiety and forces her to relive the horrifying events of that night. And just when she thinks things can’t get worse, she realizes her mother and the prosecuting attorney are probably more than friends. All Corey wants is to put the tragedy behind her, but it’s clear the end is not yet in sight.
Like its predecessor (Out of Order), the second book in the Survivors Club series relies on an unusual narrative timeline to tell the continuing story of Corey Ngyuen in the aftermath of the brutal murders of her best friends. As excited as I was to read more about Corey and the people around her, I was admittedly doubtful that a second book could keep pace with the first. Any misgivings I had were quickly laid to rest. The sequel is every bit as good as the original, and the variable timeline works equally well with the new story.
As before, Corey alternates between current events and past actions which led to the present day. The format works well because each snapshot is situated to give us pieces of the puzzle. There isn’t a murder mystery this time around, but there are some surprises for both Corey and readers. Reality is juxtaposed with Corey’s perceptions, keeping readers on their toes throughout.
In this installment, Corey is preparing for and testifying at the trial of her friends’ killer as the only witness. Meanwhile, she’s trying to navigate life as a college freshman and stay under the radar to keep from being found out as “murder girl.” She’s also maintaining friendships with the two boys who had emotional connections to her friends—hence “survivors club.”
Corey is an excellent narrator. She is imperfect, but it’s in her flaws that we are able to both relate to her and see how strong she is. One of my favorite parts of the book is when she attempts a new relationship and it sours on the first date. Corey calls her date on some bisexual-antagonistic behavior, but she does it in such a way that it’s almost impossible to find her any more likable than the other young woman. What I appreciate here is the balance; Corey has the right to defend herself, but she shows little compassion. Yet afterward, she realizes her method of handling the situation is a red flag. Her flaw becomes a turning point toward healing from trauma.
Similar to the first book, there is an underlying relationship arc which is hinted at from the beginning and explored through flashbacks. Its full potential isn’t actualized until the end, and while it isn’t necessarily surprising, it doesn’t feel like a cliché, either. In fact, there’s one particular scene which I may be the only person to pick up on and which I think merits further exploration. It’s such a small detail, but it’s an especially intimate moment. I would love to know if it means more than what it appears to be on the surface.
This time around, I was much more drawn in by the supporting cast. I suspect it’s because we are now seeing Corey move from being mired in the past toward creating a future. Her two new close friends are terrific, and both of them surprised me in multiple ways. At the same time, her relationships with her friends’ boyfriends provides an interesting dynamic.
Once again, this is a well-written piece of LGBTQ+ (emphasis on the B) literature. The themes are mature enough this is best suited for older youth, yet it remains age-appropriate in terms of content. It’s an excellent companion to the first novel. I have no idea if Ms. Lawrence plans to write more in the series, but if she does, guaranteed I’ll be reading and sharing.
For plot twists aplenty, superb writing, and an engaging hero, this gets 10/10 fountain pens.
Publisher: https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/order-in-the-court-by-casey-lawrence-397-b
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Order-Court-Survivors-Club-Book-ebook/dp/B01IYH8VYW/
Casey Lawrence is an undergraduate English Language and Literature student at Brock University minoring in French and German. The vice-president of the Gay-Straight Alliance and editor of the yearbook in high school, she now volunteers with the Brock English Students’ Association, Brock Faith & Life, Brock Pride, and, most notably, the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society. She lives at home with her mother, grandmother, and her adorable seven-pound Yorkie, Bindi, in Ontario, Canada, where her bedroom is packed wall-to-wall with books. She reads everything from classics to comic books, and is an insatiable consumer of all kinds of stories. From a small city in southern Ontario, she makes frequent trips to Toronto to go to ComicCon, the Pride parade, and to see her friends spin HHC. Casey enjoys dropping some sick rhymes at Poetry Slam, picking through used book stores, marathoning her favourite shows on Netflix, and speaking out against discrimination at her school and in the broader community.
