My Two Cents: HER CLASS NOW by Brad Ricks

I'm scheduled as an upcoming guest on The Night Crew podcast hosted by author Brad Ricks, and in preparation for this, I wanted to check out some of his work. I'm long overdue in doing so, and for that I apologize, because I've heard nothing but rave reviews for his Night Crew series (the third installment of which is coming out soon), as well as his popular Christmas horror story, "To Hell With Hallmark" (quite possibly one of the best titles EVER).

When I checked him out on Amazon, I found a story I hadn't heard of: "Her Class Now." It's a short one, but the illustrated cover grabbed my attention immediately, as did the premise. Sold!

In "Her Class Now," studious fifth-grader Joey Scott has the misfortune of being in the "bad" class, where most of his fellow students are loud, obnoxious, and always into trouble. He isn't happy about it, but accepts this as his lot in life, at least until one day when the class is told their regular teacher will be out for the rest of the year. The replacement, a withered crone named Ms. Dalloway is strictly no nonsense, and she quickly proves she'll tolerate none of the shenanigans Joey's classmates are used to getting away with. It doesn't take long for the atmosphere in the class to change, with once-rowdy students suddenly displaying exemplary manners and uncharacteristic attentiveness to their coursework. As miraculous as it seems, Joey and his classmate Brooklyn Miller suspect there's something more sinister at play. Something is changing the kids in Ms. Dalloway's fifth-grade class, and despite outward appearances, it's not for the better.

This is a fun, fast-paced read, with shades of the movie Weapons, only told from the child's perspective. Joey is an earnest and likable boy, one the reader immediately identifies with, and with whose plight we empathize. Ricks does a terrific job building suspense as Joey and Brooklyn work together to solve the mystery of Ms. Dalloway's uncanny effects on their friends. And just when you think they've found the answers, Ricks surprises with a clever twist at the very end that you'll never see coming. Well done, and highly recommended!

"Her Class Now" is available here.