How mind-numbing and scary would it be if you had the ability to look into someone’s eyes and be able to tell exactly when they are going to die? That’s exactly the dilemma in which Leo finds himself in Michael J. Bowlers’ I Know When You’re Going To Die. Leo is a well to do boy from California who goes to one of the best schools around. Helping out at the rescue mission, he meets a strange elderly man one day who tells Leo that he’s the one. Grabbing Leo’s hand, this mystery man passes on a unique gift to Leo so he can finally die in peace. This gift is knowing when a person is going to die. Believing Leo, J.C., Leo’s best friend, tries to test the theory. They test his abilities with a few people, only to be proven that Leo’s visions were correct. J.C. warns him about meddling in fate when he desperately wants to help or warn the unfortunate people about to meet their maker. An honest accident puts a damper on his curiosity when Leo looks into J.C.’s eyes and is horrified to find out he will be murdered next Friday. With the clock ticking, Leo and J.C, as well as their new friend, Laura, begin to investigate who would want J.C. Rivera dead.

This was such a fun book despite the terrible things that happened to the characters. Michael J. Bowler has done a magnificent job of creating the perfect murder mystery. I really enjoyed Leo’s character and reading the novel through his eyes gives you an in-depth view of his mindset and why he stood apart from the others. What I found amusing were the few Batman mentions mainly because I picture Leo as a young Bruce Wayne. I Know When You’re Going To Die has definitely caught my attention as it is the first horror/crime novel that I have read and loved in quite some time. Perfect characters and plot. I am eager to read more of Bowler's fantasy crime stories as well as referring this book to my friends.

What do you do when you know for certain your friend will be murdered? I Know When You're Going To Die by Michael J Bowler is a young adult thriller with powerful hints of the paranormal. A very shy boy, Leonardo Cantrell, avoids making eye contact with anyone. But when the sixteen-year-old boy makes eye contact with an old man while volunteering at a homeless shelter, he receives the power to see death. This should be a cool gift except that it leads Leonardo to learn the destiny of his only friend, J.C. Rivera. J.C. will be murdered in less than two weeks. Now they must uncover and trap the murderer. The only problem is that things don't work out as planned.

This is a powerful story with a very strong premise and Michael J Bowler does an impeccable job in capturing the interest of the reader. I wanted to know what will happen to Leonardo's friend. The characters are well-explored and they inspire sympathy in readers. The friendship between the two boys grows stronger from day to day as they seek clues to identify the murderer and Laura, the new girl in school, helps in beefing up the plot and deepening themes. Friendship, death, and murder are themes that are beautifully developed. Each chapter is well crafted with an ending that forces the reader to turn to the next page. I Know When You're Going To Die is deftly written, suspenseful, and featuring characters that are easy to root for; a very engaging and delightful read.