“Sometimes, the hardest part of moving on isn't letting go, but realizing you don't have to.”
— Sarah reflects on her past relationship with Mark and the lingering feelings during the reunion.
Archivist's Choice
Reunion
Jenny Carroll (2001)
Genre
Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
289 min
Key Themes
See below
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A teenage medium protects her classmate from four vengeful ghosts, only to learn their 'accident' was murder and the killer is still active.
Synopsis
Susannah Simon, a teenage 'mediator' who sees and talks to the dead, gets involved in a dangerous mystery when four angry ghosts, the RLS Angels, target her classmate, Michael. The Angels, who died in a car crash, think Michael caused their deaths and want to drag him to the afterlife. Suze must protect Michael from their attacks while also wondering if he is truly innocent. As Suze investigates, she uncovers a shocking truth: the Angels' crash was murder. The killer, Tad Beaumont, is still alive and will eliminate anyone who gets too close to the truth, including Suze and Michael. Suze must convince the Angels of Tad's guilt and help them get revenge, making sure Tad faces justice, even if it is supernatural. Afterward, Suze and Michael deal with their connections to the ghost world and how their experience changed them.
Reading time
289 min
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Fast
Mood
Suspenseful, Romantic, Mysterious, Supernatural
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy supernatural mysteries with a strong romantic subplot and a determined female protagonist.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer your ghost stories to be purely horror or dislike love triangles and high school drama.
Plot Summary
The Haunted Classroom
Susannah Simon, a high school junior and a 'mediator' who sees and talks to ghosts, is new to Carmel, California. On her first day at school, she immediately senses a strong ghost presence. She soon meets four teenage ghosts—Maria, Janelle, Kelly, and Penny—who call themselves the RLS Angels, after their school, Robert Louis Stevenson High. They focus intensely on a living student, Michael Meducci, blaming him for their deaths in a car accident. The Angels tell Suze they plan to get revenge on Michael, and Suze, despite not wanting to get involved in other ghosts' unfinished business, feels compelled to protect him.
Initial Attacks and Growing Concern
The RLS Angels quickly try to harm Michael. Their first attacks are subtle but dangerous, like making objects fall or creating tripping hazards. Suze intervenes repeatedly, using her abilities to block their attempts or warn Michael, who does not know about the ghost threats. During these interventions, Suze learns more about the Angels' personalities and their collective sadness and anger. She also starts to feel a connection to their sense of injustice, even as she tries to understand their actions and stay detached, which becomes harder.
Michael's Past and the Accident
Needing to understand the Angels' pursuit of Michael, Suze starts investigating the car accident that killed them three years earlier. She learns that Michael Meducci was indeed the driver that night. Public records and local rumors describe a tragic drunk driving accident, with Michael as the only survivor. The Angels tell Suze their version of events, highlighting Michael's reckless driving and their belief that he caused their deaths. Suze, however, finds inconsistencies in their story, especially regarding Michael's reaction and trauma.
Jesse's Introduction and Skepticism
While dealing with her new school and the ghost drama, Suze meets Jesse, a handsome and mysterious student who also sees ghosts. Jesse is a more experienced mediator and gives Suze advice, though his approach is often cynical. He first dismisses the RLS Angels' claims, suggesting ghosts often twist the truth or hold grudges based on incomplete information. His skepticism challenges Suze's initial acceptance of the Angels' story and encourages her to look beyond appearances, pushing her to investigate the accident's true events.
Escalating Threats and Michael's Vulnerability
As Suze continues her investigation, the RLS Angels grow impatient. Their attempts on Michael's life become more aggressive. They try to push him down stairs, cause him to swerve while driving, and even try to drown him. Suze is constantly alert, physically putting herself between Michael and the unseen forces. These interventions wear her down, physically and emotionally. Michael, unaware of the true nature of his near-misses, becomes more isolated and withdrawn, thinking he is having extreme bad luck or paranoia.
Uncovering the Truth About the Accident
Through her own detective work, talks with the Angels, and subtle clues from Michael, Suze uncovers a key piece of information. She learns that Michael was not driving drunk and that someone else tampered with his car. The Angels themselves, in their clouded memories and anger, had missed or misunderstood important details. Suze realizes the accident was not Michael's fault, but a deliberate act of sabotage. This changes her view completely, making the Angels' pursuit of Michael a tragic misunderstanding instead of justified revenge.
The Real Culprit Revealed: Tad Beaumont
Following the car sabotage trail, Suze's investigation leads her to Tad Beaumont, a seemingly charming but manipulative student. Tad had a history with one of the Angels, Maria, and strongly disliked Michael. Suze discovers that Tad, in a fit of jealousy and anger, tampered with Michael's car that night, intending to harm Michael but accidentally causing the deaths of all four girls. This discovery shocks Suze and the Angels, who now realize they have been targeting the wrong person for years.
Confronting Tad and Convincing the Angels
With the truth, Suze confronts Tad Beaumont. He first denies everything, but Suze's firm belief and the spectral presence of the Angels, now aware of his betrayal, start to break his facade. Suze also has the hard task of convincing the RLS Angels that Michael is innocent and Tad is their real killer. This is a difficult conversation, as their grief and anger have been aimed at Michael for so long. However, the clear evidence Suze presents, along with their own fragmented memories, eventually sways them, and their focus shifts to Tad.
The Angels' Revenge and Tad's Fate
With their anger redirected and purpose clear, the RLS Angels, led by Maria's fierce determination, get their revenge on Tad Beaumont. They haunt him constantly, causing terrifying experiences that mimic the fear and chaos of their own deaths. The Angels do not physically kill him, but they drive him to his limit, revealing his guilt and forcing him to confess or break down. Ultimately, Tad faces justice, either through his confession or the strong evidence Suze gathered, finally bringing peace to the Angels.
Aftermath and Lingering Connections
With Tad Beaumont exposed and facing consequences, the RLS Angels finally find peace. Their unfinished business is resolved, and they can move on. Suze, tired but relieved, thinks about the ordeal. Michael Meducci, though still unaware of the ghost intervention, slowly starts to recover from his years of trauma and isolation, sensing a change in his luck. Suze and Michael share a moment of quiet understanding, a bond formed through the unspoken dangers they faced. Suze, however, continues her life as a mediator, always connected to the ghost world.
Principal Figures
Susannah 'Suze' Simon
The Protagonist
Suze learns to trust her instincts and use her abilities to uncover a complex truth, moving from reluctant involvement to active justice-seeker.
Michael Meducci
The Supporting
Michael moves from a state of haunted isolation and perceived guilt to a gradual healing, thanks to Suze's intervention.
Maria
The Supporting
Maria's anger slowly shifts from Michael to the true culprit, leading her to find peace.
Jesse
The Supporting
Jesse remains largely consistent, serving as a foil and occasional guide for Suze, but his interactions hint at a deeper, more empathetic side.
Tad Beaumont
The Antagonist
Tad's seemingly perfect facade crumbles as Suze uncovers his dark secret, leading to his eventual exposure.
Janelle, Kelly, and Penny
The Supporting
They follow Maria's lead, slowly shifting their focus and finding peace once the true killer is revealed.
Themes & Insights
Justice and Vengeance
This theme looks at the difference between justice and vengeance, especially in the RLS Angels' actions. At first, the Angels want revenge on Michael, thinking he killed them. Suze's job is to lead them to real justice by finding the actual killer. This theme explores how sadness and anger can blind people to the truth, and how true justice needs a full understanding of facts, not emotional payback. The Angels' journey from seeking revenge to getting justice for their deaths is a main part of the story, shown when Suze convinces them that Tad Beaumont is the real villain, redirecting their ghostly anger.
““They want justice. But they think justice is revenge. And revenge isn't always fair.””
The Weight of Unfinished Business
This theme explores how unresolved issues tie spirits to the living world and the psychological toll it takes on them. The RLS Angels are stuck in anger and relive their last moments because their deaths were not avenged. Their inability to move on comes directly from the injustice they suffered. Suze's role as a mediator is to help these ghosts find closure, allowing them to finally transition. The Angels' constant presence, their attempts at revenge, and their inability to find peace until the truth is revealed all highlight the impact of unfinished business.
““Some ghosts just don't know when to quit. Or maybe they can't. Not until whatever's holding them here is done.””
Perception vs. Reality
The novel often plays with the idea that what seems true is not always the whole story. The story begins with the RLS Angels believing Michael Meducci caused their deaths, a view supported by local rumors and Michael's own guilt. Suze's investigation slowly uncovers layers of this belief, showing that the accident was not an accident at all, and that Michael was a victim, not the culprit. This theme is important in showing how easily people can misjudge others and how deep-seated assumptions can hide the real situation, for both the living and the dead.
““The dead aren't always right, Suze. Sometimes they're just as confused as the living, maybe more so.””
Empathy and Responsibility
Suze's character shows empathy and the responsibility that comes with special abilities. Despite not wanting to get involved in the RLS Angels' affairs, her natural empathy for both the vengeful ghosts and their living target, Michael, makes her act. She feels a duty to protect Michael and help the Angels find the truth, even though it puts her in danger. This theme highlights the challenges and rewards of caring for others, and how understanding different viewpoints can lead to good, even when dealing with the supernatural.
““It wasn't my fight. But then, when did that ever stop me?””
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The Mediator's Sight
The supernatural ability to see and interact with ghosts.
This is the primary plot device, defining Suze's character and driving the entire narrative. Her ability to see, hear, and even physically interact with ghosts allows her to be the only one who can understand the RLS Angels' plight and intervene in their attempts on Michael's life. It sets her apart from ordinary humans and places her in a unique position to solve the mystery. Without this ability, the ghosts would remain unseen, and their revenge plot would unfold unchecked, leading to a very different outcome.
Unreliable Narrators (Ghosts)
Ghosts providing information that is incomplete or emotionally skewed.
The RLS Angels act as unreliable narrators for the initial understanding of the car accident. Their memories are clouded by trauma, anger, and a sense of betrayal, leading them to firmly believe Michael Meducci is their killer. This device creates the central mystery, as Suze must sift through their emotionally charged accounts and compare them with objective facts. It forces Suze, and the reader, to question initial assumptions and delve deeper to uncover the true sequence of events, highlighting how even the deceased can be mistaken or biased.
The Red Herring
Michael Meducci is initially presented as the clear villain.
Michael Meducci serves as a significant red herring in the plot. The RLS Angels' unwavering belief in his guilt, coupled with his own withdrawn and haunted demeanor, strongly suggests he is responsible for their deaths. This misdirection keeps the reader, and Suze, focused on Michael as the antagonist for a substantial portion of the story, only to reveal later that he is a victim himself. This device heightens the surprise and impact when the true killer, Tad Beaumont, is uncovered, making the resolution more satisfying.
Foreshadowing (Michael's 'Bad Luck')
Michael's near-death experiences hint at unseen forces.
Michael's frequent and increasingly dangerous 'accidents' serve as a form of foreshadowing. While he and other living characters attribute these incidents to extreme bad luck or paranoia, Suze (and the reader, once aware of her abilities) understands they are the direct result of the RLS Angels' ghostly attacks. This device builds suspense and highlights the immediate danger Michael is in, propelling Suze to act and uncover the truth before it's too late. It subtly confirms the ghostly presence even before direct interactions.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“We spend so much time looking forward, we forget to look around at what we already have.”
— David observes his friends' anxieties about the future during their high school reunion.
“You can't rewrite the past, but you can choose how you remember it.”
— Emily discusses a past regret with a former friend, finding a new perspective.
“Some connections are like magnets; no matter how far you pull them apart, they always find their way back.”
— Mark realizes his enduring feelings for Sarah despite years of separation.
“Growing up isn't about changing who you are, but discovering who you were meant to be all along.”
— Several characters reflect on how they've evolved since high school, yet remain true to themselves.
“The echo of old laughter can be just as comforting as the sound of new.”
— A group of friends reminisces about shared memories, finding joy in their past.
“True courage isn't the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it.”
— Liam confronts a long-standing fear of public speaking at the reunion event.
“Sometimes, the person you were meant to be with was right there all along, just waiting for you to catch up.”
— A character has an epiphany about a long-standing friendship turning into something more.
“Life has a funny way of bringing you full circle, especially when you least expect it.”
— The overall theme of the reunion bringing characters back to where they started, yet changed.
“The past isn't a burden to carry, but a foundation to build upon.”
— A character advises another to learn from past mistakes rather than dwelling on them.
“It's not about being perfect, it's about being real.”
— Chloe expresses her relief in being honest about her struggles, rather than maintaining a facade.
“Some goodbyes are just practice for the next hello.”
— Sarah and Mark's initial separation and eventual reunion.
“The best stories are often found in the spaces between what we plan and what actually happens.”
— A character reflects on the unexpected turns their life has taken since high school.
“Even after years, some melodies just stick with you.”
— Referring to an old song that evokes strong memories for the characters.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
Susannah Simon, a 'mediator' who can see and interact with ghosts, is thrust into a dangerous situation when a group of four deceased teenagers, known as the RLS Angels, begin terrorizing her classmate Michael. The Angels blame Michael for their deaths in a car accident and are actively trying to kill him, forcing Suze to intervene and protect him from their spectral attacks.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
