Hilda has an, um, interesting hobby: She zips around Los Angeles with her disturbed best friend, Benji, looking for sites where celebrities have died. Sounds like a pretty grim premise for a book—and it would be, if Hilda's deadly destinations didn't lead her straight to Hank's doorstep. Hank, a recluse, scares Hilda at first. But soon they strike up an unusual friendship that gets Hilda thinking about whether she really wants to spend her whole life on death. "John Belushi Is Dead" won't be the happiest book you read this year. But if you're up for a beautifully-crafted story about a teenager struggling to make meaning out of meaningless tragedy, you'll definitely fly through the pages of this surprisingly compelling novel.
