By midnight by Mia James

Orion Books, 2010. ISBN 9780575095533.
(Age 14+) Recommended for those who love the vampire genre. April Dunne is unhappy. Her father has moved her family from Edinburgh to Highgate and she has had to leave all her friends behind. Life as a student at her new, elite school, Ravenwood, isn't easy and she doesn't feel she fits in. She is not really rich, doesn't own designer clothes and isn't even really smart like the other students. However she is attracted to one boy, Gabriel, and after he rescues her from a strange being in Highgate Cemetery one night, she finds him even more intriguing. Then she discovers that a young woman has been murdered nearby and strange things are happening at Ravenwood.
I found this to be an entertaining read, which I devoured very quickly. The plot was very fast paced, and there were some quite unexpected twists and turns that kept my interest alive. The tension was built up really well, and I was kept guessing who was a vampire in the school and what was really going on. The research that April and her father conducted was fascinating as well and the gradual dropping of clues about what was happening was well done.
April was an interesting, strong girl, with a well-developed character. Gabriel was not as well developed as a character, but was good as the dark, attractive, mysterious love interest.
The romance between April and Gabriel, the mystery about her mother's background and the fabulous setting of Highgate Cemetery are intriguing enough for me to want to read the next in the series. By midnight is sure to be popular with those who love a Gothic horror tale with vampires!
Pat Pledger