Teens looking for a mystery should like this one. Although for some it might develop slowly, I thought it set up Rose's feelings well, leaving you as the reader wondering why she would go to such lengths to hide her diary. Why won't she speak? What did she see four years ago? I liked that in some ways it seemed more of a character study than just moving frantically from cliff-hanger to cliff-hanger. I enjoyed much of the writing, such as this: "the one word a long thin repeating line silencesilencesilencesilencesilence until it became a hiss, a snake in her heart." I also liked the point she made when she wrote, "whatever was said in prayer or sermon, Mom floated through, never considering that it might apply to her." How true of so many of us! Any story about teens written a few years ago is going to be dated in some ways. Here, there is no texting and no requried school IDs to get in and out of the building. These details wouldn't ring true to today's teen so they'd have to realize that this story was set a few years in the past.One thing I really enjoyed was the author's descriptions of 7th grade: "Seventh graders traveled in packs: cruel, exclusionary, and circling, like jackals. They closed for the kill on losers caught alone." "Then came the terrible interlude of seventh and eighth. There almost wasn't anything you could call friendship. People weren't nice enough to be friends. Every few weeks woul'd identify a different girl as your best friend, but in actual fact, it was only a girl you didn't happen to be scornful of at the moment. Kids moved through school like fish, flashing through the halls, turning into piranhas to attack one kid, into minnows to follow another." Christian parents, know that this book is a murder mystery so there's death and jeopardy involved. Also, **spoiler** the plot eventually reveals adultery. Her brother also thinks church is a waste of time, but another character near the end quotes a verse from the book of Micah, using Scripture in a positive way.
Fifteen-year-old Rose is a good student and stays out of trouble until she steals a police car so she can destroy her seventh grade diary they have confiscated. Readers will have to suspend their belief that a good kid (or even a troublemaker) would go this route, then continue to pretend a four year old adult murder investigation would center around a twelve-year-old acquaintance of the suspect's daughter. Then, readers will have to believe that young Rose wrote what she may (or may not) have known about the murder, including her crush, who's three years older than she is.Still, I enjoyed this fast paced YA novel. Caroline Clooney has created a likable character in Rose, even when we don't understand her motivations. I finished the book in an afternoon.
Do You like book Fatality (2001)?
Okay for starter I will say that I thought this book was absolutely amazing! The story concept was very clever and the story was written exremely well.This book was the type if book that had you wondering the ending from the begining...I could't stop turning the pages. About three quarters of the way in you really start to figure out what is going on and all of your thoughts from the beging are answered. I thought the ending was marvelous especially the way all the smaller characters converge to "save" the main characters Rose. This is an amazing mystery and I look forward to reading more from this author.
—Josie M.
I have read quite a few Caroline B. Cooney books and this has to be one of the more disappointing ones. Although it is a fairly short book, I practically had to force myself to finish it. The beginning had some merit to it, but the rest of the book was a disappointment. The entire book is basically devoted to building up suspense for Rose's secret and as a result, there really isn't any other plot than just "Oh Rose has a terrible secret she can't tell anyone." There is a point when the suspense becomes so intollerable that you just want to put the book down and never consider reading it again. Although I won't reveal the character that is at the heart of the murder, the character is so inconsequential and barely acknowledged that it is hard to accept that that character is actually guilty. What really made me loath this book is the fact that when Rose finally gets around to revealing the "big secret", it is treated so lightly that it is a wonder that there is a whole book devoted to it. I'm not so sure that I would recommend this book to anyone other than diehard Caroline B. Cooney fans.
—Penny
Your typical suspense story, although I must admit the it started out with a bang. I can't say that I have ever read a book where the protagonist steals a police car in the first few pages. It was a pretty standard suspense, mystery kidnapping plot. A decent read that moved right along. The protagonist is interesting, if not a realistic portrayal of a teenager girl caught up in a terrible series of circumstances. Even her motivation for not talking to police is an interesting if not fairly realistic. This is a hard one to review as there just is not much for me to say about it. Although it may not be on my top ten list of books, it was enjoyable in it's own right. Violence: A murder is briefly described and a girl is kidnapped, very little violence overall.Sex: Maybe a reference or two, but no actual content. Language: Occasional mild swearingDrugs/Alcohol: possible alcohol references
—David Despain
