Product Description
Soon after the arrival of cousin Julia, insidious occurrences begin that convince Rachel that Julia is a witch and must be stopped before her total monstrous plan can be effected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan
Why is Rachel the only one to sense the evil that surrounds Julia? From the moment Rachel's cousin Julia arrives that summer, she seems to seep into Rachels life like a poison. Everyone else is enchanted by her--including Rachel's boyfriend. But what does Julia really want?

Another page turner
I finished this book in 3 days. I could not put it down. This book is filled with suspense till the very end. Another master-piece by Mrs. Duncan.

Luis' Review
I think this is a very good book because, Rachel feals that Julia wants to take over her life and Rachel thinks that Julia is a witch. Rachal feals a diconection with her familie because when Julia came to the house they all just wanted Julia more than Rachel.

Spine Tingling Fun.
Do you believe in witches?Well, Lois Duncan's story may just make you a believer if you're not.This little saga has one of the creepiest female villains in teen literature by the name of Julia, but is Julia REALLY a witch?I don't want to give too much of this spooktacular funfest away, but I will tell you that I felt for Rachel and her dog Trickle because nobody else believed them except us readers.Watch Rachel lose everything and get most of it back in this great teen thriller that's sure to give you the creeps and also cheer on one brave and determined young girl who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.One of my favorite teen books thus far, and a responsibly good one for young readers who like their stories just a bit on the dark side.

A book that has everything!
I enjoyed this book. It has a little of everything: thrilling parts, emotional parts, supernatural stuff, and romance.

A girl, Rachel, has to live through a summer where her couisn, Julia, has to stay with Rachel and her family. Julia's parents died in a car wreck. But Julia's weird. She takes over Rachel's best friend, her boyfriend, and her clothes. She goes to the dance that Rachel was supposed to go to but couldn't because she had hives. Julia goes to the dance in the dress that Rachel made herself for herself. Rachel's dog bit Julia once, and Julia she yelled at the dog. Next thing that happened is Rachel's dog is sick. Rachel eventually thinks that Julia is a witch.

I thought this book was good. It's very creepy and gives you chills. ... Read more

Product Description
Nore arrives at her stepmother's Louisiana plantation to find her new family odd and an aura of evil and mystery about the place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (153)

Locked in the Formula
I would have to say that there is really nothing wrong with this book, except that there's nothing really right about it.
Fans of Lois Duncan will like this book as much as any of her other books, but no more... That's all it is, your typical Lois Duncan book.
Like my favorite book of hers, Don't look Behind You, the story is told in the first person, which makes it more personal, but also slows it down. One of Duncan's strength has always been the number of characters she develops in her books. Books like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Killing Mr. Griffin were better because they had a lot of characters, so something was always happening to somebody.
Locked in Time is a sort of darker version of Tuck Everlasting showing the scary and depressing side of what it would be like to live forever. The book has some scary parts, and is fairly readable, but it never hits any new heights for Duncan, and the climax is not particularly exciting (nothing new for Duncan, since the endings of most of her books are fairly abrupt.)
The end of Locked in Time is alright, but it seems kind of forced and it doesn't really resolve any of the issues put forward in the book.

Angieville: LOCKED IN TIME
So I've talked about my Joan Lowery Nixon phase before. I actually think I discovered Lois Duncan right before Nixon, but the two will always go hand and hand in my mind. Together they perfectly satisfied my twelve-year-old thirst for a light blending of suspense and the macabre. And no Duncan book did that better than the deliciously creepy LOCKED IN TIME. I enjoyed all of her books and they all succeeded in giving me the chills at one point or another. My old copy of I Know What You Did Last Summer is definitely showing its age and my love, as I loved revisiting those characters the most. But LOCKED IN TIME is the one that truly scared me. Not just chills, not just anxious anticipation, but the real deal, had me setting the book down long enough to calm my racing heart kind of scared.

Seventeen-year-old Nore has been away at boarding school since her mother died a year ago. Now she's on her way to Louisiana to visit her father and his new wife and her two children. When she arrives at Shadow Grove, several things are clear. Her father is happy with his new life. Her stepmother Lisette, stepbrother Gabe, and stepsister Josie are perfectly well-mannered and perfectly beautiful. And something is very, very wrong with them. Through conversations she has with elderly neighbors and residents of the town, Nore's seemingly crazy suspicions about Lisette, Gabe, and the entire Berge family start to grow. These vaguely horrific suspicions grow stronger as she overhears them discuss events from decades ago as though they were there when they happened. Nore finds herself torn between her distrust of Lisette and her growing friendship with Gabe. Determined to make her father come to his senses and see the truth, Nore rushes to solve the mystery of her new family before her time at Shadow Grove runs out.

When I think about this story now, years since I last re-read it, I am still instantly filled with the same overwhelming emotions--an appreciation for the heady beauties of the Deep South mixed with a sense of impending doom. Ms. Duncan struck the perfect chord with the impossibly lovely Berges and the simultaneous fear and longing Nore feels when in the presence of a "real" family again. The truth to the mystery unfolds smoothly and slowly, like warm molasses, creeping up behind you to tap you on the shoulder. In some ways it reminded me of a younger, simpler Mary Stewart novel, with its lovely heroine and its beautiful atmosphere. I remember thinking Nore was brave and being desperate for someone to believe her, for Gabe not to really be trying to kill her, for her father, in his grief, not to have ruined them both so thoroughly. It's the same emotional connection I seek out today when I'm in the mood for something slightly dangerous, slightly haunting, slightly bittersweet. It was these early young adult mysteries that led me to the Mary Stewarts, the Laurie Kings, the Deanna Raybourns I discovered later on. I will always love them for being the beginning.

Teen readers
Good topic for a teenager, great read for a summer vacation day. Young girls will get into this story because women are so interested in beauty and mostly, keeping it.

My favorite book
This book is by far the greatest book Mrs. Duncan has ever written. This is my favorite book of all the books i have ever read and i do read a lot. It gets very intersting right from the first chapter to the last. I recommned this book to anyone. A great book.

Creepy...
If you like creepy stories, this one is for you! Lots of twists and turns.It is well written, but the reason I gave it only two stars is because I was expecting something different.Not a bad book for a horror story. ... Read more

Product Description
Five were missing on a terrifying ride into a nightmare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (91)

Ransom Book Review
This book is about a group of five kids who are riding the school bus home, and get kidnapped by the substitute driver. They are held for ransom in a faraway cabin, where they are treated harshly by the kidnappers until the ransom is paid. I found this book to be unimaginably captivating and interesting from the very start. The beginning and ending could not have been better, in my opinion. I truly love how Lois Duncan utilized great imagery to vividly portray all the settings and events in the story. Since it wasn't too long or too short, the book was quite enjoyable. Within the story of the kidnapping, separate stories of the lives of the five teenagers are told as well, so the reader can relate to at least one of them and see how that person copes with their problems.
As you can see, this book is absolutely phenomenal, and I believe nobody would dislike it. My favorite part is when two boys find the murdered body of the actual bus driver in a bush, though it's a pretty sad part.I can't really deduce any flaws from Ransom, which is why it's one of my favorite books now. You should definitely think about reading this extraordinary story of an awful kidnapping!

Ransom book review by TLVK
After reading "Ransom" by Lois Duncan, I've decided to write a review on it.First of all, I really liked the book.It all starts out with a simple, regular seeming bus ride home for all the kids.Little do they know that their substitute bus driver is a kidnapper.Buck(the bus driver) purposely misses the stop for the rich kids to get off the bus.This is when the kids start worrying.He takes them to a gas station where Juan and Rita(his friends helping him)are there.Juan calls the families telling them whats going on and about the ransom.Meanwhile, Buck and Rita are taking the kids up to the cabin where they will be holding them until the ransom gets paid.I can't go any farther or I will spoil the story.....So basically if you like suspenseful books with a good amount of action/excitement, you will probably really like Ransom.

A Great Book
Ransom is a book about 5 teens in High School who get kidnapped. The tennagers, Bruce, Glenn, Marianne, Dexter, and Jesse have rich families or so the kidnappers think. When the teens get on the bus, they realize they have a sub bus driver. The driver doesn't know the routes, so Bruce sits in the front and tells the driver where to go. After all the kids are dropped off, the driver ignores the 5 teens left. This when they realize that they are being kidnapped. The kidnappers take the teens to the Rocky Mountains to hide. What happens next is mind-blowing.

I enjoyed this book. I think anyone who like mysteries or suspenceful books would enjoy this book. I liked how Lois Duncan described the characters. What I didn't like was how Lois kept swiching point of views. I think that this book should be read by every middle school and high school student.

Early teen suspense, but holds up for the most part
This will be a mini-review, instead of a full one, since the book in question is less than 150 pages long and told in the omniscient viewpoint, so character complexity is minimal.Lois Duncan was rather the R.L. Stine of the X generation, except that she wrote for a slightly older audience and was more psychologically creepy than blood-and-gore.Her stories weren't the type made for around-the-campfire telling; they'd take too long to explain in full.I remember reading and enjoying this one, Ransom, and especially Locked in Time as a teen.

The story's premise is fairly basic: five teenagers are kidnapped by their substitute bus driver on the way home from school.He and two accomplices have planned out the kidnapping, selecting a route that terminates in Valley Gardens, a rich neighborhood, for maximum financial benefit.They take the kids high up in the New Mexico mountains where the cold and altitude make escape very unlikely and wait for the money to roll in.Unfortunately, the kidnappers only minimally examined their would-be profit makers.Of the five kids - Marianne, Glenn, Bruce, Dexter, and Jesse - only two families have any real money or access to it.Brothers Glenn and Bruce's parents have it, but Jesse's parents are only renting/housesitting in the glitzy neighborhood, and Dexter is an orphan temporarily lodging with his uncle.Popular Marianne's family looks like it has more money than it does.Her mother got the house in the divorce, but her new stepfather's income is paltry.Which leaves a lot up in the air.The kidnappers are capable of plenty, and if their demands aren't met, it's entirely possible, they'll cut their losses - literally - and run rather than bargain down.

Written in 1966, this book has the spare prose of an earlier era.In some indefinable way it reminded me of Mary Stewart's writing.Perhaps it's because Duncan describes a gentler, less complex era, an era in which kidnapping children is shocking, and murder is shock inducing.1966, after all, is only a few years after the events of In Cold Blood, a crime which left Kansas speechless with horror.A Columbine or Virginia Tech mass murder was behind the scope of imagination.These kids still believe in the innate goodness of humanity.They are also a bit more polite and respectful than kids are these days.That and a little dated slang keeps this book from being quite timeless.

Duncan uses the omniscient point of view which allows her to impart a great deal of information about these kids, their parents, and the kidnappers, but this device allows for little mystery.It's all just out there; the reader knows what's going on in everyone's head at all times.Still, since the reader doesn't know how these characters will all interplay with each other, there is a level of suspense here that Duncan adroitly builds to a climax.And in the meantime she creates a portrait of a teen sociopath who is perhaps more chilling a character than any of the kidnappers are.

Ultimately, this is a fast and fairly enjoyable read.For the most part it holds up, even after all of these years.My grade: a B-.

Ransom
Ransom, by Lois Duncan, is a very good book. It is a realistic fiction book.
In Ransom five kids from a rich neighborhood are kidnapped and kept for ransom, but only a few families are able to stretch their money and use it for the ransom. This book is about what the kids, and parents, go through when the kids are kidnapped.
Ransom was a very good book and keeps you interested throughout the whole entire book. If you like exciting and exhilarating books you will love this one.
... Read more

Product Description
They couldn't have just disappeared! Or couldthey?

That's the way it looks whenDan and Larry don't retum from a weekend campingtrip in the mountains. Then Joan, Larry's sister,gets a mysterious call from a man who says Larryowes him a lot of money. Where could her brotherbe?

Can Joan, with the help of dan'sbrother Frank, find Dan and Larry? Or are the twodestined never to returm? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

A very well written book
This is one of my favorite book of Lois Duncan's. It has everything that you would want in a Lois Duncans book. Its a page turner filled with mysteries and thrillers. A must read book.

they never came home BEST BOOK EVER
setting was good it was in california and in new mexico and in california with the beach and newmexico with it just flat and desert like area. and in california it was sunny and bright the author said. dan had cinnamin brown hair tall and strong. in this story two boys,dan cotwell and lary drafus, went to the woods and never came everyone thought they were dead but really dan slipped and hit his head on a rock. and larry took him to california to make a new life. he didnt remember anything soo larry made up stuff and they had different names and dan never knew. the conflictis that dan and larry go to the woods and dont come back. and the author resolve this by saying that joan and anne go to california and see him and find him and dan starts to rember everything from when he hit his head and further back. i personaly think that the theme is there are allways consaquinces for your actions and they can last forever.

They Never Came Home
Everyone thought it was an accident, but was it really?I read the book 'They Never Came Home', by Lois Duncan and thought it was an interesting thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.Joan's boyfriend, Dan and brother, Larry take a hiking trip and never return.Everyone thinks they got lost and are dead, but Joan has reasons to believe otherwise.Read about Joan's crazy adventure to find out the truth of what really happened in the mountains that day.This fast moving novel is a great mystery where you will find yourself wanting to know more.I loved this book, especially its twisted and mysterious theme.One example of this is when Joan receives a phone call telling her that Larry owes a drug smuggler an excessive amount of money even though he is supposedly dead.If this event does not interest you, this book might not be for you.Lois Duncan writes many different mystery novels including her hit book 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.She typically writes books that are unpredictable and have exciting events in them, similar to this book.If you cannot get enough of intense mystery books, this is the book for you.

They Never Came Home
Everyone thought it was an accident, but was it really?I read the book 'They Never Came Home', by Lois Duncan and thought it was an interesting thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.Joan's boyfriend, Dan and brother, Larry take a hiking trip and never return.Everyone thinks they got lost and are dead, but Joan has reasons to believe otherwise.Read about Joan's crazy adventure to find out the truth of what really happened in the mountains that day.This fast moving novel is a great mystery where you will find yourself wanting to know more.I loved this book, especially its twisted and mysterious theme.One example of this is when Joan receives a phone call telling her that Larry owes a drug smuggler an excessive amount of money even though he is supposedly dead.If this event does not interest you, this book might not be for you.Lois Duncan writes many different mystery novels including her hit book 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.She typically writes books that are unpredictable and have exciting events in them, similar to this book.If you cannot get enough of intense mystery books, this is the book for you.

another great book from Lois Duncan!
This book was really intriguing and kept you wanting more.Some people don't like the fact that this book was slow, but I liked that it gradually went along without too many clues about the ending.It moved along at a comfortable pace and had a lot of character development which has always been important to me.I also liked that it didn't really have ONE climax, but many of them, all leading up to the final part of the book where everything came to a heart stopping ending.

They Never Came Home was about two boys who went on a camping trip and never came back.It told stories of all the charicters that are all tied together in some way, even though in the beginning it looks like they have nothing to do with the others.It tells of the boys even though you don't know it.It tells the stories of both families.Lois Duncan is really good at this and I find it really interesting to read what is happening to each character at the same time and hear things from all different point of views.Simple enough plot, right?WRONG!A whole lot happens and the plot takes many twists and turns involving jewelry, drugs, betrayal, love, and mental breakdowns.But even though some of the other reviewers here think that the plot twists weren't easy to follow, I thought they were relevantly simple, but genius to think up and put together.(perhaps it was harder for them to understand because they are younger than 13.I mean it's a book for teenagers, if you aren't a teenager, then don't read it, and if you do, don't review it because there is bound to be plenty that you don't understand.) :)Sorry, had to blow off a little steam!

OK, so I won't give away any more of the plot and just tell you to READ THIS REALLY GOOD MYSTERY AND ALL THE OTHER CHILLING BOOKS BY LOIS DUNCAN!!

... Read more

Product Description
Suspicious and uneasy about the atmosphere at her new boarding school, fourteen-year-old Kit slowly realizes why she and the other three students at the school were selected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (126)

Good read!
I bought this for my daughter.It came in the condition described and in the time frame given.She really enjoyed reading it but it was just over too soon!

loved it!
Its been a couple of years since when I first read this book; however, from what I remember, I really liked it and couldn't put it down. I remember getting spooked out and I couldn't wait to see what happened in the end. I'd deffinately read it again to relive the suspense!

I would say PERFECT, but they say nothing's perfect...
This book made me a fan of Lois Duncan and now I'm reading Summer Of Fear and The Twisted Window.

The atmosphere in this book is amazingly chilling and it is like that from the moment you start reading until the end.

The characters were diverse, well developed. The main character was very likable, the kind of person which would have to appeal to most of the people, very grounded for her age.The other girls were very interesting, the other people too.

Now, when it comes to story, it's familiar for this age, but still original. I'm sure that, in 1974 this would be very original and fresh. Now people could doubt that but that's just because after that we got used to books like this and now we got hundreds of books about dangerous schools and the academies that hold dark secrets.

Still, it didn't feel boring. It felt fresh and interesting. It was a fast read, I would say like, 10 hours of so. Definitely recommended.

The only thing that kinda wasn't great was the ending because it felt a bit rushed and loose.

10/10

Down A Dark Hall
I loved this book back when I was in Middle School. For some reason I started thinking about some of the books I had read as a teenager and I thought of this one right away. I read it in 1 day and then had to read it to a couple of my kids. (10-12 years) They didn't want me to stop for bedtime. They loved it. Just enough suspense and mystery without being too scary for them. Thanks

great scary book
Read this book when I was a kid and LOVED IT......very scary and surreal, but accessible. I wanted to go to that school and have the powers those kids had....a must read. My other favorite books are Tennis Dates by Colette Freedman and The Silver Crown by Robert O'Brien. ... Read more

Product Description
High school senior Karen, who worries that her psychic powers will make her seem different from other people, is frightened at first when a young policeman asks her to use her gift to help the police locate missing children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (93)

Great premise
I liked the idea of the storyline about an eighteen year old woman who comes into her psychic powers, too bad Karen and her Mother detract from it.Had Karen not been so spineless, allowing people to tell her what to do and how to think, she'd have been a much more compelling heroine.Karen's mother was so far over the top, she wasn't likable in any way, and got on my nerves.I would have enjoyed more interaction with Ron, that wasn't him goading Karen into doing what he wanted her to do.This was an okay read.

okey....
This was an ok book for me. It got boring towards the end and i think this book is the weakest of Duncan's young adult books. But still, like i said its an okey book.

A Reading Fanatic
This is one of my favorites of Duncan's. I have each and every one, and I have to say 'The Third Eye', 'Down a Dark Hall', 'Don't Look Behind You', and 'Locked in Time' are my favorite of her's. 'Who Killed my Daughter' is well writen and a true story, but I'm glad Duncan doesn't write such serious books regularly. 'The Third Eye' is one that I keep coming back to, over and over. For some reason, Duncan's writing keeps me fasinated. I have memorised the book entierly, it's so well writen.

Duncan Delivers
Let me tell you about a fantastic writer you're probably not reading. If you're a librarian or a high school teacher, then I know you're familiar with her. She's been nominated for hundreds of awards for Young Adult fiction, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award for a Distinguished Body of Work for Young Adults, from the American Library Association and the School Library Journal. Unfortunately, those accolades are not something most of us hear about. The books that get the big press are often those adapted for TV or film. As many parents, grandparents, teachers and teens themselves will tell you, Young Adult fiction has lately become an exciting and bewildering mix of Manga, dragons, young wizards, unfortunate orphans and catchy series.

All the while, Lois Duncan keeps publishing great stories. They're not as flashy as Eragon or Harry Potter, but they often incorporate the supernatural. Duncan's writing has a lot more substance than the Goosebumps or Animorphs series, but her books will more than meet the quota for chills or thrills. Many kids who like to read end up with a reading level that is several school-grade levels above their age experience or emotional development, and are left with few books that will really satisfy them. My dad frowned as I began taking Mom's Stephen King books off the shelf in third grade. Then, the summer I turned eleven, I was lucky to discover an entire shelf of Lois Duncan books at the Green Free Library. I'm sure my parents were relieved.

Since the 1970's, Lois Duncan has been turning out thrillers that fit the bill for younger readers craving suspense, a little spookiness, and sympathetic characters. Every few years, the publishers change the covers, giving them something more stylish to wear so they can catch the eye of the latest generation of teens. But I'd recommend Duncan to any mystery fan, no matter how many years-young. Her books accomplish what so many other books of the same genre only promise. Look on the covers of any contemporary thriller or mystery and you'll find critics raving about "taut prose" with "engaging, plausible characters" and a "fast-paced, page-turning plot". Duncan delivers all this and more. There's no need to figure out which one to read first, and there's not much difficulty figuring out if you've already read it, which happens to most of us with our favorite mystery authors. Duncan's books are not part of a series, nor are they formulaic.

If you need a place to start, my personal favorites are "Down a Dark Hall" and "The Third Eye". Both of these stories have a high school girl as their central character, and both of these girls have a psychic ability that neither realized she had. In "The Third Eye", Karen decides to help local police find kidnapped children and finds herself quickly ensnared in dangerous case involving "serial" kidnappers who strike nursery schools. The chapters reveal one surprise after another about Karen's family, her current boyfriend and her future. "Down A Dark Hall", on the other hand, does not appear to have anything supernatural about it - at first. Kit has been selected to be one of only four students at a private boarding school whose atmosphere is creepier than she'd like, but otherwise seems fairly normal. The reason she and the other girls are selected, though, is anything but educational. This story, too, eventually reveals things to Kit, not just about the school and the few other people there, but also about memories she couldn't quite figure out.

Picking up one of these books the other day, I thought I'd glance over it and ended up re-reading the whole thing. People who love to read often joke that once they start a book, the rest of the world goes away - or they wish it would. With Duncan's stories, that's not an idle joke or wish: it's a guarantee.

Author,"Hobo Finds A Home", Editor"Of A Predatory Heart"

A GreatBook by:Sarah P2/R2
This is a wonderful book about a girl named Karen who has psychic abities.When the boy who she is baby sitting goes missing,Karen is off to the rescue.Luckily she can see where he is with her third eye.When she leads the police to where he is the police go to her to locate another kid.
When she fnds the other missing kid she is put to the case trying to find ten babies that where kidnapped from the daycare center where she worked.
This story ends happy and I recommed it to anyone who likes books with adventure, thrill, suspense, and a little love twist. I give this book five stars becuse I thought it was the best book in the world. So go out your local library or bookstore and check this book out!! ... Read more

Product Description
Some secrets just won't stay buried.

They didn't mean it. They didn't mean to hit the boy. There was a party, and it was an accident...that wasn't who they were. They were pre-law, a football player, bound for New York. No one could know, so Barry, Julie, Helen, and Ray swore one another to secrecy. But now, a year later, someone knows. Julie receives a haunting, anonymous threat: "I know what you did last summer."The dark lie is unearthed, and before the four friends know it they need to outsmart a killer...or they will be the next to die.

Leave the lights on when reading this classic thriller! This new edition features modernized text and a new introduction by Lois Duncan, the master of teen horror. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (263)

It's was really suspense which I loved.
It wasn't the ones that made me want to read until the end in about 2 days. But it is a really really great book. I would suggest reading the book version first because it was so much better than the movie. If you ever come across this book, automatically add it to your cart!

MORE TEENAGERY THAN GROWN-UPPY
This book is more of a "teenage girl" read than any thing else.Predictable and not too engrossing for more mature readers that are used to complicated story lines and character study.No sex, very little violence and slight suspense--recommended for PG reader audience in the 13 and up group.(maybe up to 17)

Not What I Was Expecting...

But should I blame the book for that, or the movie? The movie, I think, which causes there to be a creepy picture of a hook-handed person on the front cover. I haven't seen the movie, it's not my thing, and I was hesitant to read the book. When I learned it wasn't a horror and gore story, that was good. But I did expect there to be a few moments when I held my breath. As in other words, the book isn't suspenseful, and it's easy to figure out who's behind the stalking. But...I think it wouldn't be so obvious to young teens and pre-teens, but how many of them are going to read this mystery novel for fun when it's advertised as a horror story. Really while the movie is R the book is PG. The characters are clichéd to an extent, but they're very well written. They don't have surprising personalities, but the author fills out those personalities and makes them real.
This is a quick read at just under two hundred pages, not recommended as a thriller, but a good book about how burying the past can be more painful than facing it, and a good mystery for young readers.
BTW, this was written about forty years ago so the dialog can be pretty old-fashioned at times.

Dont want to finish it
Cant get into this book maybe its because I saw the movie? But its way too... idk how to describe it not for me i guess

The note was there
I remember reading A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan back in the 70s and loving it. So when I saw this reissue of "I Know What You Did Last Summer" I couldn't resist picking it up to see how much I would like another of Ms. Duncan's books. And even though I enjoyed "I Know What You Did Last Summer," the book seemed really dated to me. Not just the 1970s time frame of it, but also the language and Ms. Duncan's formal style of writing. The narrative was stilted and overwritten at times, and the characters didn't always seem quite real to me. And though I did get caught up in the story, I had to keep in mind that it was probably geared to a middle grade rather than a teen audience, since the mystery's solution seemed obvious. And perhaps the crazed Vietnam War veteran was not quite the cliche in 1973 that it is now, but I cringed over it nonetheless. ... Read more

Product Description
April Corrigan's life is turned upside-down when she when she learns that her father has been working secretly undercover for the FBI. When his testimony convicts a notorious drug dealer, the whole family must relocate and enter the Federal Witness Security Program. April's entire way of life changes--not just her name. And when she attempts to communicate with her boyfriend, an agent is killed. With thrills, chills, and a high-speed cross-country chase, master suspense writer Lois Duncan will leave readers breathless! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (136)

Ô boy.
The problem with contemporary American fiction aimed at teenagers is simply that it is written for contemporary American teenagers.Anxious and restless and no wonder, for teenagers can expect to go through puberty at an earlier age than ever before and are expected to mature at a later age than ever before.What I find despicable, however, are the adults who exploit and profit from this banal teenybopper mentality by feeding and encouraging it with pulp fiction, and thereby perverting the teenager's tastes and discouraging them from reading great works of literature.

Lois Duncan is not totally incompetent, as the example of Killing Mr. Griffin makes clear.But if she actually understood--and that is itself questionable--the literary references and indictment of Americana high school pettiness inherent in that work, she should have known better than to churn such harmful tripe as Don't Look Behind You.

Let's start with the plausibility problem.Mr. Corrigan, a good citizen testifying against a drug ring who has infiltrated the airline where he works and evidently (from his name) an Irish-American from Virginia, has been secretly working for the F.B.I.When the secret comes out, he and his family are forced to flee the state and change names under the Witness Protection Program.This is ludicrous in the utmost.The Witness Protection Program was concocted to save the lives of members of criminal organisations--specifically, the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra--who had fallen out with their bosses and wished to testify against them.

However, there is no evidence in the book that Mr. Corrigan was a former drug broker himself; most non-sovereign entities would not be likely to be so stupidly suicidal as to go after a F.B.I. agent with such fervour as to necessitate a name change for this latter.Duncan either did no research whatsoever, or she simply twisted reality to make a nice sympathetic story for modern teenagers who couldn't stomach or relate to the idea of a character's father being a Mafioso.In modern America, it is definitely more acceptable to ditch one's spouse or parent than to forgive a penitent, so the worst extent of Mr. Corrigan's sin would have to be his adventurism for playing "James Bond," as his wife puts it.

The book misses the mark on other historical and factual details of the Witness Protection Program, as well, but to reveal those would be to spoil the plot.

Then there is the writing itself.The "suspense" plotline does not ultimately detract much from the main theme, but it is still done in a very much Deus ex Machina fashion.As another has commented on these pages, the book is written in first person from the perspective of Mr. Corrigan's daughter, April, so you know that she survives.(So much for Duncan's famed "suspense.")April is rather bland (I like the reviewer who suggested that all she thinks about are "boys and tennis")--as are most of Duncan's protagonists--and as a matter of fact, she is so shallow both in personality and in development that the simple act of making her father a Sicilian goomba and at least giving her a more fleshed-out cultural heritage would have just about doubled the interest factor.And don't even think about telling me that April matures:leaving behind one shallow consumer-driven existence for another does not amount to maturity.Her maturation is too quick to be believable and definitely not deep enough to salvage the rest of the book.

We should not, of course, expect any less.Generally speaking, the more rooted and cultured Duncan's characters, the more evil.That said, Duncan does not discriminate culturally:her evil but rooted characters have included Anglo-Protestants (Behind the Gallows), Native Americans (Stranger with My Face) and Acadian Southerners (Locked in Time).The good girls are still California mall girls, even if they find themselves ostracised by their peers.Duncan may pretend to diss the popular cheerleaders, but she obviously prefers the McWorld to the real one.

What a shame, too.The idea--a teenager reacting to the loss of everything around her and being forced to discover something deeper and move beyond the banalities of contemporary American teenage life--could have made for a highly interesting and engaging tale.This is, alas, beyond the ability of Duncan, whatever meagre strengths she may possess.Pass this one up--and definitely don't look behind yourself as you walk out of the bookstore.

Don't Look Behind You
The book was in excellent shape. I purchased it for my daughter for a reading assignment. The book arrived at the time it was due. I received a nice book for a good price.

terrible book
this book is terrible. i was forced to read it for my freshman english class. it has a slow plotline, poor character development, and just terribly written overall. the ending is stupid and pointless and completely unrealistic. do not put yourself through the aaonizing experience of reading this book. i had never not finished a book, but i was really close to just saying "screw this" and throwing the book in the trash. just go read harry potter instead, or if you want a book with suspence or mystery, read anything by dean koontz like The Taking. just not this.

Thrilling ending, boring beginning
To me the overall book when I look back on it was pretty good while when I was reading it at first I HATED it!I mean I had to read it and it wasn't HORRIBLE or anything I just didn't enjoy it but the ending was so thrilling and not one ounce predictable (okay maybe a little) and I was so excited my heart was pounding and I was really into the book.So it was worth reading because now I know what a real good book can do to you.

Do You trust everyone you meet?
Dont look Behind you
By: lois duncan
ISBN 0-440-20729-0

once you give your life up you cant get it back.

April Corrigan lives in norwood virgina and has the perfect life. She has a handsom boyfriend and is the star player on the tennis team. She is living the life anyone would ever want. until, one day she is called down to the office to find that her grandma is waiting for her, she has no ideal what is going on. her grandma says that she has to leave. april as a teen thinks that everything is going to be okay and she will ba back at school tomorrow. but that is a whole different story.
the genre of this book is suspense. It is a page turner and one of those books where you cant put it down.I think that this book was a really good book to read and it wasnt one of those that was just an OKAY kinda book. I think that anyone who likes suspense books would enjoy reading it.Also dont be afraid of the title.





... Read more

Product Description
The best-selling young adult novelist recounts her daughter's mysterious shooting death and her own investigation into the crime, describing her use of a psychic to contact her dead child and expose the truth. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Disturbing and haunting
I am in shock that 20 years later this case is still unsolved. It seems the police ignored or mishandled mountains of evidence for callous reasons. It is scary to think about what is going on behind the scenes in this world we live in. My heart goes out to the author-what a horrible thing to have to live with. I wonder what the unsavory characters in this book are up to now and what crimes they are responsible for. If you think to much about it you wouldn't even want to leave your house.

I enjoyed and was spooked by the sections on the psychics. It was eerie how accurate some of the information was, and it really cannot be explained.

I hope that the killer is revealed so this mother can have have some much deserved closure in her lifetime. God bless her.

Interesting True Crime by a Terrific Author
15 years ago, I went through a phase where I read all of Lois Duncan's books for teens.She is one of my favorite authors.I was not disappointed with her excursion into true crime.She writes very honestly about her own daughter's murder.She includes private thoughts that may make her look bad but keep the story true.I didn't mind all the paranormal aspects of the book because they are part of the story.

Good BUT
It was a very compelling and well-written story, but I was disturbed by her dipiction of the Albuquerque PD and of the detective assigned to the case (incompetent, uncaring, secretive). Note he is the only character referred to by last name only, and a clear indication to me that she has a lot of emnity towards him. I thought it was unfair, at least as it was outlined in the book, and hardly objective, considering her involvement. I will submit:

1. It is apparent to me that this detective made a deliberate choice to simplify the motive in order to covict the triggerman. No detective will bring a felony case unless he is confident of a conviction because no prosecutor will let him. Prosecutors are reelected based on their conviction record, and their assistant prosecutors who try the actual cases know they had better win if they want to keep their jobs. Hence the popularity of plea bargaining. Two misdemeanor convictions, say a battery and a theft, are much better for them than bringing a difficult robbery case they may lose. They charge offenders with the cases they can win. Based on the information provided in her book, these prosecutors would be lucky if they got an indictment for conspiracy much less a conviction.

2. The prosecutors and the detectives in big cities are swamped. Not just busy, swamped. They do not have the luxury of thinking about one case non-stop twenty-four hours a day. And the cases never stop coming. The other detectives in the department can't keep up with their own workload, so how are they going to have intimate knowledge of his case? I think it is unlikely that they would. And again, one more reason for the popularity of plea bargaining.

3. The detective is going to make the case he has. He had the right bad guys, good witnesses, and physical evidence. That's his case, and the one he can win. Trying to prove a conspiracy is very complicated, difficult to sell, and requires that a lot of things go right (especially if the shooters are more afraid of the other conspirators than they are of jail).Without solid evidence, it is a waste of time and jepordizes the case he does have. I think he wanted to keep it simple, convict some of the bad guys, keep the case open, and hope for a break. The detective's supervisor is not going to let him fly to another state without some very compelling evidence -- fingerprint? eyewitness? cancelled check? especially if it doesn't help his case. He's not pursuing a conspiracy.

4. Why does the author think the detective is going to share everything he does with her? Why would he explain his professional decisions to amateurs anyway? It's not a collaboration, and she's not the victim.I am guessing he evaluated the things she sent him, decided if it would help him, and then tried to be polite to her. It doesn't make him incompetent because he doesn't follow her advice, or uncaring because he doesn't think he can get the evidence to prove her theories. There are quite a few murderers in New Mexico prisons, she has no expertise, and so she ought to let them do their jobs.

5. What happens if your witness to a robbery is considered to be unreliable by the average citizen, say a prostitute? Juries do not like prostitutes, so the prosecutor, 99 x of 100,will not approve a felony charge, so the beat cops or the detective (if it gets that far) charge the guy with a theft and a battery (misdemeanors) because the robber will gladly take it. If juries don't like hobos and prostitutes, what do you think they think of psychics? They have less than zero credibility. This detective cannot use any of it. In fact, it would have made him look stupid and incompetent if he had tried. For him, it is a useless waste of time.

6. Why would the FBI respond to the author's investigation? It's not their case, APD didn't ask for their help, and they are not going to get involved uninvited. There is some resentment between the feds and local law enforcement, that's true, but it has nothing to do with statistics, at least not in this case. APD got their "statistic" when they made their arrests; conviction statistics are the prosecutors concern, not the police. And what are they going to do anyway? They don't know anything about homicide; theyr'e lawyers and accountants. An NYPD homicide detective handles more violent crime on a busy summer weekend than any of one of them have in their entire careers. In addition, the FBI does not need APD's permission to get involved if they think they have jurisdiction. They probably thought the conspiracy case was a loser. And finally, theprosecutor can amend the charges. She probably thought it was a loser too.

7. Every cop everywhere lets guilty people off because they can't prove they did the crime . It isa fact of life. Because you realize you can't prove it, and decide to focus your investigation on the things that you can, doesn't necessarily make you lazy and indifferent. If you cannot convict the shooter, how are you going to convict co-conspirators?

8. For a work of non-fiction, her research is one-sided and she has an obvious ax to grind. There is not one opinion from a law enforcement profesional. Shegets her facts from her reporter-lawyer-psychic friends, and has used that information for the past two decades disparaging the detective's investigation and professional reputation.How about an opinion from a credible source, say a detective or a prosecutor? All she has to do is hire a private investigator that was once a detective, ask them to look at the case file, and offer an opinion. Moreover, she only tells her side of the story. It's been a long time. Why don't the law enforcement people involved have a chance to tell their side of it, or at least some indication that she offered them the oportunity to do so?

I could keep going, but I think I have made my point. I admire her devotion, it's an interesting story, and I think her theory is solid, but she is obviously not a homicide investigator. I would have given her work more credence if she had found one that agreed with her. As it stands, I found it to be a one-sided, distorted version of the historical record.

Albuquerque
If this book doesnt touch your heart, then nothing will. Its a tear jerker. Lois Duncan put her heart and soul into this book, you can tell.

One of the Best Books I have ever read!!
After reading Gallows Hill by Lois Duncan I decided to buy all of her supsense novels just because it was so good.Well...I hadn't read any of them but for some reason I was like I'll buy Who Killed My Daughter? and I just have to say WOW!!...I'm a Christian so some of the things in this book really made me think; and I really feel like contacting this author because she also explained her faith a tad bit in the book also.This book is heart-breaking but also very inspirational.I also looked forward to reading this because my sister's friend died in a car accident three years ago and her mother has also written a novel, filled with interviews of her daughter's friends (my sister is in the book).However, I do not know what the title of this book, the last name of the author, or when this book is due to release but it is in the publication process.Overall, read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
They only meant to scare him.

Mr. Griffin is the strictest teacher at Del Norte High, with a penchant for endless projects and humiliating his students. Even straight-A student Susan can't believe how mean he is to the charismatic Mark Kinney. So when her crush asks Susan to help a group of students teach a lesson of their own, she goes along. After all, it's a harmless prank, right?

But things don't go according to plan. When one "accident" leads to another, people begin to die. Susan and her friends must face the awful truth: one of them is a killer.

Leave the lights on when reading this classic thriller! This new edition features modernized text and a new introduction by Lois Duncan, the master of teen horror. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (233)

Good but not great
The story is good and unfolds (or unravels) very well. Definitely a page turner and quite exciting, but the dialog is painfully dated and the characters are obnoxious. Some characters have unnecessarily lengthy back stories while others are wholly two-dimensional. BUT the lame dialog doesn't take away from the gripping and suspenseful plot. Lois Duncan is a classic!

UMKC-LSC
High school students Jeff, Betsy, David, and Susan, under the coercion and direction of classmate Mark, plot to kidnap and scare their strict English teacher.The innocent prank turns deadly and leads to a series of lies and coverups.The characters represent stereotypes of a typical suburban high school setting.The realistic dialogue and peer interactions allow young readers to identify with the characters.The fast moving plot, with its twists and turns, keeps readers engaged.The author explores common themes such as peer pressure, family obligations, and academic expectations.The reader learns lessons such as standing up for what is right and the importance of establishing one's identity.This includes the continual battle between the self and the group.This internal struggle is shown throughout the development of Sue's character.

One criticism is the abrupt ending that fails to show the long term consequences of their actions.This novel is appropriate for students in grades 7-12.A teacher covering this novel might address how one thoughtless decision can spiral out of one's control.Another teaching point might be the concept of group acceptance over personal integrity.

Students love it
I'm using Killing Mr.Griffin in a high school Basic Reading class. The students can't put it down. It's a great tool
for teaching characterization, shifting points of view, the plot's rising action, and symbolism, not to mention that it leaves readers with a thought-provoking message. It's not just about a killing; it's about peers blindly going along with the crowd and learning the consequences.

Weird Book
Four Stars
I enjoyed reading this book. A lot of the book is about the plot to kidnap and scare the mean teacher Mr. Griffin. This book has a lot of different characters that are all included in this plan. The main characters involved are David, Mark and Mr. Griffin. Mark is nuts and comes up with the plan to kidnap Mr. Griffin. David is the senior class president who is just kind of fallowing along with the plan. Mr. Griffin isn't a nice teacher. He disrespected Mark numerous times. This is why Mark desires to kidnap him in the first place.
My favorite part of the book is when David and Susan go, in the dark, up to the mountain to find Mr. Griffin near the waterfall where they had left him earlier with Mark. When they arrive, they find something they couldn't believe. This problem leads to a downward spiral of bad ideas and horrible mistakes that dig the students into a bigger hole then they were already in.
I enjoyed this book because of the mixed emotions you can have towards the characters. In the beginning, Mark seems like the cool kid, who is daring and adventurous for wanting to kidnap Mr. Griffin, and Mr. Griffin is the evil teacher that deserves it. But at some point, my ideas changed, and Mark becomes, in my eyes, a crazy person who is fit for a straight jacked and Mr. Griffin did nothing to deserve his horrible fate.
I recommend this book for male students in their teens. I think that male students would be able to follow this book and be interested in it. Students will be able to relate to this book, but I think that boys more than girls will be able to get past the title and the cold feeling you get while reading this story.

An Enjoyable Psychological Thriller for Teens
Killing Mr. Griffin is an older story, but still a compelling read. Once I started, I had a hard time putting it down. I don't see many psychological thrillers for teens today. It was a nice change of pace from wizards and vampire romances. While the outcome of the book was a little predictable, it was still an enjoyable read and it kept me turning the pages to see if I was right. I would certainly recommend Killing Mr. Griffin to teens and adults alike. ... Read more

Product Description
"A few centuries ago," said Bill Roll, "natural science museums threw out their collections of meteorites, because astronomers were convinced there were no stones in the sky.And it wasn't too long ago that physicists asserted that the atom was the smallest bit of matter.Now there is a whole science called quantum physics based on the study of subatomic particles.It's incredible the number of 'miracles' we accept today without question that yesterday's teachers of science told us were impossible."

When I considered that statement, I realized he was right.There was a time when the idea of the telephone seemed impossible, yet today few people are without one.The same holds true of a radio.And as a child I would have found the concept of television too ridiculous even to contemplate, yet now I take it for granted that, at the punch of a button, a blank screen will come alive with all sorts of activity.

If we can accept our ability to communicate with friends from a distance through the use of telephones and radios, and the fact that a picture can be broken into bits and transported invisibly through space to reassemble itself in our living room, why should we find it hard to accept the possibility that a thought might be transmitted from one mind to another as in telepathy?

--Lois Duncan, from Psychic Connections: A Journey into the Mysterious World Of Psi

Past our ability to obtain information by using the five basic senses--sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste--lies...what?

Psychic Connections: A Journey into the Mysterious World of Psi is a nonfiction work about parapsychology which introduces readers to the fascinating world of ESP, or extrasensory perception.Based on laboratory research and documented case histories, it addresses such subjects as astral projection (out-of-body experiences); NDEs (near-death experiences); apparitions and hauntings; poltergeists; psychokinesis; channeling and mediumship; clairvoyance; levitation; precognition; telepathy; psychic healing; and practical applications of ESP, such as the use of psychic detectives by law enforcement agencies.

Containing photographs, a glossary, an index, and a list of sources, Psychic Connections is the basic book on parapsychology.Compelling and thought-provoking, it belongs on every thinking person's bookshelf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Connecting to Psychic Connections
This was a very good book, however, as a hardcore Lois Duncan fan, I missed the mysterious twists and turns of the plot that usually accompany her books. In spite of that, "Psychic Connections" is a bookcertainly worth reading, and I recomend it to anyone who enjoys readingabout the supernatural.

Fascinating examination of true psychic occurrences.
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in true psychic phenomenon. There are things that happen that William Roll is trying to scientifically study, measure and authenticate here. Totally fascinating.

The best intro to parapsychology I have read!
Dr. Roll, world renound for his expertise on the poltegeist phenomenon,has writen a great book explaining the terms and common perceptions of modern parapsychology.He presents the matierial in a light and anecdotal fashion that hits close to home.A must read for those curious about parapsychology ... Read more

Product Description
Role-playing takes on a terrifying cast when 17-year-old Sarah, who is posing as a fortune-teller for a school fair, begins to see actual visions that can predict the future. Frightened, the other students brand her a witch, setting off a chain of events that mirror the centuries-old Salem witch trials in more ways than one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (111)

Adulterous parents shacking up in front of the kids,ruined it for me!
Ok,I'm sorry but I just couldn't get over the author having the married father of one family sleeping with the mother of another family,in a book for Young Adults!

The sexual immorality,covenant breaking,lying and sneaking around is just a horrible background for a kid's book that is just promoting such a disgusting lack of morals and character!

The Kindle version of this book
While I agree that this is an excellent story, the kindle version of this book is so full of misspelled words that it makes it very difficult to read.Every page has misspelled words. I bought this for my niece to enjoy (and introduce her to Kindle) but had to keep helping her figure out what each of the misspelled words were suppose to be.In many places throughout the story, the word "die" is used where "the" is suppose to be.I also bought her the other Lois Duncan book, I hope that it is better.I'm afraid that this was a poor choice for an introduction to Kindle for her.

Lois Duncan has done it again
A very good book. But remember, this book will only make sense to you if you have read some books on witchcraft, such as The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I highly recommend that you should read The Crucible before reading this book.

Very haunting
I requested this book, not realizing it was a young adult book.I am 25 , so I typically dont read young adult books, but I went ahead with this one.I have to say I really enjoyed it, and even had a hard time putting it down.I give it 5 stars, for being well written and interesting.

Good ol' revisitation of Salem
This is one of my absolute favorites by Duncan. I read it in high school and was hooked to every word. Goodness, but why can't horror writers for teens write like this anymore?! It is an absolutey fascinating story that is the perfect guilty pleasure or companion for a stormy night. It was everything a good story needs: a bit of Salem Witch Trial history, romance, teen angst, and Duncan's brilliant way of bringing out everyone's psychological moves without dragging down the story. The sheer supernatural flavor of the dreams was a brilliant touch, and Duncan once again combines nervous, self-conscious teenagers with brooding horror. ... Read more

Product Description
Laurie Stratton finally has everything a sixteen-year-old could ever want. But just as her perfect summer comes to a close, things start to unravel when her boyfriend insists he saw her out with another guy-when Laurie was really home sick! More mysterious sightings convince Laurie someone very real is out there, watching her. . . .

The truth reveals a long-lost sister who has spent the years growing bitter and dangerous. She has learned how to haunt Laurie, but the visits soon become perilous. She wants something from Laurie-her life! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (130)

Pretty Spooky
Man this book is decent. I just sorta lacks adventure and the whole thing was given away within chapters. I just wish it was given away like at the end. Also too much of a happy ending for me. Considering that it was still enough for me to finish it in about 2 days. Its because I had stopped reading it after a while when I found out what the situation was and didn't like it much. If it had been just a bit more suspenseful gosh this would've been a great book. The freak factor on its is wonderful. I couldn't sleep for a whole night almost and when i drifted off i thought someone was trying to steal MY BODY! ha ha it is good with the scary. I would mention more but I'm reluctant to give the story away so I'll leave it as is....

Suspense at its Finest
Lois Duncan is great writer who is terribly under-rated. She pulls you into the book so subtly and keeps you there, making you want to know more. The story is about a teen-aged girl who becomes haunted by someone who looks just like her. The story is in first person and begins with the protagonist-Lori-letting the audience know she was writing her story, hoping to put closure on the haunting she experienced. The storyline itself is not hard to figure out- separated twins, one good, one evil brought together by astral projection. I pretty much figured out every turn before it happened, but Lois Duncan has a way of keeping you enthralled so the predictable is still enjoyable. There were a few times I was irritated with the parents, but overall the characters are intriguing and Duncan does a fabulous job of "showing" you their personalities rather than "telling" you. Her prose is well done and adds to the lyrical quality of her writing, without being distracting. The story and characters are timeless to the point I never would have realized this was written almost 20 years ago if I had not looked for the publishing year. Scary without being gory and creepy without being disturbing, Strange With My Face is the wonderful YA suspense novel.

Not What I Expected, Pretty Good!
I am a huge fan of Alexz Johnson, so when I heard she was doing a movie called Stranger With My Face, I did everything I could to find out more about it. My search eventually led me here, where I bought the book and read it. It one sitting. I liked the characters, the sci fi feel without being sci fi. I didn't like some of the instances, the way Laurie's mum acted, etc. I did like the Astral Projection and the dynamic of the twin sisters. It's a book I will definitely read it again. Now I'm a little worried about the movie, as they are changing so much of it.

Long story short, definitely get this book. It's a good read. :)

Page turnerrrr!
So I got this book because Alexz Johnson is going to start on the tv version of this book and as I read the summary or the book, I was intrigued. So I got it and WOW, I couldn't put it down. This was a really good book that kept me reading 'till the end. Megan, Laurie's little sister, was one of my favorite characters along with Helen and Jeff. :]

thrilling story
I read this as a teen and the story fascinated me. I decided to give this book to a wonderful young friend who likes to write stories herself. Perfect for teenagers who want a bit of darkness in their readings. ... Read more

Product Description
Now that Andi is no longer running a hotel for dogs, she decides to start a new project -- a newspaper for dogs! With her brother Bruce and a few friends, the kids make a hit out of their paper. But they also attract the attention of some mysterious dognappers. Can the kids find the criminals and bring their dogs safely home?

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

daughter enjoyed it
my daughter is an avid reader and does not usually like these these types of books, but said this one was "very good" and we should give it 5 stars!!!!!

Now that their hotel has closed Andi and her brother have a new project - publishing the Bow-Wow News for dogs
Lois Duncan's NEWS FOR DOGS offers a companion to HOTEL FOR DOGS, a major film. Now that their hotel has closed Andi and her brother have a new project - publishing the Bow-Wow News for dogs. Their online publication attracts a dangerous dognapper in this absorbing tale.

NEWS FOR DOGS has a huge heart
When Andi and Bruce create The Bow Wow News, neither the adventure-loving brother and sister from HOTEL FOR DOGS nor anyone else could have guessed what kind of dog days were ahead of them.

Not one kid in the neighborhood is surprised when the local bully, a nasty kid named Jerry Gordon, gets Bruce in trouble. Jerry may be described as looking like an angel, but he can only fool the adults in the community with his two-faced ways. In order to raise money to fix a problem involving a beloved Red Setter who has seen better days (and suffers at Jerry's abusive hand), Andi and Bruce decide to create their own newspaper.

The result is a homespun affair: Andi serves as the editor; Debbie, her best friend, works as a columnist; Bruce acts as the photographer; and Tim is the publisher, because he has the computer know-how to make The Bow Wow News look like an actual newspaper. Charging 50 cents an issue, the first one sells out immediately. And the whole staff agrees that the entire profit should go to Bruce to pay off his debts for the dog.

However, Andi, Bruce and the gang find that running a newspaper is a difficult and time-consuming job that causes a lot of unforeseen problems. Although there are plenty of dogs to write about and lots of crazy things going on (like Bully Bernstein, a dog who eats in a high chair with his owners at the table every day) to investigate, many dog owners would prefer to live their lives anonymously. Being in The Bow Wow News and the lessons Andi and Bruce learn in the course of running the paper create almost as much calamity that the hotel did.

Much like Lois Duncan's HOTEL FOR DOGS, the compassionate kids make for excellent protagonists. The inclusion of a dognapping plot may seem far-fetched until you read it within the context of the growing storyline. NEWS FOR DOGS has a huge heart, and Duncan's characters aren't afraid to show theirs --- which means young readers will find this an engaging, exciting and thought-provoking tale about both the best and worst instincts that man and man's best friend have to offer.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Very Original Storyline!
What a fun childrens' book! Both my brother and I liked "Hotel for Dogs". It was a charming, childhood story. After all, wouldn't every pet-loving kid relish in the idea of creating a hotel for doggie visitors? Sounds like a terrific idea to me. I wish that I could join in the with the characters in the book. If you're looking for a fun book with new original storyline concepts, this should be the one you pick up.

Nice Children Audio Book
I listened to this story while traveling with my daughters, ages 5 and 7.We enjoyed the story.The girls listened intently during the whole trip.

Buyer Beware: Look for the original version if you can find it.
I must have read and reread this book 500 times as a child. I brought this back with me to the Netherlands after my father died, and on a whim picked it up to reread again now. (Which I how I discovered that I had actually inadvertently stolen my sister's copy-- sorry Sis!) Since there is a recent film about the book, it seemed timely to read.

Still a wonderful book-- at least if only for the nostalgia. Some good lessons in there about kindness to animals and bullying. I found that I remembered it nearly line-for-line.

Some surprises for me:

I didn't realize until picking this up again that the author was Lois Duncan-- whose work I knew mostly for her melodramatic YA novels. I would not have guessed that it had the same author as Daughters of Eve.

Second, buyer beware of the recent editions. Someone has inexplicably changed the text-- including pointlessly changing the characters names? Apparently this was to make the book fit the names used in the film. Badly played. Look for the original.

Two paws up!
Andi Walker isn't your typical ten-year-old. One, she'd rather spend the day holed up in her bedroom writing poetry than waste time playing outside. Two, her mind is constantly buzzing away with fantastic ideas and schemes. Three, she's dedicated to her dog Bebe, and would do anything for the lovable pooch. Which is why she completely blows her top when she learns that not only is she being forced to move in with her Aunt Alice, and change schools, but she'll have to leave little Bebe behind, as well - all so her father can try out a new job. Just because Bebe is back home, however, doesn't mean that Andi is going to deny her love of dogs. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Andi doesn't intentionally bring a dog back to Aunt Alice's house. She knows the rules that her parents have put in place - no dogs because Aunt Alice is allergic. Fine. But when a cute little stray follows Andi home one day, and promptly lets herself into the house Andi just knows that she can't simply turn the little pooch away. Especially not after she has a litter of puppies in one of the upstairs closets. No, it is up to Andi to protect the dog, and her family; so she enlists the help of her older brother Bruce. With Bruce by her side, Andi is able to set up a makeshift hotel for the stray in an abandoned house located right down the street. But then more and more guests begin to turn up. First there's Red Rover, an Irish Setter who is big, beautiful, and treated cruelly by his stuck-up owner. When he finally makes a break for it, Bruce and Andi are convinced that the only safe place for him is the new hotel for dogs. Then there's sweet MacTavish - a mutt who spends his days begging for scraps in the school playground. Before they know it, the house is overflowing with hungry dogs. It's an overwhelming predicament, but Andi is secretly thrilled. Finally she has found a fun way to spend her often lonely days - running a dog hotel. But then things begin to go awry and Andi wonders if she and Bruce will be able to keep the hotel for dogs a secret, or if they'll have to close its doors forever.

I read Lois Duncan's young adult books for years, and had no idea that she had ever written anything for children until I stumbled upon HOTEL FOR DOGS. I am so glad that I finally discovered this, because I have quickly grown to love it. Even as a reader in my early twenties, I have found that I was able to easily identify with the main character Andi. She is such a relatable person, whose kind heart, bookish nature, and oft-times tough exterior is fun from the first page to the very last. Anyone who loves animals will easily fall head over heels with HOTEL FOR DOGS. Two paws up!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
http://cafefashionista.blogspot.com

Accelerated Reader - Warning
Don't get bit if buying this book for Accelerated Reader tests -- the ISBN of this version is different, and as stated above, the character and text have apparently changed!

As of this review, there is no updated version of AR Quiz No. 60565 EN for this version! Avoid this version for now if you're purchasing for AR purposes.

(The one-star rating is only for this reason, and not for the quality of the book itself.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Thrilled to discover this book is still in print!!!
I can still remember reading this book in the 5th grade.That was in 1975.I read it at school as part of a personalized reading program.I never forgot the story and wanted to pass it on to my niece, however, I couldn't remember the full title or author of the book.I searched for it for years.Unexpectedly, I found a reading log in an old box a month ago.The book was listed in the log along with my notes.I was ecstatic!I immediately got onto Amazon and discovered it was still in print.I just ordered it and can't wait to read it again!

Wonderful Story!!
This book was hard to put down. The Gift of Magic was filled of suspense, very chapter was more exciting! It was one of the best books I've read. Lois Duncan's books are always good, but this book tops a lot of her books.
Each child has there own special gift, Kirby has the gift of dance, Bendon with the gift of Music and Nancy with the very special gift of magic.

Not the best of Duncan
I really didnt like this book. When i started reading this book i was so board that i wanted to put it down and not read it anymore, but then i realized that this is Lois Duncan's book, so i kept reading. It picked in the middle and again it got boring, really boaring. The worst book Lois Duncan have ever written.

Great book!
This book, being actually one of the first Lois Duncan books I've read so far, I was surprised to find myself reading a science fiction book. This book made me be hooked on this author. It is a wonderfully written book with "cliff hangers" at the end of each chapter, making you want to read more. It's filled with magic most people aren't familiar with today, but still within the realm of possibility. It's a truly wonderful book. It makes you want to read it and never stop. Surprisingly, it was a very quick read despite it's length. As it tells the story of Nancy Garrett and her gift of ESP, or extra-sensory perception, it tests the imganition of most people. As Nancy learns the strength and limits of her ability, it really draws you into the story as if you were a relative of Nancy, or Nancy herself. I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in a magic filled book.

My Review of A Gift of Magic.
I've read a few books by Lois Duncan, the author of "A Gift of Magic," all of which have been marvelous stories. They all contained great mystery plots that were truly thrilling to me. So, when I picked up a different Lois Duncan book to read from the bookstore, I was expecting yet another fabulous mystery story, but when I started reading, I realized otherwise.
This book fit more into the category of science fiction, as it was about a young girl named Nancy Garrett who discovers she has the gift of ESP, or extrasensory perception, and goes through many problems as she tries to cope with it. Although I was expecting to read a mystery book, since the summary at the back led to me towards that direction, I was extremely surprised to find myself unable to set the book down, (which is strange because pretty much all I enjoy readingare mystery/thriller books). I was actually particularly fond of this book, which was very well-written and contained superb imagery and figurative language. This book was at a good length: not too long, not too short, but right to the point with the necessary details described in an organized manner. The ending of each chapter consisted of a sentence written so beautifully and interestingly, that when I told myself I'd stop reading at chapter seven, I found myself turning to chapter eight as soon as I read the ending of chapter seven. I finished this book faster than it usually takes me to read books at this length, which proves how much this book can grasp a reader's attention.
I could hesitate and think for a long time about this, but I really don't believe there's anything wrong in the book for me to change. I'd recommend it to any teenager that loves science fiction books with an edge of adventure to them.
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Product Description
Lois Duncan, a master of the thriller, knows what makes for great suspense writing. And her extraordinary selection of short stories, featuring 11 all-new tales by a first-class crew of young adult writers, is full of chills, surprises, and terrors--all the stuff that the most frightening nightmares are made of. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Night Terror Stories of Shadow and Substance
Genre:Fiction
Three sentence summary:There is this kid named Bo and his friend got murdered by a killer doll.So now the killer doll is coming to get him.So then he realizes it was all a dream. The doll is kind of like Chucky.
What I liked most about the book:I liked the part when that girl got her head sliced by the doll.
What I didn't like and why: I didn't like Bo because he is not that cool like me.
My favorite character and why: My favorite character is the killer doll. Why because he kills people and that is cool to me.
The scene,line,or passage that meant something to me and why:
"Hay watch out", said Bo as he took out his shotgun. The killer doll was right behind his friend as he fired a bullet into his head.
What would I say about this book to someone else:It is a great book and you would probaly wet your pants reading it because it is to scary for the reader. So read it and don't wet your pants.
One question I have after reading this book:Why did the killer doll have to die and couldn't the author make Bo a gangster?
My strongest reason for recommending this book:It has action and brings a chill down your spin.So watch out because the killer doll is real! (Don't wet your pants)

BOring
BY SAM WOTIPKA doctorporkchop@dellmail.com

Night Terrors, sounds scary doesn't it?Wrong.By the title it sounds like it's the type of book you don't want to read if you get scared easily, but this book isn't scary enough to scare a six year old.It's a collection of short stories that are supposed to frighten you.In addition to being boring many of the stories don't make since.For example "The Monkey's Wedding", about an old lady's son painted a famous picture called "The Monkey'sWedding."The stories most interesting event was when the old lady got a phone call saying here son had been killed, then the picture was mailed to her and the story ended.I can see how this book might be interesting to some people, but wasn't to me.When started reading this book I thought it would be scary, it didn't come close.On the good side this book was well written and had a lot of detail.Some of the stories did interest me but more often than not the stories were a disappointment.I think the author should have put different stories in the book or just changed the title to something that wasn't scary sounding. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except for parents to read to kids five and under.This book is a disappointment.

Don't Turn Out the Lights.......
If you are a lover of scary stories,this book is made for you!Not only are the storys so frightining that you won't want to go to bed, there is more that one of them!

I would definetly reccomend this book!

A suspense filled collection of short stories
A good selection of short scary stories

This book has many stories about ghosts spirits it is great!
The book "NIGHT TERRORS" is a very good collection of stories to be told in halloweenor to be read during the day because they are scary butthere is only one that is like very interesting it is called "Thegirl at the window " this storie is about a boy that just moved to anew town andthe room where he sleped was owned by a girl like from the70's that died trying to leave her and her friends mark in the water tower.This spirit would come to her room and sleep on the floor until one day shetook the boy with her and she went with her friendsand they went up tothe water tower and started to build a human latter and... want to knowwhat happens read the stories.this is really a gret book I recomend it toyou and I you go and recomend it to your friend after you have read thebook of scary collections. You will enjoy it I hope that you will as muchas I did. sylviap@ ... Read more

Product Description
A high school teacher uses the guise of feminist philosophy to manipulate the lives of a group of girls with chilling results. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (86)

Haunting Morality Tale
Having been a long-time fan of Lois Duncan, I went into Daughters of Eve expecting a lot less, and a lot more.In many ways, the book is exemplary of Duncan.In others, it is completely different from anything she has ever written.
She normally does a good job of telling stories from multiple points of view, and Daughters of Eve is as good an example of this as you can expect to find.Daughters has not three or four, but ten! main characters.The problem with this, of course, is that it makes it almost impossible to remember who's who, and to keep track of everything going on.
Duncan's plots are normally fairly hard to explain without plot spoilers, and Daughters is no exception, so suffice to say, it's about a group of girls who get some bad guidance from an prejudiced adult, and the resulting consequences.It's not an action oriented story, and there's not really a whole lot here that quantifies this book as a thriller.Most of the book is occupied by telling of the injustices perpetrated against the girls in this book by men and their overreactions to them.
Many reviewers have hammered this book for "not portraying reality," and making feminism look ridiculous.However, these reviewers are mostly mistaken.Duncan is not trying to make feminism look ridiculous, and name one book by Lois Duncan that does portray reality.The main theme of the book seems to be, that people should be careful not to take ideas to extremes.The girls in this book have some genuine complaints against the men in their town, but instead of trying to help these girls to solve their problems, their teacher teaches them to hate men and as one character in the book puts it, "You're treating them the same way you think they're treating you!"
Ok, so the book has some flaws.Some of the characters are implausible, as are some of the events of the book.It's not your typical Lois Duncan book in that it doesn't have any key story line, but rather concentrates on the girls in the Daughters of Eve over a year of adjustment.But it tackles fairly weighty issues in a simplistic way, and has good messages about family, love, and life.It doesn't make a point for feminism or against it, nor does it come over as overtly against sex before marriage or abortion.(I won't state my own opinion on these issues, because that's not what this page is here for.)
The ending is the most shocking ending I have read in any of her books, but it loses some of its power due to the epilogue inserted immediately afterwards.Overall, a dark dreary book that asks hard questions and gives hard answers.I would give the book a three out of five, but I think that Daughters is at least as good as all of her other books, and therefore doesn't deserve the fairly low rating that it receives on this site.
PS: Being a teenage boy, I found this book slightly less relevant than I think most teenage girls will.
Conservative parents should be warned that there are some sexual themes (a boy seduces an overweight young woman and then dumps her; another young woman ends up pregnant after spending the night with her boyfriend; None of this is described very explicitly, but there are some sexual references) and language (half a dozen or so s-words and about that many b-words.The word "screwing" is used in reference to sex.) in this book.Also, due to the nature of some of the issues faced in the book, I think, although listed as a novel for twelve and up, that it is more suitable for fifteen and up because it has more relevance for this age group.

Taking feminism to the extreme but an important, fun read.
At Modesta High School there is a chapter of the Daughters of Eve who are sending out invitations for their new members.They have a new teacher, Irene Stark, who is going to mix things up a bit--you know--really get things done.With Irene leading them, this social club quickly turns into a group of girls who will test their social and moral boundaries at every chance they get.

I actually had a hard time with parts of the book.The extreme levels that were taken had me with the feeling that these ideas gave feminism a bad stereotype.I started the book thinking it would be milder but Duncan definitely has you questioning the actions of some of the characters.

I couldn't wait to get to the end (and boy did it end with a bang!!) to see if I would feel better about their actions.I am pleased to say, when I closed the book and though about their actions as a whole, I was kind of in love with it.I think Duncan was right in writing it with the extremes she did because she smacks you with something that you MUST think about.Irene may be a bit insane at times, but haven't we all been there?I remember literally seeing red after a comment about women from a guy in college.I was literally blind with rage and wanted to punch him--I didn't punch him, but I guess I'm a softy that way.The point is that the book was a bit extreme, but I get it.

The best part was that Irene reminded me of a college professor I had for Women's Studies.She had that passion and enraged fire that made you want to go out and change the world.I love that when I closed the book I felt like I had just gotten out of one of her lectures.

This is an excellent book that may have you questioning both sides but the important thing is that it will make you think.

Good, but could be better
This book is well written, but there are flaws about it that make it seem too extreme. Although some might find that attractive, I found it too farfetched. Despite its strong sense of feminism and anti-discrimination, which I support, I thought it took that message too far. When violence erupts, and the end subtly parallels problems of the beginning, it seemed like Lois Duncan was supporting all the events that occurred. Also, the characters' situations, although their problems are problems of today, seemed to the EXTREME. The daughter's of Eve decisions that followed were very irrational and overdramatic. However, I suppose that is why the book keeps its fast-pace.

However, if Lois Duncan truly wished to convey the sense of "environment and situations can greatly influence a person" she should have changed some of the events' outcomes to reflect a positive lesson learned. This might have more of an impact upon the reader, rather than having them complain about the book's flaws in an Amazon review.


Overall, I think that one should read it due to its interesting plotline, but should remember the book's decisions are somewhat illogical and extreme.

Great Book!
Lois Duncan is an amazing author and she really out did herself with Daughters of Eve. It kept me wondering what was going to happen next and I keep rereading it!

intriguing
I've been reading some of the reviews, and I feel I should point out in the book's defense that it was published in 1979. That explains the odd character names and much of the sexism that occurs. By today's standards, perhaps, what a lot of the male characters do seems unrealistic, but it wasn't so long ago that women were expected to stay home and raise the kiddies and put their families' needs first. It just seems like it happened way back in the Dark Ages.

I do agree, however, that the author tried to develop way too many (10) characters, so that each became more of a stereotype than they might otherwise have. I would have preferred if she'd focused on three or four, rather than dropping a character for several chapters to the point where you'd forgotten who she was. There were also a ton of typos in my copy.

The plot involves a group of girls who join a sorority/school spirit club, led by a charismatic, and ultimately dangerous teacher with a private axe to grind against men.Like the book "Foxfire," and the movie "The Craft," the girls form a sisterhood and vow to come to each other's aid if necessary. However, one act of violent revenge seems to unleash a vindictive streak in most of the members, and eventually the revenge gets out of control.

I don't think the author wanted the "moral" of the book to be cut and dried. The male characters aren't as well developed, but not all of them are sexist pigs. Nor are the girls who fall under the teacher's "spell" all blind followers; some are able to think for themselves. Some of the "revenge" will seem more justified than others. I think the book was written to raise questions and cause debate, rather than giving the reader a tidy message.











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